MWM, yes, and I think that almost everyone appreciates "twist-on-demand" type engines, those with loads of torque at low rpm. BMW's design philosophy with the V10 (and the new M3's V8) reflects something a of counterpoint (though not entirely, as the torque band is wide).
High torque is great in traffic, but far less entertaining than a high-reving motor. In other words, one's driving style can easily adapt to accommodate the V10 in traffic to maximize torque, and in MHO, it's alot more fun.
For, me, I love the both the control and the entertainment value of living at moderate to high rpm, although high torque down low is great when you're caught off guard.
Here's a pertinent excerpt from BMW's M6 media guide (Dec. 2004):
In principle there are three options to achieve optimum power and
performance in engine construction: To make the engine larger, obtaining higher torque in the process, to boost engine output by means of a turbocharger or compressor, or to increase engine speed by means of the high-speed engine philosophy.
Power is more than just a number.
This means that on the road, power and performance is more than just an impressive horsepower rating. Rather, what really counts is a car’s behavior when accelerating and its driving dynamics. And this depends on the thrust and muscle actually generated by the drivetrain as well as the weight of the car. The thrust going to the drive wheels, in turn, is a result of engine torque and the overall transmission ratio. The high-speed engine concept, therefore, allows the right transmission and final drive ratios, guaranteeing impressive performance also in everyday motoring.
Given these basic laws of physics, we find huge differences between various engines, even when on paper they have the same output. A large-volume engine, for example, has the disadvantage of both extra weight and larger dimensions leading to higher fuel consumption. A turbocharged engine likewise consumes more fuel and lacks spontaneity that is the instantaneous response of the engine to the driver’s wishes.
The high-revving concept – the perfect answer.
This leaves the third option: the compact, fast-revving normal-aspiration power unit. For traditional reasons alone the engineers at BMW M acknowledge this concept as the ideal solution, increasing engine output and performance by an appropriate increase in engine speed. The fact remains, however, that the high-speed engine concept is far more demanding in technological terms, making it a greater challenge requiring more sophisticated solutions. Reaching engine speeds of 8,250 rpm, the V10 enters a speed range until recently reserved to thoroughbred racing cars alone.
Formula 1 technology for the road.
Featuring qualities of this kind, the new V10 raises the limits to technology in series engine production to a higher standard never seen before. A comparison clearly shows what this means in terms the loads and forces acting on the various materials: At a speed of 8,000 rpm, each of the 10 pistons covers a distance of some 20 meters a second. Revving at 18,000 rpm in the BMW WilliamsF1, piston travel is actually 25 meters per second. But while durability is merely a relative factor in motorsport, a BMW M engine must last the same long life as the car itself – in all kinds of weather, under all traffic conditions, and with that typical M style of motoring.
507 horsepower for a new world of driving dynamics.
The fast-revving ten-cylinder develops maximum output of 507 horsepower at 7,750 rpm. But compared with its output and performance it remains a lightweight athlete weighing just 240 kg or 529 lb. When it comes to output per liter, on the other hand, this engine is definitely a “heavy” player. The ten-cylinder easily achieves the magical limit of 100 hp per liter, with specific output comparable to that of a racing machine.
Only engine speed can really bring out power and torque.
Maximum torque of 383 lb-ft comes at 6,100 rpm. But the ten-cylinder develops 332 lb-ft from just 3,500 rpm, with 80 per cent of the engine’s maximum torque offered consistently throughout a wide range of 5,500 rpm.
This alone places the BMW M6 with its high-speed engine far above the competition, with virtually all other models focusing on torque alone provided by larger engine capacity and/or turbocharging. A further drawback with other models is that they require a significantly reinforced and, as a result, very heavy drivetrain to convey their extremely high torque, thus suffering from extra weight and mass which consistently has to be accelerated and slowed down. By contrast, BMW’s compact V10 with its high-speed concept benefits from a far lighter drivetrain with a much faster gearshift.
A good example is that of a cyclist riding up a hill. Shifting down a gear, the cyclist will have to turn the pedals faster, but is able, in return, to take virtually every grade. Should the cyclist remain in the same gear or even shift up, on the other hand, the choices would be to either put more strength into the pedals or, quite simply, get off the bicycle. Taking two cyclists absolutely equal in their strength and stamina, the winner will always be the cyclist able to turn the pedals more quickly.