On August 23, on the eve of the Chengdu Auto Show, we participated in an interview with brand executives regarding the new BMW M5 that will be unveiled at the auto show, and discussed the product information and brand development trends of the new BMW M5. The interviewee this time: BMW Mr. Dirk Häcker, Senior Vice President of M Research and Development. The following is a transcript of the interview.

Exclusive shorthand interview with Mr. Dirk Häcker, Senior Vice President of BMW M R&D, August 23, 2024, Beijing

Opening remarks Dirk Häcker: First of all, welcome to everyone. I have been responsible for the development of the M brand since 2015. I am mainly responsible for the powertrain and electronic systems. I am also responsible for the research and development of the M4 GT3 and M4 GT4 models. I am very happy to discuss it with you today. Brand new M model.

Question during the Q&A session: Everyone is very concerned about the weight of the M5. I would like to know how we solve the problem of lightweighting during research and development? How to balance weight and performance? In the future, pure electric models will be launched, so pure electric models will definitely have problems in this regard. How are you considering this aspect?

A: I completely agree with you. The weight of this car is indeed a challenge and indeed a major issue. Therefore, when we were developing this generation of M5, we were considering what kind of concept was correct. At that time, we made a judgment 4 years ago about what kind of powertrain can meet the future needs of the world. At that time, we decided that it must be We are vigorously promoting electrification, so we are developing a plug-in hybrid system based on 48V light hybrid to extend the electric driving range. We are also considering what kind of internal combustion engine should be used with such a hybrid system. We don’t want the engine displacement to be reduced due to plug-in, so when we electrify it, we continue the performance advantages of the previous generation and build a V8 plug-in hybrid system. For M development, performance, power, flexibility, control and other aspects must be taken into consideration, so a new generation of models is developed based on the advantages of the six generations.

At the same time, after adopting plug-in hybrid technology, the powerful power system of the new BMW M5 can burst out strong power at all speeds, that is, when accelerating from a standstill or low speed, it can fully unleash its horsepower, sprint at full speed, and even No turbo lag is felt. This power system is particularly advantageous at medium and high speeds: for example, the acceleration performance between 80-120 km/h is 0.3 seconds faster than the previous generation M5 Thunder Edition, and even 0.1 seconds faster than the most powerful version of the previous generation, the M5 CS. Second.

In addition, we have also put a lot of effort into research and development. For example, for the first time, the M5 is equipped with an integrated active steering system, which enables the new BMW M5 to achieve better sports control. In addition, the M5 also uses a large number of lightweight technologies, such as carbon fiber roof and carbon ceramic braking system. The carbon fiber roof can effectively lower the center of gravity of the vehicle and is 30.45 kilograms lighter than a model equipped with a panoramic sunroof; the M carbon ceramic brake discs are lighter and can significantly reduce the weight by about 25 kilograms. We also optimized the longitudinal and lateral stiffness of the double-wishbone front axle of the chassis suspension, while the use of aluminum components reduced unsprung mass. The five-link rear axle also uses components specially designed for the model. The innovative steel plate structure of the forged connecting rod and wheel frame, like the aluminum rear axle subframe, effectively reduces the unsprung mass. If you have paid attention to the test drive information from overseas media, you can know that the new M5 has solved the weight problem very well, and at the same time achieved very amazing performance.

Question: If M high-performance models launch pure electric models in the future, will they still use excitation synchronous motors? How to solve the problem of power attenuation after the motor reaches high temperature?

Answer: We are developing future electric vehicles, and there is not much information to share with teachers right now. At the same time, I very much agree with the requirements you just mentioned. In the development process of electric vehicles, we must take into account performance and power attenuation, and at the same time do a good job in heat management and temperature management. So we are now studying various technologies specific to M models, including batteries and motors, but there are not many technical details to share with you at the moment. In addition, we announced two years ago that we were developing a new powertrain, which involves a high energy recovery rate. On the one hand, it still maintains ample power; on the other hand, it has a higher electric cruising range. Let me add, it does not mean that after this model is hybridized, the next model will beIt will definitely be pure electric, and we will also prepare to develop new fuel models. Therefore, BMW M will be prepared around three different power forms. Our philosophy is that no matter which M model is powered, it will have a good products come out.

Question: I don’t know if you have noticed that China’s Xiaomi cars have been tested in New York recently. Have you paid attention to this aspect and which aspect do you pay attention to? What do you think you need to pay attention to when driving electric cars on the track? Has BMW done similar verification during development?

