BMW X3 G01: bringing out the B48, the exhaust system guide
The X3 G01 is BMW's versatile family SUV: spacious, efficient and enjoyable to drive. As a petrol, its 2.0-litre B48 turbo reaches up to 252 hp depending on the version, enough to make it lively, but the factory-fitted exhaust is designed to go unnoticed. It is up to you how far to go: this guide explains how to configure a valved ROG exhaust for the X3, option by option.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the BMW X3 G01
From €2,190 in stainless steel, €2,690 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- BMW X3 G01 2.0T (2019-2024)
- Engine
- B48 · 184 to 252 hp · 290 to 350 Nm, depending on the version
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted downpipe with 200 or 100 cells, or decat
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
Closely related versions have their own guide: BMW X3 M40i G01 3.0T, BMW X3 2.0T, BMW X3 M F97 3.0T, BMW X3 N55 F25 3.0T.
The B48: the modular four-cylinder of the G01 generation
The B48 belongs to BMW's modular engine family, which shares much of its design with the brand's three- and six-cylinder engines. It is a 2.0-litre direct-injection four-cylinder with a twin-scroll turbo and Valvetronic valve control. In its most powerful version in the X3 G01, it produces 252 hp and 350 Nm, with low-rev availability that perfectly suits an SUV of this size.
The turbocharged four-cylinder is an efficient but not very expressive engine, and the factory exhaust on the X3 accentuates this trait by favouring silence in all circumstances. The valved ROG exhaust restores the balance: a fuller, more present sound when you open the valves, factory comfort when you close them, with no work on the engine or its management.
How the exhaust on your BMW X3 G01 is put together
An exhaust system is best understood in two parts. Here is what each one does, and what ROG replaces.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your BMW X3 G01, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencer, valves. This is the part where most of our research and development goes: it is what shapes the sound, and it is enough on its own to transform the car.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your BMW X3 G01, this is the downpipe, the pipe that leads away from the turbo. It contains the factory catalytic converter: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Replacing it is optional: it frees up the flow, and it is the ECU remap that turns that into horsepower.
Your BMW X3 G01 in figures
An exhaust system is judged first by ear and on the scales. The extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures. Factory figures vary by version; Stage 2 figures published for the 252 hp version.
The ROG exhaust works with or without an ECU remap. To get the full potential out of your BMW X3 G01, we recommend taking it to an approved tuning centre afterwards.
Being turbocharged, the B48 retains headroom that a Stage 2 remap can exploit by working on turbo pressure and mapping. It all depends on the starting version, the maintenance and the tuner's expertise. The ROG exhaust does not affect these figures: it simply dresses the tune in a more assertive voice.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
4 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
-
Step 1 of 4: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your BMW X3 G01, the exhaust costs €2,190 in stainless steel and €2,690 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
2 190 €
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
The safe bet: strong, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The best value for money.
Titanium
2 690 €
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
It makes the exhaust around 40% lighter for the same design. Its note is more metallic and clearer higher up the rev range, and its finish ranges from brushed to blued.
No worries on durability: 304 stainless steel shrugs off winter road salt and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
-
Step 2 of 4: Front section: downpipe and catalytic converter
Optional: the downpipe on your BMW X3 G01, with its catalytic converter. Each option is placed on our sound scale of 0 to 10, valves open, with the factory exhaust at 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
The factory front section stays in place. It is already a complete transformation, and the choice of many of our customers.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+750 €
8/10Road use and French MOT
More flow, emissions control retained: the right option for road use.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+750 €
9/10French MOT pass not guaranteed
More open than the 200-cell: the sound hardens at high revs and emissions control is reduced.
Decat
+490 €
10/10Track use only
Flow with no filter at all: the rawest sound and the sharpest response.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat downpipe + ROG cat-back
- 9/10100-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 8/10200-cell sports catalytic converter + ROG cat-back
- 7/10ROG cat-back only, factory catalytic converter retained
- 3/10Factory exhaust, for comparison
Valves open. With the valves closed, every configuration becomes discreet again.
What about the engine warning light? With a sports catalytic converter it can come on, because the rear oxygen sensor reads less cleaning. Nothing mechanical is wrong: an ECU remap or a session with a diagnostic tool sorts it out. Without a catalytic converter, you will need an ECU remap. If it happens to you, call us and we will point you in the right direction. Passing the French MOT with a sports exhaust.
