New 330 and 325 has the same 3.0 engine?!

[eddo1]

Is it true?? Can the new 325 and the 330 have the same displacement engine?? I just read this article about the test drive of the new 3 and it seems the 330 gets more horses and torque from the same engine with a different induction system and computer management software. Does this mean we can buy the 325 and "upgrade" to a 330?? Oh, it's an article from Motortrend

 

[bmwrocks]

Is it true?? Can the new 325 and the 330 have the same displacement engine?? I just read this article about the test drive of the new 3 and it seems the 330 gets more horses and torque from the same engine with a different induction system and computer management software. Does this mean we can buy the 325 and "upgrade" to a 330?? Oh, it's an article from Motortrend

I don't know the facts about this one, but I do think that BMW names their cars with the engine size built into the name.

I find it hard to swallow that they broke this rule with the new 3 series.

 

[DrivingTopless]

Well, they've done funky naming techniques before. My 323 has a 2.5L

 

[dpnguyen]

Yes, it's true. The 325 will have a 3.0 Liter engine for the E90, 91, and 92 (sedan, wagon, coupe).

 

[codex57]

I don't believe they're the same engine though. They're the same displacement, but different engines. Not just changing some parts to make one perform better, but totally different engines.

 

[eddo1]

The article did say they are coded N52 engines though. I know our currently engines have quite a bit of differences in materals but I'm not sure about the new one. Maybe it's cheaper for them to have one production line instead of 2? This was a HUGE !!!! surprise for me when I read it. I had to read that part literally 3 times before it sank in. Could Motortrend have made a mistake?? I should check the other magazines.

 

[Section_8]

Are you sure you read this properly? As I understood it, the 325 and 330 would still have the same engine displacement. The 325 will 'put out' the same 'amount' of power that the current 3.0 engine produces (I believe I saw that the new 2.5 would put out 215 horses, and the new 3.0 like 255?).

Pretty sure someone posted this very story you're reading (A few months back actually) where it talked about the displacement, and increased performance of the new engines due to new technological innovations they were introducing in the new engine?

Here's one for the search feature:

http://www.bmwboard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13125&highlight=magnesium

and

http://www.bmwboard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14338&highlight=magnesium

 

[eddo1]

It's in the April issue of Motortrend. it says" ours will be the same six: despite 330 and 325 badging, both will be powered by a 3.0l version of BMWs brand new N52 inline six"

 

[Section_8]

Wow... So heck what is the difference, software and tuning?? There better be something to account for the 5-7k pricetag difference? That just doesn't make sense unless the 325 was like, getting the old (current) 330 engine, and then it wouldn't be the same as the N52?

Wierd... So what is the 5-7k price difference.. 40hp worth of tuning??

 

[RichReg]

[driving2] It wouldn't be very easy to get an additional 40hp out of the 325's new motor without paying a very expensive visit to either Mr. Dinan or Mr. Conforti. In addition to different engine management software, the 330 has a 3 stage intake instead of a 2 stage, as well as a completely different exhaust system. In addition, the manual transmission in the 325 is not rated for much more of a hp increase than it already has.

I don't rebuild motors, but I'm sure that BMW has a few other engine part differentiations that they don't make public. If there aren't, well, the fact that most tuners I know today can't get that much more out of the current 330 engine tells me that the new 325 probably can't go that much further either without risk.

Regardless of this, I still believe that BMW will be closing the price gap between the 2 models this time around (probably closer to $3 or $4k as opposed to $6k) in an effort to justify the price of the 330 and make it the value model. There is already about $1400 worth of previously optional equipment that is now standard on the 2006 330i.

R.R.

 

[Average Jae]

here's a big misnomer btw engine sizes and price. from most of what i've seen in the auto industry, bigger engine is about 2grand more than the standard one. (as far as option itself goes, but its just my assessment) what accounts for rest of the price jump is the now standardized equipment. not to mention that cool option that's only avail on the upper model. (car cos need to have an incentive for you to drop more cash right?)

i also did read that the new 3er will both have 3.0 liter powering it. but honestly, do you think bmw will be dumb enough to retard the horsepower of one engine for the benefit of saving money? and any 325 owner could just step up the software and tune this and that, and BAM! get 330 perf? i somehow doubt that. (for comp nerds out there, it really isn't like when ati used 9700 core for the 9500 and charged half the price for it, making for a cheap overclocked 9700 alternative.) for those that just went HUH?: don't buy a 325 expecting to upgrade your way into 330 territory.

