The N20 hate comes from people expecting $50k cars to sound better than Corollas. Problem with the N20 is that yeah, it might be a good engine, great gas mileage, etc., but as a former BMW I6 owner I can tell you the N20 isn't *nearly* as silky smooth or refined as the I6 cars were
that's where the hate comes from. There's more to it than just numbers, those I6 engines were smooth as silk.
You bring up a valid point. It doesn't sound like the N52, nor was it as smooth. I've had E90 328i loaners many times and always thought it was a fantastic engine, but I've also had the F30 328i with the N20 on numerous occasions.
The "rougher" nature of the N20 complements the 3 series perfectly, especially the power delivery. It fits into the "sporty" image of 3 series. And judging by the amount of N20 F30s I see on a daily basis in Boston, it seems no one cares about the smoothness of the old engine. The N20 works better in the real world. More powerful and significantly more economical (the most important thing to people these days)
Now the N20 in the F10 5 series though... that's another argument that I won't get into now...
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The VTEC Turbos are a thing, and the Civic Type R has one in Europe.
Yup, I've read about them at length. They'll never come to the US
The one thing about Acura and Lexus with the NA engines is they are quite quiet.
They're quiet and smooth, yes... but the N55 and Audi 3.0T are just as smooth and quiet, even though they are forced induction. Not to mention, significantly more powerful and more economical.
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They are the most beautiful cars ever!
Beautiful... yes. But horribly outdated.
How many years are they going to sell the same cars? They need a revamp soon. There's no reason to buy one anymore, when I can get a Jag F-Type/Porsche 911, etc that provides similar performance and comes with a prestigious nameplate also.