Then, if you can bear to shut it off and get out, walk around the 2000-model BMW M5 and cast an appreciative eye. They're not only big, but they also have a distinctive style that you might not like, but you'll by gosh notice. Four commanding stainless-steel pipes poke out of the back, two a side, in a breathtaking European take on Detroit duals. Another unique touch is the tachometer's red line, the mark that indicates maximum safe engine speed, which goes higher as the engine oil warms. There's no direct connection between the gas pedal and the engine.
Sensors measure the driver's throttle commands and signal the engine computer.
The feature is rare but is becoming more common because it eliminates the need to punch a hole in the firewall for the throttle cable. To ensure the engine's innards aren't starved of lubrication during vigorous cornering and other extreme maneuvers, a combination of pressure pumps, suction pumps and electromagnetic valves keeps oil flowing where it should be and away from places it shouldn't be. Multiple oxygen sensors help keep the air-fuel mixture precise. The sensors can be adapted to meet stricter air-quality standards when they are imposed. Nozzles inside the engine spray the rapidly reciprocating pistons with engine oil to prevent overheating and engine seizure.