Which BMW Has the B38 Engine? Full Model List Explained
Image: BMW B38 engine for sale at mtautoparts.com BMW owners tend to care about engines more than they first admit. Even people who say they’re “not bothered” usually change their mind the moment reliability, running costs, or a repair bill enter the conversation. Suddenly, what’s under the bonnet matters a great deal. That’s exactly where the B38 engine sits. It’s BMW’s 1.5-litre, turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, introduced in the early 2010s and used across a wide part of the BMW range ever since. On paper, it was never designed to impress enthusiasts. Power outputs typically range from around 109 hp in the 116i to 136 hp in the 118i, figures that sound modest but are perfectly suited to everyday driving. Over the last decade, this same engine architecture has powered hundreds of thousands of BMWs, quietly doing its job with little fuss and, in most cases, very few serious issues reported. BMW’s confidence in the design is telling. The brand even used a high-...