BMW B38 engine

B38 engine
Overview
ManufacturerBMW
Production2013–present
Layout
ConfigurationStraight-3
Displacement1.2 L (1,198 cc)
1.5 L (1,499 cc)
Cylinder bore78 mm (3.1 in)
82 mm (3.2 in)
Piston stroke83.6 mm (3.29 in)
94.6 mm (3.72 in)
ValvetrainDOHC
Compression ratio11:1
Combustion
TurbochargerSingle-scroll
Fuel systemDirect injection
Fuel typeGasoline
Chronology
PredecessorBMW N13

The BMW B38 is a 1.2 and 1.5 L (1,198 and 1,499 cc) turbocharged straight-three DOHC petrol engine, which replaced the straight-four BMW N13. Production started in 2013.

It is part of a modular BMW engine family, of straight-three (B38), straight-four (B48) and straight-six (B58) alloy block and head petrol engines,[1] which use a displacement of 400 cc (24.4 cu in) per cylinder in the 1.2 and 500 cc (30.5 cu in) per cylinder in the 1.5. It specifically shares a lot of components with the BMW B37, due to their same size/configuration.

The B38 is used in front-wheel drive cars (such as the Mini Hatch and BMW 2 Series Active Tourer), as well as BMW's traditional rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive (xDrive) configurations. The first car to use the B38 is the BMW i8 hybrid sports coupé,[2] where it is used as a transverse mid-mounted engine.[3]

Design

The B38 features direct injection, an 11:1 compression ratio,[4] variable valve timing (double-VANOS) and the single-scroll turbocharger with the world's first aluminium turbine housing,[5][6] manufactured by Continental.

On the 1.2 Liter versions, the bore is 78 mm (3.1 in) and the stroke is 83.6 mm (3.3 in). On the 1.5 Liter versions, the bore is 82 mm (3.2 in) and the stroke is 94.6 mm (3.7 in).

Models

Engine Displacement Power Torque Years
B38A12U0[7][8] 1,198 cc (73 cu in) 55 kW (74 bhp)
at 4,000 rpm		 150 N⋅m (111 lb⋅ft)
at 1,400–4,000 rpm		 2014–
75 kW (101 bhp)
at 4,250 rpm		 180 N⋅m (133 lb⋅ft)
at 1,400–4,000 rpm		 2014–
B38A15M0 / B38B15M0[8][9][10] 1,499 cc (91 cu in) 100 kW (134 bhp)–116 kW (156 bhp)
at 4,400–6,000 rpm		 220 N⋅m (162 lb⋅ft)–230 N⋅m (170 lb⋅ft)
at 1,250–4,300 rpm		 2014–2018
B38K15T0[3] 170 kW (228 bhp)
at 5,800 rpm		 320 N⋅m (236 lb⋅ft)
at 3,700 rpm		 2013–
B38A15M1 / B38B15M1

(improvement of B38A15M0)

1,499 cc (91 cu in) 104 kW (139 bhp)

at 4,400–6,000 rpm

220 N⋅m (162 lb⋅ft)

at 1,250–4,300 rpm

2018–

B38A12U0

Applications:[7]

55 kW (74 hp) version:

  • 2014–current F55/F56 Mini One First

75 kW (101 hp) version:

B38A15M0 / B38B15M0 (B38A15M1/B38B15M1 for post-2018 manufactured engines)

Applications:[9]

75 kW (101 hp) version:

  • 2015–2021 BMW F45/F46 216i Active Tourer / Gran Tourer
  • 2018–present F55/F56 Mini One

80 kW (107 hp) version:

100 kW (134 hp) version (104kW (141bhp) for post-2018 manufacture)

  • 2015–2019 BMW F20/F21 118i
  • 2015–2021 BMW F22/F23 218i coupe / convertible
  • 2014–2021 BMW F45/F46 218i Active Tourer / Gran Tourer
  • 2015–2019 BMW F30/F31 318i LCI
  • 2015–2021 BMW F48 X1 sDrive18i[11]
  • 2014–present Mini F55/F56/F57 Cooper
  • 2015–2019 Mini F54 Clubman
  • 2017–present Mini F60 Countryman
  • 2017–2023 BMW F39 X2 sDrive18i
  • 2017–2021 BMW F45 225xe Active Tourer (PHEV)
  • 2019–present BMW F40 118i
  • 2019–present BMW F44 218i Gran Coupé
  • 2020–2023 BMW F39 xDrive25e116 kW (156 bhp) version:

B38A15M2

Applications:

B38K15T0

Applications:[3]

References

  1. ^ "BMW modular engines: B37, B38, B47 and B48". www.bmwblog.com. 21 May 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  2. ^ "BMW Dreizylinder-Motoren: Mehr Details im Interview mit Dr. Lopez". www.bimmertoday.de (in German). 18 September 2012. Archived from the original on 20 September 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "Product information: I12 Powertrain". www.bimmerpost.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  4. ^ "BMW B38 Three Cylinder Turbocharged Engines". www.unixnerd.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  5. ^ Morey, Bruce (19 August 2014). "Inside Continental's new aluminum turbocharger". www.sae.org. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Continental Supplies World's First Turbocharger with Aluminum Turbine Housing in Cars". www.continental.com. Retrieved 30 September 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ a b "B38A12U0". bmwarchive.de. Archived from the original on 14 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  8. ^ a b "3-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES". www.bmwgroup.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2014.
  9. ^ a b "B38A15M0". www.bmwarchive.de. Archived from the original on 14 December 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  10. ^ "HARDTOP 2 DOOR: ALL FEATURES". www.miniusa.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  11. ^ "BMW X!: At a glance". www.bmw.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2017.