Yum, Yum It's Good: BMW AG's 3.0L Turbocharged DOHC I-6

BMW AG's 3.0L turbocharged DOHC I-6 couldn't be more delicious if its internals were cast from solid Noka chocolate.

The seminal BMW inline 6-cyl. format is the best of the best on just about any day, but when its engineers strapped on a couple of the quickest-acting turbochargers we've ever experienced, the result is pure engineering bliss.

By today's standards, the absolute figure of 300 hp isn't necessarily that big a deal. But the 300 lb.-ft. (407 Nm) of torque is what makes the blown BMW six stand head and shoulders above the sea of V-6s that dominate the market — most sporting at least another half-liter of displacement.

We said it last year when this engine won a 10 Best Engines award in its first year of eligibility: Many engine developers insisted they eradicated turbo “lag.”

BMW, with help from turbo maker Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., finally delivers. There absolutely is no waiting with this engine.

ENGINE SPECS

Engine type: 3.0L Turbocharged DOHC I-6

Displacement (cc): 2,979

Block/head material: aluminum/aluminum

Bore × stroke (mm): 84 × 89

Horsepower (SAE net): 300 @ 5,800 rpm

Torque: 300 lb.-ft. (407 Nm) @ 1,400-5,000 rpm

Specific output: 100 hp/L

Compression ratio: 10.2:1

Assembly site: Steyr, Austria

Application tested: 335i

EPA fuel economy, city/highway (mpg): 17/26