-
Step 3 of 4: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your BMW X3 G01.
ROG remote
A discreet control unit in the boot and a two-button remote: you open and close whenever you like, independently of the drive modes. For fitting, we support you by phone or by email.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
For vehicles fitted with factory valves: the exhaust connects to their control and the drive modes stay in charge, with no extra control unit.
At 130 km/h, many sports exhausts drone. Here, with the valves closed, the exhaust flows through the silencer and stays composed when cruising; open, it makes itself heard when you choose. More about exhaust drone.
-
Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature
Match the tips to the style of your BMW X3 G01, understated or bold. A particular finish in mind? Send us a photo and we will look at it together.
- Stainless steel
- Black
- Carbon
- Blued titanium
- M Performance style carbon
The ROG sound signature on the X3 G01
Unleashed, a turbocharged four-cylinder such as the B48 produces a deep, gravelly sound, with a whoosh of turbo in the background. In the standard X3, this character disappears behind a highly restrictive exhaust and careful sound insulation: what you mostly hear is road and wind noise.
With the ROG exhaust and the valves open, the X3 gains a clear presence at start-up and a huskier note under acceleration, which gives real body to overtaking. With the valves closed, it regains the discretion of a family SUV, welcome on family trips and early-morning departures.
From order to fitting
-
Configuration
You configure the exhaust and enter the VIN from box E of your registration certificate.
-
Check
Your VIN is checked before any manufacturing begins.
-
Manufacturing
The exhaust is produced to order, for your vehicle.
-
Delivery
Free in Europe, insured parcel, tracking number from dispatch.
-
Fitting
Around two hours in the workshop, with no welding or cutting.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
Is your BMW X3 G01 still under the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, the manufacturer cannot refuse it simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it is up to them to prove the fault comes from it. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your BMW X3 G01
-
Daily driving
2 190 €
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your BMW X3 G01 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves when you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
3 440 €
- Titanium
- 200-cell downpipe
- ECU remap
The best of both worlds: character and breathing, with emissions control retained.
View this configuration -
Track
3 180 €
- Titanium
- Decat downpipe
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
Every BMW X3 G01 has its own history and use: if none of these profiles fits you, let's talk.
BMW X3 G01: your questions
How much power does an exhaust add on the BMW X3 G01?
As standard, the BMW X3 G01 produces 184 to 252 hp and 290 to 350 Nm, depending on the version. The exhaust alone acts first on sound, breathing and weight; the extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures for the 252 hp version reach 310 hp and 480 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the BMW X3 G01?
For the BMW X3 G01, the ROG exhaust costs €2,190 in stainless steel and €2,690 in titanium. Stainless steel is the safe bet, with a full sound; titanium makes the exhaust around 40% lighter and gives a more metallic note higher up the rev range.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the BMW X3 G01?
It is not compulsory. The cat-back alone is enough to change the character of the BMW X3 G01. Replacing the downpipe is how you go further, together with an ECU remap: 200 cells for the road, 100 cells or decat for more radical use.
Does the BMW X3 G01 pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?
The cat-back only and the 200-cell converter keep emissions control: present the BMW X3 G01 with the valves closed. With the 100-cell converter, a pass is no longer guaranteed; the decat fails the emissions test.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted on the BMW X3 G01?
With clamps and gaskets, no welding or cutting: around two hours in the workshop for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built to the VIN of your BMW X3 G01.
What price and lead time for a ROG exhaust on the BMW X3 G01?
From €2,190 to €3,440 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Delivery is free and the exhaust comes with a 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, cat-back only or the complete system: the right choice depends on how you use your BMW X3 G01. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
ROG is a French brand, and the way we work comes down to one idea: an exhaust system should be sold with advice, not just a product page. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
Read next
- Mercedes-AMG SLC43 R172 V6 biturbo: an open-air V6, the exhaust system guide The SLC43 is a compact roadster with a retractable hard top, which AMG equipped with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo...
- Toyota GR Supra A90 Turbo B48: a more expressive Supra, the exhaust system guide The Toyota GR Supra A90 2.0, offered since 2020, is the entry point to the Supra range: a...
- Mini John Cooper Works F56: the go-kart spirit set to music, the exhaust system guide The John Cooper Works F56 takes the three-door Mini into sporting territory: a compact format, a lively chassis...