bmw i6's are hugely durable...150k miles is nothing but a yawn to them. and all are at least 1hp/cubic inch, even the ordinary ones without an ///M badge. 1hp/cubic inch used to be the gold standard for performance in the muscle car era. the most powerful bmw I6's are way, waay, waaay more than 1hp/cubic inch, and in fact, are one of the handful of full-factory warrantied engines to ever eclipse the much tougher 100hp/liter standard, normally aspirated and totally stock. this same 3.2L i6 makes about the same power with it's 192 cubic inches as the most powerful iron-era chevy 350 ever made...stock, anyway. there's just no sane way to decry it as anything but one of the top-ten factory-installed engines ever.
since you mentioned zimbabwe, have you ever been there? it's flooded with bmw i6's, since there is a bmw factory making region-specific product right in neighboring and culturally similar, south africa. [political strife, notwithstanding]. i would be shocked if sb chevy parts were actually more available than bmw i6 parts in zimbabwe or south africa, anyway.
and before you put me in the category with the slew of fruity californians who "love foreiegn cars"... i build and race small block fords. and i love chevy's lsx series. in fact, i love them so much, i'm strongly considering changing my engine program over to LS7 crate motors... in my road race mustang. yes, a chevy motor in a mustang.
see i don't bleed ford blue, or chevy orange or any brand. i don't have nostalgia or loyalty or pride when it comes to car engines. i'm cold and dispassionate. i'd rather have a current 911turbo than an original, 4-speed, hemi cuda, [yes, i speak pretty fluent "muscle car"], even though they may cost nearly the same... simply because the porsche is faster... with much stronger acceleration.
but i am passionate about my '59 35hp super seahorse
even still, i give it no quarter. i live by the ocean and that's where i use it. if it's in my stable, it earns it's keep.
-peter
