Since 2014, the company has been producing a series of 2.0-liter BMW B48 gasoline engines, which are found on nearly all of the German automaker’s current model lineup. The motor comes in two different versions: B48A20 for vehicles with front-wheel drives and B48B20 for vehicles with rear-wheel drives.
In 2014, BMW B48 gasoline engines started to take the place of their N20 family counterparts. Direct fuel injection, an aluminum cylinder block with a closed cooling jacket and plasma spraying in the cylinders, an aluminum 16-valve cylinder head with hydraulic lifters, a timing chain drive, and Vanos-type phase shifters on the intake and exhaust camshafts are all included. The unit’s features include two gear-driven balance shafts, an intercooler built into the intake manifold, a controlled thermostat, a Bosch MG1 ECU, and a Twin Scroll MHI TD04LR6W turbine with its own cooling circuit, radiator, and pump.
An updated version of the device, commonly known as the B48TU, was introduced in 2018. A lighter crankshaft, a different auxiliary equipment drive, an exhaust manifold integrated into the block head, a higher injection pressure of 350 bar, an improved cooling system, a simplified timing drive with one chain rather than two, and a more contemporary Bosch DME 8th generation electronic engine control unit were all added to the new engines.
Depending on the type of drive, all power unit modifications are separated into two sizable sections.
B48A20U1: 178 hp, 280 Nm, compression ratio 11.0. The engine was installed on:
- BMW 1-Series F40 since 2020;
- BMW 2-Series F44 since 2020; 2-Series F45 in 2020 – 2021; 2-Series F46 since 2020;
- BMW X1 F48 since 2020;
- BMW X2 F39 since 2020.
B48A20M0: 192 hp, 280 Nm, compression ratio 11.0. The engine was installed on:
- BMW 2-Series F45 in 2014 – 2018; 2-Series F46 in 2015 – 2018;
- BMW X1 F48 in 2015 – 2017.
B48A20M1: 192 hp, 280 Nm, compression ratio 11.0. The engine was installed on:
- BMW 2-Series F45 in 2018 – 2020; 2-Series F46 in 2018 – 2020;
- BMW X1 F48 in 2017 – 2020;
- BMW X2 F39 in 2018 – 2020.
B48A20O0: 231 hp, 350 Nm, compression ratio 10.2. The engine was installed on:
- BMW 2-Series F45 in 2014 – 2021;
- BMW X1 F48 in 2015 – 2022.
B48A20T1: 306 hp, 450 Nm, compression ratio 9.5. The engine was installed on:
- BMW 1-Series F40 since 2019;
- BMW 2-Series F44 since 2020;
- BMW X2 F39 since 2019.
B48B20U1: 156 hp, 250 Nm, compression ratio 11.0. The engine was installed on:
- BMW 3-Series G20 since 2020.
B48B20M0: 184 hp, 290 Nm, compression ratio 11.0. The engine was installed on:
- BMW 1-Series F20 in 2016 – 2019;
- BMW 2-Series F22 in 2016 – 2021;
- BMW 3-Series F30 in 2015 – 2018;
- BMW 4-Series F32 in 2016 – 2021;
- BMW 5-Series G30 since 2017;
- BMW X3 G01 in 2017 – 2021;
- BMW X4 G02 in 2017 – 2021.
B48B20M1: 184 hp, 300 Nm, compression ratio 11.0. The engine was installed on:
- BMW 2-Series G42 since 2021;
- BMW 3-Series G20 since 2019;
- BMW 4-Series G22 since 2020;
- BMW X3 G01 since 2021;
- BMW X4 G02 since 2021;
- BMW Z4 G29* since 2019.
* on the Z4 model, this motor develops 197 hp, 320 Nm.
B48B20O0: 252 hp, 350 Nm, compression ratio 10.2. The engine was installed on:
- BMW 1-Series F20* in 2016 – 2019;
- BMW 2-Series F22 in 2016 – 2021;
- BMW 3-Series F30 in 2015 – 2018;
- BMW 4-Series F32 in 2016 – 2021;
- BMW 5-Series G30 since 2017;
- BMW 6-Series G32 in 2017 – 2020;
- BMW X3 G01 since 2017;
- BMW X4 G02 since 2017.
* on the 125i model, this motor develops 224 hp, 310 Nm.
B48B20O1: 258 hp, 400 Nm, compression ratio 10.2. The engine was installed on:
- BMW 3-Series G20 since 2019;
- BMW 4-Series G22 since 2020;
- BMW 6-Series G32 since 2020;
- BMW 7-Series G11 since 2019;
- BMW X5* G05 since 2019;
- BMW X6* G06 since 2019;
- BMW Z4 G29 since 2019.
* on X5 and X6 models, this motor develops 265 hp, 400 Nm.
Specifications
| Production years | since 2014 |
| Displacement, cc | 1998 |
| Fuel system | direct injection |
| Power output, hp | 156 – 306 |
| Torque output, Nm | 250 – 450 |
| Cylinder block | aluminum R4 |
| Block head | aluminum 16v |
| Cylinder bore, mm | 82 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 94.6 |
| Compression ratio | 9.5 – 11.0 |
| Hydraulic lifters | yes |
| Timing drive | chain |
| Phase regulator | Vanos |
| Turbocharging | yes |
| Recommended engine oil | 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30, 5W-40 |
| Engine oil capacity, liter | 5.25 |
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Euro standards | EURO 6 |
| Fuel consumption, L/100 km (for 320i F30) — city — highway — combined |
7.9 4.8 5.9 |
| Engine lifespan, km | ~250 000 |
Disadvantages of the B48B20 / B48A20 engine
The B48 series engines are less prone to oil consumption than their predecessors, but near 100,000 kilometers, valve stem seals frequently tan and consumption manifests.
Fuel tank ventilation valve failure may be indicated by floating idle speed or frequent lean mixture errors. However, it is cheap.
A recall campaign to replace faulty B48 series motors was implemented in 2019. The needle bearings supporting the balancers had a flaw.
The savings frequently result in very costly repairs or engine replacements because these units are demanding on the quality of fuel used and the frequency of oil changes.