With the release of the S54 engine, BMW wanted to reach a goal of 100 horsepower per liter. Given that the inline-6 engine had just over 3.2 liters of displacement, the engineers were looking at a minimum of 320 hp. Needless to say, that’s a bold benchmark to reach, but the S54 achieved (and even surpassed) that number in all of BMW’s models.
The BMW M3 E46, the car that first rolled out the company’s S54 engine, had 343 hp (DIN) or 333 hp (SAE) at 7,900 rpm and 262 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm. The uber-rare M3 CSL featured a modified version of the S54 with a more efficient air intake system, modified camshafts, exhaust valves, and a lightweight exhaust system. These changes increased the overhaul horsepower to 360 hp (DIN) at 7,900 rpm and 273 lb-ft of torque at 4,300 rpm.
In 2001, BMW introduced the Z3M, the M-developed version of the Z3 coupe, and the S54 was only present in the vehicle until 2002. However, during that time, the engine had 325 hp at 7,400 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm, just barely hitting BMW’s 100 horsepower per liter benchmark. The 2006 BMW Z4M roadster and coupe didn’t cut it so close, attaining 330 hp at 7,900 rpm and 262 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm.
