The Bizarre BMW Diesel Experiment That Put Ford Thunderbirds in Munich

The thought sounds absurd: diesel-powered Ford Thunderbirds roaming the streets of Munich below BMW supervision. However at a sure level within the Seventies, that unlikely premise apparently turned actuality. Much more unlikely, the accountable get together is none aside 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 means, it’s an origin story explaining how a BMW diesel engine discovered its means into an American luxurious coupe.

An American in Munich

You won’t know the title Burkhard Goeschal. However he’s no less than a part of the rationale for a fleet of Ford Thunderbirds descending on Munich someday within the Seventies. In accordance 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 greatest 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 Fifties and Sixties period Thunderbirds cruising via the streets of Munich. Keep in mind that Goeschal didn’t begin at BMW till January 1978. That locations the Ford Thunderbird no less than in its seventh technology. Not like the vehicles previous it, the seventh-gen Thunderbird was smaller and prioritized gas effectivity. After all, these traits had been complete byproducts of the continuing oil disaster. Nonetheless, the take a look at vehicles had been virtually definitely early and even pre-production ninth technology fashions, for an excellent, ostensibly unrelated purpose: 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 computerized — quite than the four-speed Ford trans backing the 5.0-liter — it’s virtually sure the Thunderbirds in Munich later turned the Lincoln Mark VII.

Moreover, describing the M21 as a “Steyr diesel” additionally is smart. Within the Seventies, BMW got down to develop an engine that mixed sturdy efficiency with improved gas economic system. As you might need guessed, one other direct response to the oil disaster. Improvement formally started in 1975, with crew 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 supposed 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. Nonetheless, the speedy collapse of the American diesel market within the early Eighties curtailed these ambitions. The Lincoln Mark VII is the one factor to point out for it 40 years later. Because of Steve Saxty for the supply quote from Dr. Goeschal. When you received’t discover this story in his glorious BMW books, we nonetheless suggest you choose up a set for your self.