The Bavarian Motor Works, as Cyril never tires of pointing out, was formed during the First World War to produce inline, liquid-cooled six-cylinder aircraft engines for the Imperial air forces - and the straight six, with its inherent perfect primary balance, has been BMW's signature engine ever since, for very nearly a century.
Thus, a wave of approval pervaded anorakdom when it came out that the V8 powerplant of the current M3 would make way in 2014 for an advanced three-litre biturbo straight-six, codenamed S55, in the next-generation M3 sedan and M4 coupé.
SUPERCAR CONTENDER
Numbers buzzing around the cybergarage suggest it will deliver about 335kW and 550Nm, enough to put either model squarely in the supercar league and, while BMW's M skunk works won't confirm or deny those figures, it has released an 18-second clip of the new 'traditional' BMW engine at under test.
Sit back, amp up your speakers, and enjoy.