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BMW, the world’s largest luxury automaker, is planning on bringing back 4-cylinder engines to meet tougher U.S. fuel-economy regulations. According to Tom Baloga, BMW’s vice president of engineering for the United States, BMW is looking to boost fuel-efficiency of its cars without jeopardizing the company’s reputation for performance.

BMW hasn’t offered 4-cylinder choices in the U.S. since 1999.

“The biggest challenge will be maintaining the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ performance,” he said in an interview with Bloomberg.

Baloga said that BMW’s fleet fuel-economy average in 2008 was 26.5 mpg. Automakers must average a fuel-economy of 35.5 mpg by 2016 under U.S. regulations adopted in May. Outside of the United States, BMW offers 4-cylinder options on the 1-Series, 3-Series, the X3 and the 5-Series.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Bloomberg