Answer: Since the 1970s, BMW has been testing at the Nürburgring for more than 50 years. It can test for more than 16 weeks in a year. This is not only done by the BMW brand, but also by the M brand. . We are the first car company to conduct testing at the Nürburgring, and we will also conduct such testing for electric vehicles. We know that New Force and other car companies will also conduct testing at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, where they can test and evaluate a car very well. For BMW, we are not only concerned about the performance of a car, but also include all aspects of attenuation and durability. Therefore, BMW has been testing at the Nürburgring for the past 60 years, and the M brand has been testing for 52 years. Our When new cars come out, whether they are electric or other powered models, they will continue to be tested on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Question: Can you talk about the characteristics of the M5 plug-in hybrid? Because plug-in hybrid models are very common in the Chinese market, but high-performance plug-in hybrid models like this are rare, so the battery and The motor and electronic control will definitely be different from those of domestic plug-in hybrid models. For example, BMW also had plug-in hybrid domestic models before. If there are any specific differences when making high-performance cars, some examples can be given so that everyone can understand intuitively.

Answer: Your question is very good. We have to think about what requirements we have for the new generation M5 hybrid version. We are very familiar with the characteristics of the V8 fuel engine, including its output characteristics at high speeds; equipped with a motor with an output power of 145 kilowatts , the drive system of the new BMW M5 can give more torque at low speeds.moment output. Even without power, this car can run at top speed. Our goal is to make customers not feel the difference between using oil and electricity, but to make them form a whole. On the basis of the existing very powerful fuel engine, we can make good use of the power output of the electric motor, so that oil and electricity are completely integrated. One body. At the same time, this also improves the efficiency of the fuel engine. In this way, the V8 engine + motor can be used to maintain pure driving pleasure and an emotional driving experience; on the other hand, through electrification, faster acceleration, higher torque, and high efficiency can be achieved The performance of power is the original intention of the design. I hope that such a design logic can be adopted so that the two can complement each other.

Question: I would like to continue asking, are the research and development indicators for batteries, motors, and electric systems much higher than those for civilian models? Can you give some specific examples?

Answer: It may not be convenient to share too many technical details and data with you at this stage. But I think there will definitely be different design requirements in terms of power attenuation, lap speed, acceleration, etc. What we are pursuing is not just vertical performance, but also all-round performance such as control. For example, the overall active steering equipped this time further improves the directional stability of the M5 compared to the previous generation. This reflects that what we are pursuing is an overall vision. We hope that after equipped with new power forms, through technical means and attention to detail, we can meet users' expectations and needs for future high-performance driving.

Question: Speaking of active steering, I also mentioned active steering when I talked about offsetting the disadvantages caused by weight. Can you give some specific examples? I know that you have rich experience in track driving. Active steering is very important for family cars. It is easy for consumers to understand that it can be more flexible and reduce the turning radius, but how to control it better on the track and in terms of performance?

Answer: Your question is very good. This depends on the purpose or concept of providing rear-wheel steering. BMW M hopes to achieve a more precise and linear control experience, making the owner feel that the person and the car are one, so the rear-wheel steering should not be too large, so that the driver can When pursuing ultimate control, don’t worry about accidentsThis is our general idea when encountering unexpected steering amplitude or uncontrollable situations.

In fact, the damping of active steering systems and intelligent control shock absorbers also requires a lot of attention. Through control and calculation, the driver's thoughts and the car's response are consistent. This requires the cooperation of steering, brakes, accelerators, and the powertrain to achieve a smooth, responsive, and intelligent driving style and create the ideal high-performance car in the eyes of car owners. This is also very important when designing electric vehicles in the future. After electrification, more new ideas will come out. At the same time, a lot of technical experience will be accumulated over the years. I hope to be able to build the next generation of electric vehicles. time, very different performance can be achieved.

Question: Every BMW model goes to New York for testing. I would like to ask how many track tests the new BMW M5 has done? And what improvements are there in terms of performance on the track compared to the previous generation M5? The second question is, will subsequent M products be equipped with the M hybrid system? Will there be some different power system solutions?

Answer: The research and development of the new BMW M5 started 4 years ago, and the testing started 2 and a half years ago. It is not just tested on the Nurburgring track, but is done all over the world, including high-temperature areas, and even in northern Europe. We do it in these low-temperature areas and run millions of kilometers, and the performance makes us very happy. Our colleagues believe that the performance of the new BMW M5 at the Nurburgring is not inferior to that of the previous generation model, and it has very good performance in terms of acceleration and power. If you have the opportunity, whether you are driving this car or riding in this car, you are welcome to go for a run at the Nürburgring and experience it for yourself. I believe you will be amazed.

Second question, did you say that this hybrid system will be used in other M models? XM will also have hybrid, but its settings are not exactly the same. The power systems of the next generation M3 and M4 cannot be communicated yet, but each car will have its own power solution to match the personality of the car. For example, the current M3 and M4 use six cylinders, and the M5 uses eight cylinders. Different cars have different power, what kind of power should be used?The settings will be different. In the future, BMW M will also consider launching fuel-powered models, so the entire model portfolio will be very diverse, and the solutions will also be diverse.

