The Weird BMW Diesel Experiment That Put Ford Thunderbirds in Munich

The concept sounds absurd: diesel-powered Ford Thunderbirds roaming the streets of Munich below BMW supervision. However at a sure level within the Nineteen Seventies, that unlikely premise apparently turned actuality. Much more unlikely, the accountable social gathering is none apart from BMW Motorsport — maybe the final group you’d relate to diesel energy. Relying on the way you take a look at it, the collection of unlikely pairings had all of the eccentricities of greatness or markings of a flop. However both method, it’s an origin story explaining how a BMW diesel engine discovered its method into an American luxurious coupe.

An American in Munich

You may not know the title Burkhard Goeschal. However he’s no less than a part of the explanation for a fleet of Ford Thunderbirds descending on Munich someday within the Nineteen Seventies. In keeping with him, Ford contracted BMW Motorsport to “take a look at and validate Steyr-sourced diesel engines.” Logically, this meant BMW Motorsport wanted to put in diesel engines in automobiles with Ford badges. Apparently, Motorsport was in no situation financially to show away the request — albeit seemingly very removed from what the Motorsport division is finest at. The settlement led to a flock of Ford Thunderbirds cropping up in Munich as take a look at vehicles.

Nevertheless it in all probability wasn’t the wild and winged Nineteen Fifties and Sixties period Thunderbirds cruising by way of the streets of Munich. Do not forget that Goeschal didn’t begin at BMW till January 1978. That locations the Ford Thunderbird no less than in its seventh era. In contrast to the vehicles previous it, the seventh-gen Thunderbird was smaller and prioritized gasoline effectivity. After all, these traits had been complete byproducts of the continued oil disaster. Nevertheless, the take a look at vehicles had been nearly actually early and even pre-production ninth era fashions, for an excellent, ostensibly unrelated motive: the Lincoln Mark VII.

The Thunderbird Diesel: The place It Ended Up

The Lincoln Mark VII debuted because the Lincoln Continental Mark VII in 1983. The Mark VII got here with solely two engine decisions: a 5.0-liter V8 making as much as 225 horsepower and a BMW M21 diesel engine. Underpinning the Mark VII was the identical Ford Fox platform behind the modern Mustang, Mercury Cougar, and sure — the ninth-gen Ford Thunderbird. Whereas the Ford Thunderbird by no means obtained a diesel engine, roughly 2,300 Lincoln Mark VIIs shipped with the diesel. With BMW energy and a ZF-sourced automated — somewhat than the four-speed Ford trans backing the 5.0-liter — it’s nearly sure the Thunderbirds in Munich later turned the Lincoln Mark VII.

Moreover, describing the M21 as a “Steyr diesel” additionally is sensible. Within the Nineteen Seventies, BMW got down to develop an engine that mixed sturdy efficiency with improved gasoline financial system. As you might need guessed, one other direct response to the oil disaster. Growth formally started in 1975, with staff of BMW engineers utilizing the M20 gasoline engine as a basis. By the point the engine reached manufacturing, its designation had been finalized because the M21. From the outset, BMW meant the Steyr engine plant to be the unique manufacturing facility for the brand new diesel. The plant was established as a three way partnership with Steyr-Daimler-Puch in 1978, earlier than BMW assumed full management in February 1982. Early manufacturing at Steyr initially centered on six-cylinder gasoline engines, with diesel manufacturing ramping up quickly after.

The BMW-Ford Diesel Loop Closes

In 1983, Ford introduced plans to buy as many as 190,000 BMW turbodiesel engines over a number of years. Nevertheless, the speedy collapse of the American diesel market within the early Eighties curtailed these ambitions. The Lincoln Mark VII is the one factor to indicate for it 40 years later. Because of Steve Saxty for the supply quote from Dr. Goeschal. When you gained’t discover this story in his glorious BMW bookswe nonetheless suggest you choose up a set for your self.