Powertrain

Award-Winning Performance And Economy

Generating 540hp (397kW) at a moderate 5200rpm, with a maximum torque of 730Nm available from 2800 to 4500rpm, the V8 powerplant provides sensational and effortless performance, pace and acceleration. Two Honeywell-Garrett turbochargers sit inside the V of the two cylinder banks, working in parallel to force-feed the 4.4l all-aluminium engine. Compared to its super-charged predecessor, this engine configuration delivers more torque over a broader range and improves throttle response at low revs.

To fully leverage the potential of the engine, an optimised indirect inter-cooling system (air-to-water / water-to-air) with short intake tracts increases inter-cooler through-flow. The high-performance cooling package gains its thermo-dynamic efficiency through the use of a large-volume low-temperature inter-cooler, as well as two water-to-air inter-coolers placed close to the engine.

Direct injection and Double-VANOS contribute to the B5 Bi-Turbo’s class-leading emissions and economy in the super saloon segment: 10.5 l/100km and 244g/km CO2 (Combined cycle ECE Norm).

The 8-Speed Allrounder

Adapted and tested in cooperation with ZF, the advanced 8-speed sport automatic transmission with SWITCH-TRONIC sets a new benchmark in providing unparalled comfort and sportiness.

High levels of torque combined with eight speeds makes for ultimately smooth gear changes with no noticeable interruption to the delivery of power in Automatic Mode (A) – only the accompanying acoustics and the dynamic rev counter provide feedback as to the workings of the transmission. 730Nm of torque allow the B5 Bi-Turbo to glide along in a high gear even at low speeds, benefitting both comfort and fuel economy.

In Sport Mode (S) a completely different character emerges, gear changes are virtually immediate. The innovative single-cylinder fade-out (Einzelzylinderausblendung) facilitates super quick up-shifts in just milliseconds, accompanying each up-shift with a deep back-pressure burble.

The Manual Mode (M) gives the driver full control over the transmission, allowing them to shift up or down at the touch of a button. The system also allows for multi-simultaneous down-shifts in fractions of a second, hereby the transmission will skip several gears depending on accelerator loads and engine revs.