BMW 320i / 328i and 330i F30: the four-cylinder 3 Series, the exhaust system guide
The 3 Series F30 had two 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinders: the N20 in the 320i and 328i until 2016, then the B48 in the 330i from 2016 to 2019. Two engine generations, one shared flaw: a factory exhaust calibrated to make them all but inaudible. The same ROG valved exhaust fits all three versions; this guide details each choice, from the material to the tips.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30
From €2,190 in stainless steel, €2,690 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 (2012-2016); BMW 330i B48 F30 (2016-2019)
- Engine
- BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30: 184 to 245 hp; BMW 330i B48 F30: 252 hp
- 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 316i F30 1.6T, BMW 335i F30 3.0T, BMW 340i B58 F30 3.0T.
N20 and B48: the turbocharged four-cylinders of the 3 Series F30
The N20 in the 320i and 328i is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder with direct injection and a twin-scroll turbo; in the 320i, it produces 184 hp and 270 Nm. The B48 that succeeds it in the 330i keeps the displacement and the principle, but its modular design allows it to reach 252 hp and 350 Nm. Both offer plentiful torque very early, giving the saloon strong pick-up across the whole usable range.
Same displacement, same architecture, same F30 body: nothing stands in the way of a single ROG exhaust serving all three versions. What the factory exhaust erases is the sharp response of these engines and their texture as the revs climb. The ROG exhaust lets it reach you with the valves open, and gives you back the serenity of the saloon with the valves closed. The engine and ECU stay as they left the factory.
How the exhaust on your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30 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 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencers, valves. This is where our research and development is focused, and it is what shapes the sound. On its own, it changes the character of the car.
The front section, where the catalytic converter sits
On your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30, it is the downpipe, the pipe leading from the turbo. It contains the factory catalytic converter: the second restriction in the exhaust, after the silencer. Replacing this part is optional: it frees up the flow, and an ECU remap is what turns that into power.
The figures for your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30
On a modern car, an exhaust system first changes the voice, the breathing and the weight at the rear. Power, on the other hand, comes from an ECU remap.
BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30
Power
Torque
BMW 330i B48 F30
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures.
Our exhaust systems work perfectly with or without an ECU remap. On your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30, however, we recommend having one done at an approved tuning centre: that is what lets the engine reach its full potential.
On the N20, a Stage 2 remap finds clear headroom: the published figures are in the table, and the result depends on the condition of the engine and the quality of the tuner. Whatever the version, the ROG exhaust claims no gain: it takes care of the sound.
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 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30, 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 benchmark for high-end exhausts: tough, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The choice of most of our customers.
Titanium
2 690 €
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
Around 40% lighter than stainless steel for the same design, with a more metallic sound that turns crystal-clear at high revs. Its finish ranges from brushed to blued tints.
Over time, both hold up: 304 stainless steel stands up to winter salt and damp, and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
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Step 2 of 4: Front section: downpipe and catalytic converter
Optional: the downpipe on your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30, with its catalytic converter. Sound intensity is rated on our scale of 0 to 10, valves open; the factory exhaust scores 3.
Cat-back only
Included
7/10Factory emissions control
The factory catalytic converter stays in place. The starting point and, for many of our customers, more than enough.
200-cell sports catalytic converter
+640 €
8/10Road use and French MOT
Emissions control is still very much there, and flow improves noticeably. The choice for everyday driving.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+640 €
9/10French MOT pass not guaranteed
Half as many cells: flow comes close to a decat and the sound gains real aggression at high revs.
Decat
+400 €
10/10Track use only
No emissions control: maximum flow, raw sound, the sharpest revving.
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? A sports catalytic converter can trigger it: the oxygen sensor after the catalytic converter detects less cleaning than with the factory unit. It is not a fault. An ECU remap recalibrates the sensor, and a session with a diagnostic tool clears the fault code. With a decat, the warning light is almost certain without a 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.
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Step 3 of 4: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30.
ROG remote
A small control unit fits in the boot. Two buttons, open and closed: the valves respond at any moment, whatever the drive mode. Simple to fit, and we stay on hand throughout the installation.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
If your vehicle is fitted with factory valves, the exhaust keeps their existing control. The drive modes decide, just as they did from the factory, with no added electronics.
On the motorway, with the valves closed, the gases pass through the silencer, designed for cruising: no drone at a steady speed. You open up when you feel like it, not when the motorway decides for you. More about exhaust drone.
-
Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature
Match the tips to the style of your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30, 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 320i, 328i and 330i F30
A 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder has a sharper voice than you might imagine: deep and firm at idle, it hardens as the load increases, with turbo whoosh in the background. In the standard 3 Series, N20 or B48, all that remains is a muffled murmur, out of keeping with the saloon's temperament.
With the valves open, the ROG exhaust fills out the bass note, lets you hear the pick-up and adds depth to every climb through the revs. With the valves closed, the F30 goes back to being the composed saloon for business trips, the one that goes unnoticed in the office car park.
From order to fitting
-
Configuration
You choose your exhaust and enter your VIN, found in box E of your registration certificate.
-
Check
We check compatibility with your VIN before manufacturing begins.
-
Manufacturing
Your exhaust is made to order, for your car.
-
Delivery
Free in Europe, insured to your door, tracked from dispatch.
-
Fitting
No welding or cutting: clamps and gaskets, around two hours on a lift.
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
What about the manufacturer's warranty on your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30? In Europe, a manufacturer cannot refuse warranty cover simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it has to prove that the fault was caused by that part. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30
-
Daily driving
2 190 €
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
3 330 €
- Titanium
- 200-cell downpipe
- ECU remap
More sound, more breathing, and a car you can still present at the French MOT.
View this configuration -
Track
3 090 €
- Titanium
- Decat downpipe
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
And if you are still unsure, that is perfectly normal: it is exactly why we answer the phone.
BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30: your questions
How much power does an exhaust system add to the BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30?
As standard, the BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 produces from 184 to 245 hp; the BMW 330i B48 F30 produces 252 hp. An exhaust system on its own mainly changes the sound, the breathing and the weight; power is gained with an ECU remap. The published Stage 2 figures for each model are shown in the figures table.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30?
For the BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30, the ROG exhaust costs €2,190 in stainless steel and €2,690 in titanium. 304 stainless steel is tough, rounded in tone and the most popular choice; titanium is around 40% lighter for the same design, with a more metallic sound at high revs.
Do you need to replace the catalytic converter on the BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30?
No. On the BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30, the cat-back alone carries the valves and already transforms the sound. Replacing the downpipe is an option for going further: with a 200-cell sports catalytic converter for the road, 100-cell or decat for more radical use, with an ECU remap to turn it into power.
Will the BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30 pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?
With the cat-back only or the 200-cell sports catalytic converter, emissions control is retained: present the car with the valves closed. The 100-cell converter no longer guarantees a pass, and the decat fails the emissions test.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted to the BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30?
No welding or cutting, using clamps and gaskets. Allow two hours on average for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built for your VIN, which guarantees compatibility before it ships.
What does a ROG exhaust cost for the BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30, and how long does it take?
From €2,190 to €3,330 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Free delivery in Europe and 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 drive and on your BMW 320i / 328i N20 F30 or 330i B48 F30. 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.
RogMotorsport is a French brand built on one conviction: with an exhaust system, the support matters as much as the product. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
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