BMW Had 'Record High' V-8 Sales Last Year
As BMW pushes further into electrification, it continues to go from strength to strength with internal combustion.
BMW is looking ahead to the future with the Neue Klasse EV platform, but the company isn't forgetting its internal-combustion past. We recently spoke with BMW's R&D head, Dr. Joachim Post, and while our conversation focused largely on the Neue Klasse and what comes next, he did touch on internal combustion.
During our conversation, Post revealed something interesting: Last year was BMW's best for V-8 sales. He said:
'We want to give the customer the best car, and they can decide what kind of powertrain they want. Not get a new car only if they choose an EV, an old car if they want a combustion engine. The world is different; last year, we had the most sales of [premium] EVs, and at the same time, record high sales for eight-cylinder engines.'
BMW's V-8s are especially popular here in the US, available as an option in the X5, X6, X7, 7 Series, 8 Series models, and standard in the M5, M8, X5 M, and X6 M. The new M5 also introduced BMW's new plug-in hybrid V-8 powertrain, and that's proving to be successful so far.
While BMW is best known for its straight-sixes, the company built V-8-powered luxury cars in the 1950s and 1960s, and brought the V-8 back permanently in the early 1990s for the 5, 7, and 8 Series. It proved to be a popular option in its larger cars, especially SUVs like the X5. BMW's latest V-8, the twin-turbo 4.4-liter S68, debuted in 2022 and lives in top-end Land Rover and Range Rover models.
Combined with a hybrid system, as in the M5, BMW's V-8 provides customers the power and character they want, while also satisfying increasingly strict emissions regulations.
Where a lot of other automakers planned to go all-in on EVs, BMW took a more cautious approach. It made great EVs, but it didn't stop investing in internal-combustion engines. It's a bet that's clearly paying off, with strong ICE and EV sales.
The Latest From BMW
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
The Cars Americans Drive The Most—And The Least
Who Makes Your Car's Audio System? We Visited One Of The Industry's Biggest Players
Winners And Losers From May Auto Sales
The 2027 Chevy Silverado Is Here With Two New V8 Engines
A Record Number Of Americans Are Taking Out 6-Year Car Loans
Ian Callum Finally Built The Aston Martin Vanquish He Always Wanted
Some Truck Buyers Won't Even Consider A Brand Without A V8