Every BMW Model Powered By The N54 Engine

BMW is now known for making excellent turbocharged engines like the B58 inline-six, which powers models like the 340i and X3. Of course, the company didn't just stumble upon the formula for a successful and highly reliable turbocharged engine out of the blue — before the B58, there was the twin-turbo N54. Sometimes hailed as Germany's equivalent to Toyota's legendary twin-turbo 2JZ-GTE engine, the 3.0-liter inline-six engine makes 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque in its standard guise — although many suspect that the engine can produce quite a bit more power than that.

The engine powered several BMW models, including the 335i and 535i, the base-model X6 SUV from 2008, and the Z4 convertible. The latter debuted toward the end of the decade and was the last BMW model to use the N54, retaining it long after other models had moved on to the single-turbo N55, which replaced the N54 for the 2011 model year.

Despite having long since been superseded by newer, more powerful turbocharged inline-six engines like the B58, the N54 holds a special place in enthusiasts' hearts. It's not without its faults — including a flaky fuel pump and troublesome fuel injectors, to name a couple — and insane repair bills, but it's easy to get a lot more power from it without too much effort, making it an excellent option for speed freaks seeking a tuning platform. Sound like fun? Here's the full list of BMW models with the N54 engine for you to seek out.

The E9x family of 3 Series BMWs was unveiled at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show, with an all-new design that was heavier and larger than the outgoing — and much-loved — E46 3 Series BMW. The saloon was a hit from the get-go, winning the World Car of the Year award in 2006, and BMW quickly followed it up with the E92 coupe and E93 convertible models for the 2007 model year.

However, 2007 was also the year that BMW introduced the well-received 335i. Up until then, the highest-performance option for the E90 saloon was the 330i, which packed a 255 hp 3.0-liter inline-six. The 335i took it a step further, dropping the then-new N54 into the engine bay of the sedan, coupe, and convertible in the U.S. Europeans also got a 335i wagon, which is one of the many BMW models that never made it to America.

The N54's twin turbos bumped power up to a much healthier 300 hp, helping make it one of the fastest 3 Series generations ever. In addition, the engine came packaged alongside other luxuries such as eight-way powered front seats and a Logic7 Surround Sound system on the 335i models. Reviewers appreciated what the N54 brought to the table, with one outlet claiming that the 335i Coupe was possibly the year's best car, eclipsing even the E46 M3 coupé.

BMW replaced the twin-turbo N54 with the single-turbo N55 in 2010, but would bring the N54 back in souped-up form for a special-edition 3-Series the following year.

[Image by EurovisionNim via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

BMW may have mostly moved on from the N54 in the 335i for emissions related issues in 2010, but that didn't stop the carmaker from bringing an extra-special version of the 3 Series coupe and convertible to the U.S. for the 2011 model year. Called the 335is, this short-lived 3-series version featured a tuned N54 making 320 hp and 332 lb-ft, with a special overboost feature that temporarily raised the torque output to 370 lb-ft.

The 335is was more than just a 335i with a few extra horses under the hood, though. BMW improved the cooling system, upgraded the interior, and slapped an M Sport body kit on top of the 335i's already refreshed exterior. BMW also offered a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission in the 335is as standard, which wasn't an option on lower-tier 3 Series cars. Unique five-spoke wheels were also standard, as were a bunch of M Sport interior goodies, but BMW kept most of the other fundamentals — including the chassis — the same.

BMW pitched the 335is as a mid-point between the 335i and the M3 for American buyers, a task for which it was perfectly suited — perhaps too perfectly, in fact. More than one automotive journalist opined that the 335is was the 3 Series car to get, even over the M3. Despite this praise, BMW didn't make the 335is for long, with the final examples rolling off the production line in mid-2013. Amateur research suggests that 3,597 and 3,396 335is coupes and convertibles, respectively, left the factory, although these numbers haven't been confirmed by BMW.

[Image by Jhw57 via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]

The fifth-generation of BMW's sports saloon launched for the 2004 model year, sporting a larger and roomier body than its N52-powered predecessor, yet one that weighed less thanks to an all-aluminum front end. BMW debuted three versions that year: the inline-six-powered 525i and 530i alongside the V8-powered 540i.

