BMW’s four-cylinder B48 engine doesn’t at all times share the highlight its huge brother, the B58 inline-six, enjoys. Regardless of noteworthy reliability and effectivity – largely shared with the larger engine – the B48 usually goes ignored. That’s a tragedy, because it powers some absolute gems inside and outdoors the quick BMW lineup. Discuss concerning the little 2.0-liter that might.
MINI John Cooper Works GP (JCW GP)
It’s a well-known feeling. You learn these three phrases, and your coronary heart begins to flutter. Instantly after studying “John Cooper Works,” you understand you’re taking a look at a Mini with huge efficiency potential. When Mini’s efficiency division breathed upon the F56 chassis Cooper, additionally they threw within the highest-performing B48 engine they may discover. Right here, the two.0-liter mill makes 301 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. Notably, it made extra on a dyno. MINI claimed the loopy Cooper completes the zero-to-60 sprint in simply 4.7 seconds.
The F56 JCW GP touted a ton of additional gear that made it a fair higher driver’s automotive than the common Cooper of the day. Larger wheels and brakes, a litany of weight saving initiatives together with a rear seat delete and eliminated insulation, and absurd carbon fiber fender flares made the automotive stay as much as its badging.
BMW G20 330i
It’s a staple of the BMW lineup and nonetheless probably the greatest automobiles you should purchase right this moment, full cease. The G20 3 Collection is the newest 3 Collection to depend on the B48 engine. Nowadays the B48 makes 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque within the G20 330i. Low peak torque – 1600 rpm – ensures the 330i at all times feels as fleet-footed as potential. The B48 touts an ideal mid-range, too – all 255 ponies can be found at simply 4,700 rpm.
Whereas the 330i’s efficiency metrics fall flat in comparison with the B58-powered M340i fashions, it isn’t too unhealthy whenever you have a look at the specs in a vacuum. BMW says xDrive fashions speed up from zero to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, and unbiased testing has inched that point down even additional.
Morgan Plus 4
The one option to get right into a “new” B48-powered automotive with a guide, the Morgan Plus 4 is the connoisseur’s decide. Touting old-timey bodywork – a glance that weighs solely 2,233 kilos – and counting on a 2.0-liter B48 tuned to ship 255 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque (295 with automatic-equipped fashions) means the little man significantly scoots. Morgan claims zero to 60 mph takes simply 4.8 seconds on the way in which to a 149-mph high velocity (for those who dare).
Though the Plus 4 has been round in a method or one other since 1950 – which the automotive’s physique work definitely brings to the forefront – the “newest” redesign occurred in simply 2024. You might – however in all probability gained’t – discover such incremental enhancements over the outgoing mannequin as a headlight that’s one inch bigger in diameter, a brand new typeface for the badge, and new wing mirror housings. That’s okay – nobody accused the Morgan Plus 4 of being too fashionable. It’s one of the crucial distinctive methods to drive the B48.
BMW Z4 sDrive30i and Toyota Supra
The B48 certain reveals up in some nice automobiles, doesn’t it? Sadly, Toyota dropped the two.0-liter for 2025, and it wasn’t obtainable with a guide. However the BMW-designed coupe – and its drop-top properly-badged brother, the Z4 – nonetheless offers distinctive efficiency. In each the Z4 and the Supra, the B48 engine develops 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.
Most already know, however the Z4 and Supra are mechanically similar, sharing nearly all the pieces apart from their sheet steel and badging. They’re even produced in the identical manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria. The two.0 Toyota dashed from zero to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds, however BMW claims the Z4 sDrive30i wants 5.2 seconds – possible because it weighs roughly 300 kilos extra.
BMW G42 230i
The 230i is likely one of the most satisfying BMWs to drive on sale right this moment, even when it doesn’t include a guide transmission. The B48 is a peach right here as it’s elsewhere, making a well-known 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque and pairing with xDrive all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive for a extra conventional driving expertise. Whereas not as sprightly because the Z4 or Supra – or, clearly, the Morgan, which it provides distinct benefits over in different arenas – it’s nonetheless loads tossable. Plus, BMW estimates a zero to 60 mph time at a decent 5.3 seconds for xDrive fashions.
The 230i is a good center floor between the G20 3 Collection and the two-seater twins. A backseat makes it eminently sensible by comparability to the Z4 and Supra, however it nonetheless trims slightly size and weight relative to the three Collection. And naturally, with the pleasant little B48 purring away beneath the hood, energy is only a squeeze of the throttle away.
