BMW's 10 Highest Horsepower Engines Ever Built, Ranked

BMWs have long been marketed as "the ultimate driving machines," and a big part of that appeal is the engines that sit under their hoods. Unlike brands that forge rich history with particular engine configurations, BMW hasn't been content to stick to one signature layout. Its inline-6 engines remain among its most popular for good reason, but also highly regarded are its line of V8, V12, and even its four-cylinder models. Unsurprisingly, no examples of the latter can be found on the list of its most potent engines, but a wide variety of other layouts are represented.

Changing emissions standards and regulatory targets mean that, like all other major manufacturers, BMW is now in the process of pivoting toward electrification. As a result, the horsepower figures drawn from its combustion engines alone might have already peaked, even though its combined powertrain outputs might well keep increasing,

The latest M5, for example, sports a higher combined horsepower output than its predecessor, but the previous generation still boasts the more powerful gas engine. So, with the combustion engine arms race potentially tailing off in favor of electrification, now is a great time to take a look back at 10 of the brand's most powerful combustion engines to date.

The N55 engine appeared in a variety of BMW models, but its most potent form was in the Alpina B4 S Edition 99, where it made 452 horsepower (446 bhp). Its increased power output was thanks to a pair of high-performance turbochargers, a new intercooler, and some other, smaller tweaks. A new Akrapovič titanium exhaust also boosted the car's output and was exclusive to the Edition 99. However, very few buyers will ever be able to experience this ultimate iteration of the 3.0L N55 because only 99 examples were made.

In its less potent form, the N55 could be found under the hoods of everything from bestsellers like the 3 Series and X3 to the Z4 roadster. It also appeared in larger models like the X5, X6, and 5 Series. It was produced between 2009 and 2018, and the Alpina B4 S Edition 99 was a fitting end-of-the-line tribute to its production run.

Built from 2003 to 2016, the N73 was the third BMW V12, after the M73 and M70. The brand's first V12 was introduced back in 1987, and the N73 first appeared in 2003. It was featured in the fourth-generation 7 Series, where it made an officially claimed 445 horsepower (439 bhp). BMW bought Rolls-Royce in 1998, taking complete ownership of the brand from 2003 onward, and the N73 V12 played a key role in launching the new era of the British brand. It sat under the hood of the newly redesigned Phantom, which had been given a thorough overhaul to modernize it for a new generation of buyers.

The Rolls-Royce N73 was larger than the unit in the 7 Series, with a displacement of 6.75L compared to the regular 6.0L. It was also more powerful, with over 459 horsepower (453 bhp) on offer thanks to Rolls-Royce's tweaks. The N73 was succeeded by the N74, which again featured in both the BMW 7 Series and Rolls-Royce models.

The S55 3.0L inline-6 was first introduced in 2013 and phased out by 2021. It was a relatively short-lived but popular engine that can be found under the hoods of a range of small M cars. The M2, M3, and M4 all featured the engine in certain guises, with the most powerful iteration of the S55 generating 493 horsepower. That engine could be found in the 2016 M4 GTS, which was designed to be the most powerful M4 ever built at the time of its unveiling. Alongside its revised engine, it also featured a suite of other upgrades over the standard M4 including ultra-light paneling and an aero kit.

The S55 was succeeded by the S58, which offered superior power and lower emissions. The latter is particularly important because tightening emissions regulations around the world have resulted in the discontinuation of numerous performance engines in recent years. It's likely that had it not been discontinued in favor of its more efficient successor, the S55 could have been further developed to make even higher factory outputs. In fact, tuners have already extracted as much as 700 horsepower from the engine with the right modifications.

The N63 might not be the most reliable engine that BMW has made in recent years, but there's no doubting its power. It can be found under the hood of a range of high-end BMW models, including the X5, X7, and 7 Series, as well as the 8 Series and its Alpina-modified sibling, the B8. It's also found in some Range Rover models. Buyers favor the engine because of its potency and smoothness, though it's subject to a variety of problems that make keeping it in top condition tricky.

It's been in production since 2008, and an updated version remains in production as of this writing. A key reason for its longevity is that it's relatively efficient in V8 terms, helping BMW to meet its global emissions targets while still providing demanding customers with the power and prestige of a V8 engine. The most powerful variant makes 523 horsepower and has appeared in the M850i xDrive.

BMW's only V10 engine is one of the brand's most powerful to date, with 507 horsepower on offer in its Euro-spec form. It appeared in the E60 M5 and in the E61 M5 Touring, which combined the power of the motorsport-inspired engine with the practicality of the 5 Series wagon. Alongside the new, groundbreaking engine, the M5 also featured several other technological innovations, including adaptive suspension. As well as the M5, the S85 was also available in BMW M's sister model, the M6.