As with its baby brother, it would take a few years for BMW to introduce the N54 to the 5 Series. The 535i debuted in the U.S. in 2008, with the same 3.0-liter, twin-turbo N54 engine as the 335i, and an identical 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque. However, unlike the 3 Series, BMW didn't deprive U.S. buyers who wanted a high-performance wagon, as it brought the 535xi to North American shores that same year.

Despite having the same amount of power to move a larger and slightly heavier car, the N54 still acquitted itself well in the 535i's engine bay. BMW claimed a 0 to 60 mph time of 5.7 seconds with the Steptronic automatic transmission, which is not a huge departure from the 335i's claimed 5.6-second time. Contemporary reviewers enjoyed the 535i, with Car and Driver naming it the best of the three 2008 models, beating out the naturally aspirated 528i and 360-hp, V8-powered 550i.

The N54 stayed in the 535i's engine bay until 2010, after which it was replaced by the single-turbo N55.

BMW introduced the all-new compact 1 Series hatchback to its lineup in 2004 for the 2005 model year, part of a strategy to increase sales significantly by 2008. To keep costs down, the 1 Series shared more than half of its components with the E90 3 Series, including the front and rear suspension. 

The shared heritage between the 1 Series and 3 Series cars didn't end at the developmental stage, though. As with the 535i, BMW would eventually drop the N54 into the 1 Series engine bay, with 2008 seeing the debut of coupé and convertible versions of the 1 Series, both available in 128i and 135i guises. The latter had the N54 under the hood, making the same 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque as it did in the 335i and 535i — but the smaller and lighter body allowed the automatic 135i Coupe to make it to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds.

Reviewers generally liked the 135i Coupe, praising the engine's grunt but pointing out its poor value proposition next to the 335i sedan. Sales figures seem to back the latter opinion up, with only 12,000 1 Series cars (across all models) sold in 2008, a drop in the ocean compared to the 120,000 3 Series cars that made their way to owners across that same period. Like its siblings, BMW swapped the N54 with the TwinPower N55 for the 2011 model year — although it wasn't the last time owners would see an N54 in a 1 Series coupé's engine bay.

Despite moving on to the N55 for the 135i in 2011, BMW wasn't quite done with the N54 in the 1 Series Coupé. Enter the BMW 1 Series M Coupé, an upgraded version of the 135i in the mold of the 335is, but just that little bit more extreme, and a bona fide M division project to boot. Announced in 2010, the 1 Series M Coupé featured a bevy of changes, including aggressive wheel arches to accommodate the 19-inch M3 Competition Pack wheels and tires, quad exhausts, front air curtains, and BMW M interior parts — all of which combined to make the 1 Series M Coupe one of the best cars BMW ever designed.

Like the 335is, the M Coupé had a beefed-up N54 under the hood making 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. It also had an overboost function that increased torque output to 370 lb-ft for seven seconds. Not quite one of BMW's legendary M-series engines, but still great fun. The extra torque helped the manual-only M Coupé hit 62 mph in 4.9 seconds. The 124 mph milestone arrived in 17.3 seconds, and the car maxed out at an electronically limited 155 mph.

Reviewers broadly loved the M Coupé, with one journalist writing for Wired hailing it as the best BMW they had ever driven. Even less enthusiastic reviewers still praised the car, with its poise and overall performance whether on a road or haring around a track coming in for accolades. Like the 335is, the 1 Series M Coupé is now something of a rare beast — BMW only built a little over 6,000 examples, with the vast majority made for the European market.

BMW announced the second-generation Z4 in 2008, slated for launch in 2009 in three guises — sDrive23i, sDrive30i, and sDrive35i — all with a retractable hardtop. These three versions of the Z4 had inline-six engines, with the sDrive23i and sDrive30i sporting naturally aspirated 2.5-liter and 3.0-liter engines, respectively. The top dog sDrive35i was the only N54-equipped model, launching with a claimed 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.

BMW marketed the Z4 as a sporty roadster and, as such, all three versions came with a six-speed manual transmission as standard which, in the sDrive35i's case, allowed the Z4 to hit 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. BMW also offered a six-speed Steptronic automatic and a seven-speed double-clutch transmission as options, although the latter was only available on the sDrive35i.