Question: I just mentioned that M is still developing a fuel version. I would like to confirm whether the fuel version being developed is the M5 or another M model? Of course, whether it is an M5 or not, does it mean that there may be fuel and new energy versions of the same M model on the market at the same time, just like the relationship between the 5 Series and i5, or the 7 Series and i7?

Answer: This matter has not been finalized yet. Currently, we are offering a hybrid version of the M5. We have also been observing the development of electrification around the world in the past two or three years. We see whether each region is fast or slow. . We need to be prepared for various forms of power, and we will look at which products will be supplied in which fields. This matter has not yet been decided. We are studying it. What is certain is that there will definitely be fuel-powered models in the future. At present, there will be no Different power versions will be launched in parallel in the same region. This has not been finalized and depends on future development. Other factors include the regulatory requirements of different countries, such as power, noise and other aspects of restrictions. The final decision will be based on the regulatory situation, hoping to provide customers with a correct product mix.

Question: BMW has actually always focused on high-performance cars, but we haven’t seen BMW launch a legendary sports car like the M1 for a long time. In the electric era, will there be a new era of BMW? Such a high-performance sports car appears?

A: We have been considering the development of sports cars like the M1, but we have not made a final decision yet. We are also tracking and evaluating what our competitors are doing, and we have the ability to make high-performance models that are the most fun to drive. As for whether to make an M1-type sports car, it has not been determined yet.

Question: More and more high-performance cars are electrified, and some use mild hybrids. I am curious about the advantages of plug-in hybrids for the M5? With the subsequent development of battery technology, will the battery be larger or smaller in our subsequent planning?

A: Of course we hope that the battery can be more compact. We have also seen various trends in technology. We hope that the size of the battery can be reduced without reducing the power. This requires a breakthrough in battery technology to support electrification. development. Internally we have also discussed the first question you mentioned, whether it is possible to use mild hybridization with a relatively small battery capacity. We have actually looked at several aspects. First, if the battery capacity is relatively small, it can assist the timing of the internal combustion engine. relatively short, iWe want to avoid performance degradation when the battery is drained. On the other hand, we consider that since it is a hybrid car, it still needs to have a certain electric driving range. Customers in some areas hope to have a certain degree of pure electric driving capability, so in the end the new BMW M5 can travel 73 kilometers purely on electric power (WLTC) , can run a considerable distance without using a fuel engine and meet users’ commuting needs in the city.

Question: Let’s talk about market competition. In the field of new energy vehicles, AMG and RS are old rivals, but many new rivals will appear in China. Their models are all electric and accelerate very quickly. I believe that M is a brand with such a heritage. Whether it is M or M5, it must have a spiritual core in addition to parameters. I would like to ask you, as the head of M's R&D, that this work is like your child. What do you think of this spiritual core? What exactly? Can you give M or M5 a few words? In addition, in the new era of technological explosion, how to inherit this spiritual core? What challenges did they face during development? What changes have occurred in your mentality? Can you tell us some stories?

Answer: Your question is quite long. I will answer it one by one. The M brand has a 52-year history of making cars. We have always been creating high-performance models that are extremely fun to drive, whether it is M3, M5 or other models. We do not forget our original aspirations when developing new products, which is also our advantage. This new generation of BMW M5 is developed based on the experience of the previous six generations and relying on our accumulation of different power technologies, electronic control systems, etc. During the research and development process, it was not just me, but more than 600 of us participated in the development of this car, and many of our team members themselves are M car owners. They are both developers and car fans, and they will bring their sensibility and love to work. , forming a joint force together.

For more than 50 years, our M models have never strayed from our original aspirations. We have a group of people who truly love driving, excellent products, and a persistent M vision. This is our way to success. . I have more than 30 years of working experience at BMW. Over the years, we have continued to surpass ourselves and make our products better with each generation.

Conclusion Daniela Schmid: M5 has a long history of nearly 40 years, and each generation will be equipped with new technologies, including in-line 6-cylinder, V10 engine, V8 engine and other different power forms, as well as the new M xDrive drive technology. Nowadays, the seventh-generation model adopts the latest hybrid technology, which is another huge leap forward. After each generation comes out, everyone thinks that this has reached the extreme, it has come to an end. In fact, with the new technology As we continue to improve our research and development, our performance will continue to get better and better. Now look at the market competition situation. You can't see that traditional competitors have comparable products. We can be said to be unmatched in the competitive landscape. We continue to maintain the heritage of M5 through new technologies, and we will continue to do so in the future.

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Editor in charge: Liu Wen