As emissions regulations continue to tighten across Europe, fears have grown over the future of traditional performance powertrains. But according to BMW M’s top executive, fans of the brand’s iconic straight-six and V8 engines can breathe easy — at least for now.
Speaking at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel reaffirmed the brand’s commitment to its hallmark powerplants, confirming that both the straight-six and V8 engines will remain in the lineup despite the tougher Euro 7 emissions standards coming into force.
Crucially, Van Meel emphasized that performance will not be sacrificed to meet compliance.
“The challenge was not so much to make an engine that is EU7 compliant,” Van Meel told Autocar, “but to keep performance.”
The upcoming Euro 7 regulations, which build on the current Euro 6e framework, don’t lower the permissible emissions limits per se. However, they do introduce a much broader range of real-world testing conditions — including cold starts, dynamic driving, and higher load scenarios. Furthermore, engines must now remain compliant for up to 10 years or 200,000 kilometers (124,000 miles), double the duration previously mandated.
Perhaps most notably, Euro 7 will mark the first time that non-exhaust emissions — namely brake and tyre particulates — are also monitored.
Van Meel acknowledged the engineering challenges involved, especially around thermal management. Traditional methods of using extra fuel for cooling during high-performance operation — known as enrichment — are no longer viable under the stricter rules, which require combustion to occur at “lambda one,” the ideal air-fuel ratio.
“Normally, if you are in high-performance situations, you cool using the fuel,” Van Meel explained. “With EU7, that’s impossible, so you need to find different ways of avoiding temperature build-up.”
BMW M engineers have therefore focused on refining the combustion process and optimizing cooling efficiency, though Van Meel stopped short of revealing exactly how these results have been achieved. “Very interesting” changes have been made to both engines, with technical details expected to follow closer to production.
What is clear, however, is that downsizing is not on the table.
Asked whether BMW M would consider three- or four-cylinder engines augmented by hybrid systems to meet future regulations, Van Meel responded with a firm “No.”
“The six-cylinder in-line engine is our legacy, and the V8 has got a long history in racing, so we intend to keep going,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine putting a four-cylinder in an M5.”
According to Van Meel, such engines do not align with BMW M’s philosophy — particularly when it comes to torque characteristics, powerband behavior, and overall vehicle weight.
For now, this is welcome news for purists. In an age of increasing electrification and regulatory constraints, BMW M is drawing a line in the sand: performance without compromise, tradition without dilution.
Source: BMW