[roger albert]

Captain Nasty,

The crank is not even vaguely the same crank. Can't be what with the different offset, smaller counterweights, a journal moved etc.

I doubt we'll see the longer rods here. It was a trend in motor design, but seems to be going back the other way now, not just BMW. I just ran across an article touching on that this week. I'll try and see if I can find which/where and share it. At any rate, though certainly existing, the long rods vs shorts rods are a very small effect in the overall motor design, and have as many cons as pros. Anyway, those are my thoughts. I don't have any real opinion o what BMW has done. There's a FACT there somewhere (what is the new length and rlr) but I don't happen to know it. Like Jim, I am curious though.