[JamieA]

Originally Posted by BMW //MPOWER

Yeah, the 323i in aus has a 2,497 cc engine as well.
On that the 125i in australia has the 2,995 cc engine (albeit a tuned down version), so i would expect us to see a 325i or 328i with the 2,995 cc engine released with the E90 facelift.

+1

[JamieA]

Originally Posted by lecatrache

Interesting - I just visited the BMW Australia site and noticed that the 325i sold there has a 2,497 cc engine, while the 325i sold in the US (it's discontinued now) has a 2,995 cc engine.

The US only had the detuned 3.0l engine in the 325, because the 2.5l engine didn't meet US EPA regs. However the 2.5l engine was used everywhere else including Europe, and has won many Engine of the Year awards for it's displacement category.

The 2.5l engine and the full spec 3.0 used on the 330 both had all the same technology just different engine capacities. While the 3.0 in the US 325 had stuff like the variable intake removed and other go-fast bits.

Both the European and US specced 325s had similar performance characteristics, the same power output and similar torque output, just slightly different torque curves. So the only real difference appeared to be emissions, and engine capacity.

I have always wanted to do a back to back drive with these two engines to see if the difference in the torque curves is actually apparent during driving in the real world. I would expect the "3.0" 325 to be a little livelier under foot, but to have less shove in the top end because of the lack of the 2.5l's breathing apparatus. The Euro spec 325 is not exactly a slouch either...