[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by grimlock

So true. Then the question is do they want to have a 340i as the top model ex.M. Given the 550i and 760i, i guess it wouldn't be too much for the 3, if they have a 135i even.

Well, they already have a 740i and 640i powered by the same basic I6 engine(s) used in the 5 series and 3 series (and others). So its not a stretch to imagine a 540i on the horizon soon, and once that happens the engine/badge will likely migrate down to the 3 as well. Basically, in the ever-present quest to one up the preceding generations of the car, the marketers wil continue to nudge the model designation higher and higher.

Do you think they would ever let the N20B20 grow to 260hp?

I don't think it is at all far-fetched. Of course that doesn't mean it will happen. They might wait for the next generation I4 that will share an architecture with the next generation I6, and a new I3.

It's not far from where its starting out, and the audi'S' and 'M' models really push it way higher, but why is the MB 1.8l T still at 204hp top tune (in the -25 designation)?

Mercedes has simply opted to favor a little better economy/emissions with their four cylinder models vs. a little higher performance. This doesn't necessarily mean they are more efficient than the competition, but they are more efficient than they'd be if they ran more boost.

I don't know much about engines.. but I wonder why the 335 starts at 300hp and doesnt stray too far above it (max 340 for '1M') on a 3.0l, why do they push the 2.0l relative much more, or is the technology much advanced so its actually not stressing it very much?

The N20 is a newer design than the N54/N55. In time, especially with the next generation of engines I mentioned above, the I6 will make a lot more power. Rumor has it they are targeting as much as 133hp/L. So that would mean a 200hp 1.5L 3cyl, a 266hp 2.0L 4 cyl, and a 400hp 3L 6cyl.