As monetary gurus prefer to say, it’s higher to have a number of income streams than to depend on a single supply of earnings. BMW’s experience extends past promoting automobiles, because it additionally operates as an engine provider. Take Land Rover, for instance, which makes use of Bavaria’s V8 in three fashions: the Defender, Vary Rover, and Vary Rover Sport. Ineos Automotive additionally sources BMW inline-six gasoline and diesel engines for the Grenadier off-road SUV and its Quartermaster pickup sibling.
The collaboration with Morgan predates BMW’s offers with Land Rover and Ineos. The British sports activities automotive marque partnered with BMW in 2000 for the “M62”-powered Aero 8 Collection 1. This 14-car ensemble contains the inaugural mannequin and practically each subsequent Morgan fitted with a BMW powerplant. The “N62” is represented by the Aero 8 Collection 2 and Collection 3, alongside the AeroMax and Plus 8 GTR.
However Morgan’s tie-up with BMW goes past V8s. There’s additionally the smaller inline-six “B58” powering the Plus Six and the beautiful Midsummer, penned by Pininfarina. Moreover, the Plus 4 downsized the engine recipe once more to a four-cylinder “B48.”
Morgan has been completely utilizing BMW engines for its four-wheeled autos since 2020. The most recent product born from the collaboration is the Supersport, launched earlier this yr with the “B58.” As evidenced by the 2004 Aero 8 LMGT Le Mans and a 2020 Plus 4 race automotive, the partnership extends past street-legal fashions.
All informed, BMW has constructed practically 5,000 engines for numerous Morgan fashions over the previous 25 years. The “B48” and “B58” powertrains manufactured at Plant Steyr in Austria for BMW and Morgan fashions additionally energy the Toyota Supra, however not for lengthy. The sports activities coupe will go out of production within the coming months.
Right here’s a tidbit even hardcore BMW fanatics may need missed: the “B48” engine spawned a lesser-known “B46” by-product for the US-market Plus 4. The variations between the 2 heart on making the four-cylinder, 2.0-liter unit adjust to SPMV (Particular Objective Motor Automobiles) laws in states that adhere to the emissions requirements set by the California Air Sources Board (CARB).
Photographs: Morgan
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