S54, S65, S58: Three Engines, Three Philosophies

Compare these three engines and you can read BMW M's changing priorities across twenty years more clearly than in any press release.

S54: the specialist

3.2 litres, individual throttle bodies, 8,000 rpm and 333 horsepower. Everything about it was optimised for response and noise at the expense of torque and tolerance. It demands maintenance and rewards revs.

S65: the statement

4.0 litres, eight cylinders, 8,300 rpm and a soundtrack borrowed from the racing programme. Heavier and thirstier, but with a linearity the S54 never had. It exists because BMW wanted to prove it could.

S58: the professional

3.0 litres, twin turbos, 500-plus horsepower and a cooling system designed for sustained abuse. It is measurably better in every objective category and the least theatrical of the three.

Which is best

The S58 is the engine you would choose to own. The S54 and S65 are the engines you remember. Both statements are true and neither settles the argument.