BMW V12 engine: From aircraft to saloon car<\/p>\n
Novan Iman Santosa
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nSerpong, Banten<\/p>\n
How many people are aware that the giant automotive company BMW
\nstarted its business producing engines for aircraft? This fact is
\nfar removed from many people's impressions of this manufacturer
\nof luxury cars and motorcycles.<\/p>\n
In 1918, the company produced its first V12 engine for an
\nairplane which crossed the Atlantic ocean in 44 hours.<\/p>\n
\"The engine was among the most sophisticated of that time,\"
\nsaid BMW Indonesia technical trainer, Denny Hermawan during a
\nmedia technical workshop at BMW National Training Center in
\nSerpong, Banten.<\/p>\n
But it was not until 1987 that the company decided to develop
\nanother V12 engine, this time for its Series 7 flagship saloon
\ncar. The V12 engine has undergone constant improvements ever
\nsince.<\/p>\n
The third generation of BMW V12 engine was launched in 1994,
\nwhile in 1999 a special V12 engine was developed for Le Mans
\nsuper sports car.<\/p>\n
The latest edition of the V12 engine was introduced in 2003
\nand called the N73 new generation engine, with a capacity of
\n5,972 cc and 60-degree configuration.<\/p>\n
The engine produces maximum power of 438 horsepower (hp) at
\n6,000 revolutions-per-minute (rpm) and maximum torque of 600
\nNewton meters at 3,950 rpm.<\/p>\n
The engine allows BMW 760Li, the company's flagship sedan, to
\nreach the speed of 100 kilometer per hour (kph) in 5.5 seconds
\nand achieve a maximum speed of 250 kph.<\/p>\n
\"Actually the engine is powerful enough to be faster but there
\nis a regulation limiting speed limit in Germany,\" said Denny.<\/p>\n
The N73 engine uses all the latest technology to make it a
\nmore powerful, cleaner, and more fuel-efficient engine.<\/p>\n
The engine block is manufactured from lightweight aluminum
\nreducing the sedan's weight from 300 kilograms, in the earlier
\nmodel, to 280 kilograms -- giving it a better power to weight
\nratio.<\/p>\n
Its direct-injection system protrudes deep into the combustion
\nchamber creating a more homogeneous mixture of fuel and air.<\/p>\n
The N73 engine is the first to apply the direct-injection
\nsystem. The V8 N62 engine for BMW 735Li and N42 engine for 318i
\ndo not use this technology.<\/p>\n
There are four valves for each cylinder, two each for the
\nintake and exhaust, the valves' openings are controlled by Bi-
\nVANOS and Valvetronic technologies.<\/p>\n
Bi-VANOS controls the valves' opening-time while Valvetronic
\ncontrols the intake valves' opening, which varies from 0.3
\nmillimeters (mm) to 9.85 mm. Earlier engines have a set opening
\nof 10.3 mm.<\/p>\n
\"BMW's engineers currently only apply Valvetronic technology
\nto the intake valves, while Bi-VANOS is applied to both intake
\nand exhaust valves.<\/p>\n
\"Perhaps, someday, engineers will also apply Valvetronic to
\nthe exhaust valves,\" said Denny.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, BMW Indonesia's technical advisor of service
\noperation Owen Riley said that the 12-cylinder engine was a
\nsmooth running engine.<\/p>\n
\"With more cylinders, there will be more combustion during a
\ncycle, giving it more power as well as making it smoother,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bmw-v12-engine-from-aircraft-to-saloon-car-1447893297",
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