A Mighty 523bhp V8 Upgrade Is Heading For The BMW M550i

BMW is reportedly preparing to put the latest evolution of its twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 into the 5 Series.

The B44T3 iteration of the surprisingly old N63 unit is the latest and greatest version, and has already been agreed for use in the brand new M850i. Its larger twin-scroll turbos and higher-pressure fuel injectors help it to crank out 523bhp and 553lb ft. The earliest N63s put out ‘just’ 402bhp.

But the 5 Series, which uses the same basic platform as the 8 Series, is now also set to benefit from the latest evolution of the 4.4-litre autobahn-stormer.

Timed to arrive with the car’s mid-life facelift, the 2020 model year M550i will upgrade from the current 456bhp, 480lb ft unit, which wasn’t exactly lacking performance. It’s still possible that the new N63 might be turned down ever-so-slightly to 500bhp or so to leave the 8 Series as the obvious flagship.

The 0-62mph sprint is expected to drop well below the 4.0-second mark. The current M5 sits at 3.4 seconds. Elsewhere in the range, anything wearing an ‘M50i’ badge from the 2020 model year is likely to use the new engine. That’s going to give you plenty of fast, wafty BMW options after your lottery win comes in.

Source: BMW Blog