[The Cleaner]

So I was checking out the BMW site and it appears the N54 is finished. I did not check every possible build option so please don't fire up the flame thrower if I am wrong. The Z4 and 135is are showing N55 with power kit now. Near as I can tell the 335is has stopped production even if you can still built it online.

[thenewrick]

Ya it's no longer available. Alpina is still making them though and there are plenty of used ones

[iBoost]

It'll be back in the M4.

[Amini77]

Originally Posted by iBoost

It'll be back in the M4.

M4 is using a S55, specs aren't announced yet.

[tmdals0213]

Originally Posted by The Cleaner

So I was checking out the BMW site and it appears the N54 is finished. I did not check every possible build option so please don't fire up the flame thrower if I am wrong. The Z4 and 135is are showing N55 with power kit now. Near as I can tell the 335is has stopped production even if you can still built it online.

Yeap we have the last batch

[matty231]

Aww thats sad No more N54's, all done and dusted along with the whole E9x production RIP

[davidwarren]

Originally Posted by thenewrick

Ya it's no longer available. Alpina is still making them though and there are plenty of used ones

the B3 uses a N55 they put twins on, not a N54.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by matty231

Aww thats sad No more N54's, all done and dusted along with the whole E9x production RIP

It was way too complicated for its 2006 production, but I DO remember the raves about it. Everyone was circulating a link to an automobile mag test on the dyno...I forget but I think it was doing 300+ HP at the wheels, so they said this is one crazy motor.....

The N54 was probably an engineer's doing, and it got past the bean counters and marketing. I still laugh that the list price on the exhaust is over 6k. True duals. On the N55 they managed to remove one turbo and 3 CATS, and the exhaust costs 1/2. yet the price of the car went up. WINNING!

[CombatNinja]

Originally Posted by davidwarren

the B3 uses a N55 they put twins on, not a N54.

Not according to Top Gear magazine. They claim Alpina obtained the tooling for the N54 and is producing it themselves.

[liang]

I love the n54 and I'm glad that I own one. Still no problems are 56k miles. Fingers crossed!

[davidwarren]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

Not according to Top Gear magazine. They claim Alpina obtained the tooling for the N54 and is producing it themselves.

The B3 has valvetronic. Check the specs. You tell me which is easier to do- retrofit valvetronic to a n54, or switch out the exhaust manifold from a single for twins?

[PKizzle]

Interesting that the Z435is uses the N55 as well now...I see that the tech specs lists TwinScroll turbo and Valvetronic for it now...so I guess that would be the N55. So have they added overboost to the 'is' version of the N55 or does the Z4is not have the overboost any longer? If the Z4is no longer has the overboost then that would be a setback in the power department compared to the N54is cars.

[The Cleaner]

Originally Posted by PKizzle

Interesting that the Z435is uses the N55 as well now...I see that the tech specs lists TwinScroll turbo and Valvetronic for it now...so I guess that would be the N55. So have they added overboost to the 'is' version of the N55 or does the Z4is not have the overboost any longer? If the Z4is no longer has the overboost then that would be a setback in the power department compared to the N54is cars.

This was the one that I was surprised to see, BMW did not make a big announcement on this change. The n54 was very quietly retired in the Z4 for MY 2013 from what I can see. So whatever stock remains on the 335is is the end of an era.

[Blubaron79]

Originally Posted by John 070

It was way too complicated for its 2006 production, but I DO remember the raves about it. Everyone was circulating a link to an automobile mag test on the dyno...I forget but I think it was doing 300+ HP at the wheels, so they said this is one crazy motor.....

The N54 was probably an engineer's doing, and it got past the bean counters and marketing. I still laugh that the list price on the exhaust is over 6k. True duals. On the N55 they managed to remove one turbo and 3 CATS, and the exhaust costs 1/2. yet the price of the car went up. WINNING!

That's an awesome outlook on it. My N54 has 98k miles on it and it still pulls hard as day. Kudos to BMW engineers!!!

[CombatNinja]

Originally Posted by davidwarren

The B3 has valvetronic. Check the specs. You tell me which is easier to do- retrofit valvetronic to a n54, or switch out the exhaust manifold from a single for twins?

You are most likely correct. If I remember right, the e92 based Alpina car (was it also called "B3"?) was definitely an N55 with twins fitted so that makes sense. Top Gear got it wrong.

[davidwarren]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

You are most likely correct. If I remember right, the e92 based Alpina car (was it also called "B3"?) was definitely an N55 with twins fitted so that makes sense. Top Gear got it wrong.

I wondered the same too until I looked into the specs. I think we are just misreading their English idiosyncrasies.

[HTran]

Are the N54s deemed inferior now?

[ZROFCKSGVN]

good riddance

[Asbjorn]

Originally Posted by The Cleaner

This was the one that I was surprised to see, BMW did not make a big announcement on this change. The n54 was very quietly retired in the Z4 for MY 2013 from what I can see. So whatever stock remains on the 335is is the end of an era.

Originally Posted by Asbjorn

Both the current Z4 35i and 35is are still produced with the same N54 engine.

Check the mpg figures (the z4 has worse mpg than most N55 cars), realoem as well as zpost (the official news post related to the Z4 LCI). It is a common misconception that especially the 35i (ie the non-is model) ever switched to using the N55 engine.

The Z4 was never offered with the N55 engine and probably never will be.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do...ering=L&arch=0

Originally Posted by The Cleaner

Hard to argue that, The link below does seem to contradict it.

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...and_Specs.aspx

There is a misconception thats for sure

Yes the link contradicts my statement.

Proof #1 that the USA website is wrong
The German BMW website.

http://www.bmw.de/de/neufahrzeuge/z4...2/motoren.html

Quote:
"Das BMW TwinPower Turbo Triebwerk im BMW Z4 sDrive35i kombiniert zwei Turbolader mit Doppel-VANOS und Benzindirekteinspritzung."

Proof #2 that the USA website is wrong
The combined fuel consumption

Z4 sDrive35i is 9.4l/100km (with MT)
135i convertible is 8.6l/100km (with MT)

So the 135i convertible offers better mpg although it's 187lbs HEAVIER than the Z4 35i.

This is because the 1-series uses the N55 which is simply more fuel efficient than the N54 used in the Z4.

PS the USA website also states 17/24 mpg city/highway for the 35is with automatic. Compare this to the heavier 135is convertible with automatic: 18/25 mpg. Both use DCT I assume. If so, the only reason the heavier 1-series convertible gets better mpg is because it uses the newer N55 engine.

BTW have the stopped production of the 335is convertible?

[Asbjorn]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

You are most likely correct. If I remember right, the e92 based Alpina car (was it also called "B3"?) was definitely an N55 with twins fitted so that makes sense. Top Gear got it wrong.

+1 they definitely got it wrong with the new B3

[kdbryce]

Originally Posted by Asbjorn

+1 they definitely got it wrong with the new B3

I don't think I remember them ever actually saying n54. I think it was more along the lines of "[alpina has chosen to stay with a twin turbo engine]"

Which might make some people think n54

[The Cleaner]

I emailed BMW about the contradiction, it does appear the BMW USA website might be incorrect. If I have time today I will swing by my local dealer and look for myself so I can end my curiosity.