BMW is no stranger to providing engines to other automakers. Brands like Morgan, Ineos, and even Land Rover use internal-combustion powerplants supplied by the brand in their cars. The next potential tie-up is a little bit more shocking, though: according to reports in Germany's Manager Magazin, BMW is in talks with Mercedes-Benz about potentially supplying engines to its chief competitor.
As brought to broader attention via Autocar, the Bavarian marque would provide Mercedes with a supply of B48 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinders. That family of engines, which have been used in everything from Minis to 7-Series hybrids, would be put to work primarily alongside electrification systems as the internal-combustion engine in plug-in hybrids seen throughout the current Mercedes lineup, and the range extender in a potential lineup of series hybrids like the former BMW i3.
Since BMW has already prepared the B48 to be Euro 7 regulation complaint, such a deal would allow Mercedes access to a versatile and reasonably potent four-cylinder that could be used in a wide variety of applications for years to come. That could help overcome some of the current limitations of its new M252 1.5-liter 4-cylinder, which is not currently in use with any of these more complicated hybrid systems.
As strange as a BMW-powered Mercedes sounds on paper, the concept does make sense for both parties. Mercedes needs access to an engine that can accomplish a few modest goals; BMW can improve its own economies of scale by building even more B48s; and a tie-up between the two brands could even open the door for shared American production that could lessen their tariff costs in the tumultuous American market. A tie-up is not a done deal yet, but this idea might actually benefit both parties enough to get a deal across the finish line.
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