BMW ’s twin-turbocharged 3.0L inline-six has become a staple of the automaker’s lineup – both here and abroad – but the German automaker will roll out a new variant of the engine in the all-new 5-Series Gran Turismo. Whereas the N54 uses a twin-turbo setup, the new N55 powerplant in the 5-Series GT will use a single turbo.
The N55 is based on the N54’s architecture, but does with just a single turbo. However, the N55’s borrows much of its technology from the N54, including direct-injection and BMW’s Valvetronic technology.
In 5-Series GT-guise the new mill makes 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Although those figures are slightly down from the twin-turbo engine, the N55’s torque is available from 1,200 rpm – 300 less than the N54.
The N55 is also said to be slightly more efficient than its twin-turbo counterpart. BMW says the N55-equipped 5-Series GT can top 26 mpg, which is actually 1 mpg better than the much smaller and twin-turbocharged 135i. Despite its added economy, the 5-Series GT 535i can still make the sprint from 0-60 in just over 6-seconds.
