BMW's M62 V8 engine, produced from 1995 to 2005, remains one of the most respected powerplants among enthusiasts for its blend of simplicity, performance, and relative reliability. The 4.4-liter V8 powered the E39 5 Series, E38 7 Series, E31 8 Series, and the first-generation X5, and it also saw service in the Range Rover L322 during BMW's ownership of Land Rover. For buyers who cannot afford an E39 M5, the 540i with a six-speed manual and the M62 under the hood is often the answer.
The M62 replaced the M60, growing displacement from 4.0 to 4.4 liters. It was a simpler design than the N62 that followed: no Valvetronic, no variable-length intake, and in its original form, no VANOS. That simplicity is much of its appeal today. The engine is a 90-degree V8 with an aluminum block and heads, double overhead camshafts per bank, four valves per cylinder, and a single-row timing chain. It uses fracture-split forged connecting rods and hypereutectic pistons. Most blocks use Alusil bores, though some early engines used Nikasil coating. The original engine ran Bosch Motronic 5.2 management with a hot-wire mass airflow sensor.
In 1998, BMW introduced the M62TU, which added single VANOS on the intake camshafts, electronic throttle control, and Bosch Motronic ME7.2 engine management. Three production displacements were offered: 3.5 liters, 4.4 liters, and 4.6 liters. The 3.5-liter M62B35 made 232 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. The M62TUB35 increased output to 241 hp and 254 lb-ft in the 5 Series. The 4.4-liter M62B44 produced 282 hp and 310 lb-ft, while the M62TUB44 made 282 hp and 325 lb-ft, with US-market versions later rated at 290 hp. The 4.6-liter M62TUB46, used in the X5 4.6is and Morgan Aero 8 GTN, delivered 342 hp and 354 lb-ft. It featured metal VANOS hubs, camshafts with 10.5 mm of lift, stronger valve springs, an underdriven crankshaft pulley, and shorter pistons to accommodate the longer stroke.
The M62 also served as the foundation for the S62, the engine BMW M built for the E39 M5 and Z8. The S62 displaced 4,941 cc and produced 394 hp and 369 lb-ft, with a 7,000-rpm redline. It was BMW's first V8 with double VANOS and added individual throttle bodies, an 11.0:1 compression ratio, a double-row timing chain, hollow camshafts, a Siemens MSS 52 engine computer, and a semi-dry-sump oiling system. The fact that the M62 block and architecture could support nearly 400 hp in factory form speaks to the strength of its design.
Despite its virtues, the M62 is not trouble-free. Its weakness is the timing chain guides, and a neglected example can fail badly. The single-row timing chain, introduced to save weight and friction, puts more stress on plastic guide rails, which defines the engine's reputation today. However, compared with the BMW V8s that came after it, the M62 has the shortest list of expensive surprises. The M62TU update improved low- and mid-range torque, which is why the TU 4.4 makes 20 Nm more than the original despite the same peak power. The M62 does route coolant pipes through the valley under the intake, but it lacks the N62's alternator bracket and Valvetronic hardware, making it less complex to service.
For US shoppers, the M62 means the E39 540i sedan and Sport Wagon, the E38 740i and 740iL, the 840Ci, and the X5 4.4i and 4.6is. The 3.5-liter engines were never sold in the US. The engine also found work outside BMW, most notably in the Range Rover L322 from 2002 to 2005, and in the Morgan Aero 8. ALPINA developed its own M62-based engines, including the 4.6-liter F3 and F4, and the 4.8-liter F5 used in the B10 V8S and Roadster V8. Bentley used a Cosworth-developed twin-turbo M62B44 in the Arnage Green Label, and Racing Dynamics offered a 5.2-liter conversion. The M62's legacy is that of a robust, tunable V8 that continues to power enthusiast dreams, offering a blend of performance and simplicity that later BMW V8s struggled to match.