A spy shot: details of a mysterious engine for the BMW 1M or perhaps the M3

A member of the 1addicts forum has managed to photograph a computer screen showing technical data that is more than interesting for the BMW 1 Series. The most revealing detail (highlighted in the photo) would indicate a 6-cylinder version producing 451 horsepower, ready for some special edition of the 1M, or perhaps for the future M3.

According to that listing, the engine would have been assigned to a North American version of the 1M, which carries the internal code PYRAT. The engine designation would be N54B3OTO.

Now, let’s be careful. What was known until now was that the 1M would have some 6-cylinder variant with more than 300 horsepower, 340 HP to be more precise. It seems a bit of a stretch to claim that the 1M, even as a very limited edition, would be sharing power, at best, with the M3 and its 450-horsepower engine. Of course, BMW could tune the 340-horsepower engine to add around 100 to 120 HP, but again, I don’t believe the German brand would overlap two models in this way, least of all at the expense of a heavyweight like the M3 (although we don’t yet know exactly which engine the M3 will use).

In the meantime, if you also enjoy mysteries, you have the same photo as the header below. By clicking on it, you can see this mysterious listing in more detail, where the fanciful engine appears.

Via | 1addicts