Awkward name aside, reviewers enjoyed the sDrive35i, highlighting the N54's great performance and the car's great suspension and handling. The Z4 didn't sell particularly well in the U.S. despite this, but it stuck around for a long while — BMW kept selling it through the first half of the 2010s before finally discontinuing it in 2016. The N54 stayed as the sDrive35i's engine throughout the second-generation Z4's lifespan, with the same 306 hp output until the end. Interestingly, the Z4 has since developed a reputation as one of the most reliable roadsters money can buy, if not quite on par with some of its German rivals.

It turned out that 2011 was to be the year of the souped-up N54 BMWs, as the Z4 sDrive35is joined the 335is and 1 Series M Coupé in offering an extended farewell to the twin-turbo inline-six after BMW had moved on to the single-turbo N55 in most of its mainline cars.

Like the other two models, the Z4 sDrive35is's engine made 340 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, with a seven-second overboost feature that increased torque to 370 lb-ft and helping the sDrive35is hit the 60 mph mark in an impressive 4.8 seconds. Unlike the lower-end Z4s, the sDrive35is wasn't available with a six-speed manual as standard. Instead, the top-of-the-line Z4 was only available with BMW's seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with steering-mounted paddle shifters also included.

There was more to sweeten the deal for performance-minded roadster fans, though. BMW specced an M Sports package for the sDrive35is, which included an aero kit, adaptive suspension with electronically controlled dampers, and unique 18-inch alloys. The final result was a quick and powerful roadster that — depending on which reviewers you asked — was either extremely rewarding to drive or just a little too fast for its own good.

The Z4 sDrive35is outlived its high-powered N54 siblings, sitting proudly as the highest-performance version of the Z4 roadster until BMW discontinued the car in 2016.

The N54's twin-turbo power made it BMW's engine of choice for many of its higher-end performance-oriented models in the late 2000s, but it also spent time in a completely different context, powering the base model of the company's X6 SUV for a couple of years.

BMW launched the X6 in 2008 as "the world's first Sports Activity Coupé," emphasizing the X6's allegedly unique combination of coupé sportiness with SUV dimensions. The X6 debuted in two variants, the xDrive35i and xDrive50i. The xDrive50i was the more premium of the two, boasting a 4.4-liter, 400 hp twin-turbo V8 under the hood, along with extra creature comforts as standard. The xDrive35i was the base model, with the 300 hp N54 and a still-impressive selection of luxuries on offer, somewhat befitting its $52,500 starting price.

The X6 xDrive35i wasn't necessarily universally loved when it launched. The price was a particular sticking point, and even more positive reviews cast doubt on the SUV's viability due to its price and somewhat niche appeal. The N54 wasn't quite a resounding success in X6, either, with the X6's nearly 5,000-pound unladen weight resulting in poor fuel economy and somewhat laggier response than smaller BMWs. The N54 only featured in the xDrive35i for two years, and BMW replaced it with the N55 for the 2011 model year.

BMW introduced an all-new, fifth-generation 7 Series family in 2008, with three models hitting dealer forecourts the following model year: the V8-powered 750i, the N54-powered 740i, and diesel 730d. At least, that's what was available in Europe — the U.S. wouldn't get the 740i until 2011. BMW marketed its new 7 Series saloons as premium luxury cars that would satisfy both drivers and passengers, with extra-long-wheelbase 750Li and 740Li models also available for those seeking extra rear legroom.

BMW didn't skimp on the sheet metal or luxuries when designing the new 7 Series cars. The standard versions were nearly 200 inches long and 75 inches wide, with features such as automatic air conditioning, ventilated and massaging rear seats, rear-seat entertainment via two built-in eight-inch screens — complete with DVD player — and premium materials including ceramic controls all coming as standard. The upshot of this size and luxury was a car that weighed just over 4,300 pounds unladen or 4,400 pounds in longer-wheelbase Li form.

To that end, BMW opted to bump the N54's power output up ever so slightly, with 326 hp coming from the 740i's twin-turbo N54. Torque remained the same at 332 lb-ft, however. Not a massive difference, then, but more than enough for reviewers to praise its straight-line speed and acceleration, which it offered without compromising on executive saloon comfort. The N54 lasted a year longer in the 740i than in most other BMWs, with the German marque only replacing it with the N55 in 2012.