New BMW engines will be built in UK

• New BMW three-cylinder petrol engines
• Will be used for i8 hybrid supercar
• Also likely to be used in 3 Series

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BMW has revealed that its forthcoming range of three-cylinder petrol engines will be built in the UK.

The three-cylinder units will feature in a wide range of cars, including the i8 hybrid supercar, which is due in 2014.

Production will be at BMW’s Hams Hall factory near Birmingham, which currently builds engines for the 1 Series, 3 Series, X1 and all Mini petrol engines.

Details on the new three-cylinder engines are scarce, but BMW says that used in the i8 – in combination with an electric motor – it will produce 344bhp and 221lb ft of torque, with average economy of 78mpg.

BMW’s head of engine development, Peter Nefischer, has previously told What Car? that three-cylinder engines 'could make it to the 3 Series in the next couple of years'.

The news comes as another boost to the UK's automotive sector; following last month's news that the future of Ellesmere Port was secured by Vauxhall’s decision to produce the next generation of the Astra hatchback there. Also, the success of the Range Rover Evoque has prompted Jaguar Land Rover to employ an additional 1000 workers at its Halewood factory.

Matt Bird