It was never used in another BMW model outside of the M5 and M6, although its design formed the basis of the S65 V8 that was used in the E90 M3. However, it was borrowed by boutique carmaker Wiesmann for its MF5 supercar. Wiesmann tweaked the engine further, resulting in an officially claimed output of 555 horsepower. Only 43 examples of the V10-powered MF5 were built, making it the rarest Wiesmann to date.

The S58 is another inline-6 engine that makes an appearance in several BMW M models, but its most potent form can be found powering the 2023 3.0 CSL. A total of 50 examples were built, making the 3.0 CSL one of the rarest BMW models produced this century. Its 560 horsepower made it the most powerful BMW inline-6 engine ever at its launch, and it retains that crown as of this writing. The car is the latest in only a handful of CSL models. The original 3.0 CSL of the '70s helped to forge BMW's global reputation as a force to be reckoned with in motorsport.

The latest production 3.0 CSL is closely related to the 3.0 CSL Hommage R concept, which debuted back in 2015. Although that concept didn't make production directly, the public and press reactions were so positive that much of its DNA was transferred into the latest production CSL. Outside of that record-breaking rarity, the S58 engine can be found in the F97 X3 M and F98 X4 M, as well as the F80 M3 and F82 M4. In those cars, it makes between 425 horsepower and 503 horsepower, with the latter figure attributed to the X3 M/X4 M in the Competition package.

The S68 V8 is a recent addition to BMW's engine lineup. It is offered in range-topping cars like the X7 and XM. In the XM Label Red, the most powerful variant of the XM, it churns out 585 horsepower. In addition, the XM Label Red features an electric motor that pushes the powertrain's combined output to 748 horsepower. Peak power from the V8 arrives at 5,600 rpm, while peak torque is available from 1,800 to 5,400 rpm.

The S68 was designed to replace the S63 in the M engine lineup after the latter was forcibly retired due to changing emissions regulations. Unusually for an M engine, plans for the S68 include making multiple trims available for some of its models. This was reportedly meant to make developing the engine more cost-effective — rather than reserve it for the top M-badged versions of every model, using it in a wider variety of variants helped to justify its high development costs. That ensured that developing a next-gen V8 was feasible for BMW in the face of impending electrification, while other manufacturers have chosen to halt the development of their V8 engines or even phase them out altogether.

Arguably the most famous BMW V12 engine of all is one that never appeared in a BMW-badged car. The S70/2 V12 was developed by BMW's M division specifically for the McLaren F1 and generated a whopping 618 horsepower. That was an unprecedented figure for a naturally aspirated V12 engine at the time, and it remains equally impressive today. In fact, the F1 is still the fastest naturally aspirated car ever built, and given that the electric revolution is now well underway, it seems unlikely that it will ever be beaten.

It propelled the F1 to a top speed of 240.1 mph, a record at the time. Despite its groundbreaking performance, the F1's extremely high price kept production numbers very low. Only 106 examples were built, and the fact that the S70/2 never appeared in any other production car makes it one of the rarest BMW engines ever.

BMW no longer makes cars under its own brand with a V12 engine, although its lineage continues with the latest Rolls-Royce models. The last in the BMW V12 line is the N74, which first appeared in 2008. The most powerful variant of the N74 appeared in the Rolls-Royce Wraith, which offered 624 horsepower. BMW's own M760Li xDrive, unveiled in 2016, marks the high point for German-badged models with the engine.

To celebrate the end of BMW V12 production, the brand launched a limited edition version of the M760Li xDrive, called the M760i Final V12, in 2022. Only 12 examples were made available to the U.S. market, at an asking price of $200,000. These last examples left the factory in June 2022, bringing 35 years of BMW V12 production to an end. How long the V12 engine will remain in production in Rolls-Royce models remains to be seen, but there seems to be no end in sight for now. The latest Cullinan Series II, launched for the 2025 model year, uses the familiar 6.75L V12 that also graced its predecessor, so it should be around for the foreseeable future.

Although electrified BMW M models have produced higher horsepower figures, the M5 CS retains the crown for the most powerful gas-powered car that the brand has produced as of this writing. Its S63 V8 pushed out 635 horsepower (627 bhp) thanks to some further fettling from BMW M, but the lesser BMW M5 Competition wasn't that far behind, with 617 horsepower on offer.

The latest generation M5, unveiled for the 2025 model year, produces a combined 717 horsepower from its hybrid drivetrain. However, the previous generation M5 CS still boasts the more powerful gas engine considering that the new car's engine generates 577 horsepower without its electrical assistance.

Changing emissions regulations mean that the S63 is being phased out in favor of the greener S68, as detailed above. However, the S68 has not yet been unveiled in a configuration that exceeds the power of the M5 CS' S63. For now, the S63 remains available in the M8 Competition, but for how long remains to be seen.