 

[Kirby]

RichReg, welcome to the board! Nice post.

The air intake staging is probably worth close to half of that 40 hp difference. I haven't seen any tech articles on it yet, but I assume they are valving the intake runner path and length at various RPMs to optimize HP and torque.

 

[RichReg]

Kirby:
Hello, and thanks for the welcome.

20 horsepower from the intake alone, huh? That sounds about right.

But you couldn't "mod' a new 325 engine to get that type of airflow, could you? At least not inexpensively.

All I have on my 323 is a Cold-Air intake and I know that that was only worth about 6 or 7 horsepower by itself (so I was told).

 

[Wadula]

i also did read that the new 3er will both have 3.0 liter powering it. but honestly, do you think bmw will be dumb enough to retard the horsepower of one engine for the benefit of saving money? and any 325 owner could just step up the software and tune this and that, and BAM! get 330 perf? i somehow doubt that.QUOTE]

but that is exactly what they did before in the E36 lines.

they had a 325 and a 323. both were 2494 ccm. difference was their hp output. even max. torque is the same. the difference between the engines was the intake manifold, exhaust and of course engine management. you could have bought all that and makle the car a 325, but only the manifold would have been close to 1000 bucks or in the vicinity.

 

[RichReg]

i also did read that the new 3er will both have 3.0 liter powering it. but honestly, do you think bmw will be dumb enough to retard the horsepower of one engine for the benefit of saving money? and any 325 owner could just step up the software and tune this and that, and BAM! get 330 perf? i somehow doubt that.QUOTE]

but that is exactly what they did before in the E36 lines.

they had a 325 and a 323. both were 2494 ccm. difference was their hp output. even max. torque is the same. the difference between the engines was the intake manifold, exhaust and of course engine management. you could have bought all that and makle the car a 325, but only the manifold would have been close to 1000 bucks or in the vicinity.

Sure, but if you add up all of those mods at today's prices and then account for whatever other new-fangled changes BMW would be able to use in distinguishing the two 3 liter engines (such as this new 3 stage intake), I'll bet that it would probably cost a helluva lot more than the upcoming price difference between models. I'm sure BMW plans to close the gap on that so that more people are willing to pay extra for the 330i.

 

[Kin]

on page 53 of April 2005 Car & Driver, it said the new 325 is equipped with 2.5 liter version of the 3.0 liter engine.

 

[HornyHornet]

There also Valvetronic to take in to account. Im not sure if it is standard on the 325 but for sure in the 330. It itself is definitely a HP increase. There must be other little additions that would make the output of the 330. I just read that article in MT today also; same engine for both cars.

 

[Section_8]

Yep after reading this last week I went out and grabbed 4 different BMW mags, 2 of them had the same article saying the same thing - same 3.0, totally different intakes and software work to make the hp difference. As someone else mentioned also the price difference from the 325 to the 330 is supposed to be a little less than the average 6k right now on new cars of both models, more around 4k.

Looks like they 'are' going to do another wierd badging goof like the poor 323.. Why can't they simply badge them both 330, and slap an 's' on the real 330 for 'sport' or something.. I sorta miss the 's' badging for the sports optioned cars anyhow. Gonna be some upset 325 owners with 330's under the hood. (Those that 'know').

"Ahh man, you only have a 2.5l engine in that 325!"
rings of..
"Ahh man, you only have a 2.3l engine in that 323!"

 

[Kirby]

It looks like BMW is getting away from the numbering matching the displacement, the same issue is occurring with the new 5 series.

 

[Nataku]

Hey, what gives ?

The new Car and Driver ( April 2005 ) calls the new engine the R6 and says the 325 will have the 2.5 ( 215HP ) and 330 with the 3.0 ( 255HP ). Old news ?