Available from 2014, the BMW B38 was a three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. The B38 was a part of BMW’s modular family of engines which included the four-cylinder B48 petrol engine, the three-cylinder B37 diesel and four-cylinder B47 diesel engines. For three- and four-cylinder engines of the same fuel type, around 60 per cent of components were shared; for engines of different fuel types, around 40 per cent of components were shared. All four engines were manufactured on a single assembly line at BMW’s Steyr plant in Austria and production was estimated at 5500 engines per day.
The B38 engine had an aluminium block and cylinder head, a single-scroll turbocharger, direct fuel injection, double overhead camshafts (chain-driven), variable camshaft timing, four valves per cylinder, variable intake valve lift (BMW’s ‘Valvetronic’) and a compression ratio of 11.0:1.
In an industry first, the radial-axial Continental turbocharger for the B38 engine had a water-cooled turbine housing that was produced from cast aluminium. Compared to a typical heat-resistant cast-steel turbocharger housing, the cast aluminium housing was around 30 per cent lighter and cheaper to produce; its design was also claimed to reduce load on the catalytic converter.
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| Engine | Capacity | Peak power | Peak torque | Models | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B38A12 | 1198 cc (76.0 x 86.0) |
55kW at 6000rpm | 150Nm at 1400rpm | Mini F56 One | 2014-on |
| B38B12UO | 1198 cc (76.0 x 86.0) |
75kW at 4000-6000rpm | 180Nm at 1400-3900rpm | Mini F55/F56 One | 2014-on |
| B38B15M0 | 1499 cc (82.0 x 94.6) |
100kW at 4400-6000rpm | 220Nm at 1250-4300rpm | BMW F45 Active Tourer 218i, Mini F55/F56 Cooper |
2014-on |
| Mini F54 Clubman Cooper | 2015-on | ||||
| B38K15T0 | 1499 cc (82.0 x 94.6) |
170kW at 5800rpm | 320Nm at 3700rpm | BMW I12 i8 | 2014-on |
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