BMW Z4 E89: the straight-six roadster, naturally aspirated or biturbo, the exhaust system guide
The Z4 E89, a roadster with a retractable hard top, received two families of straight-six: the naturally aspirated N52, 204 hp in 2.5 form, and the 3.0-litre biturbo N54, with up to 340 hp. Two very different voices, which the factory exhaust reduces almost to silence, a real irony for a car made to be driven with the wind in your hair. The same ROG valved exhaust fits both; this guide helps you decide on its options.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54
From €2,190 in stainless steel, €2,690 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- BMW Z4 E89 2.5L / 3.0L (2009-2011) ; BMW Z4 E89 3.0T (2009-2016)
- Engine
- BMW Z4 E89: 204 to 258 hp ; BMW Z4 E89: 306 to 340 hp
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Front section
- Optional: catted front pipes 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 Z4 E89 2.0T, BMW Z4 G29 2.0T, BMW Z4 M40i G29 3.0T.
N52 and N54: the straight-six engines of the Z4 E89
The N52 in the 2009 to 2011 Z4 E89 is a naturally aspirated straight-six: 204 hp and 250 Nm from 2.5 litres, a linear response and a real eagerness to rev. The N54, offered from 2009 to 2016 on the most powerful versions, keeps six cylinders and 3.0 litres but adds two turbos: up to 340 hp and 450 Nm, with massive torque from low revs.
Naturally aspirated or forced-induction, the straight-six sits in the same body, hence a single ROG exhaust shared by both engines. On a roadster, where the sound reaches your ears directly with the roof down, the exhaust weighs heavily in the enjoyment. The ROG exhaust gives the engine back its presence with the valves open and lets you drive discreetly with them closed, without touching the engine or the ECU.
What makes up the exhaust on your BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54
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 Z4 E89 N52 / N54, from the outlet of the front section to the tips: pipes, silencer, 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 Z4 E89 N52 / N54, it is the front pipes, just after the manifolds. They contain 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.
Your BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54 in figures
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 Z4 E89 2.5L / 3.0L
Power
Torque
BMW Z4 E89 3.0T
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures.
Our exhaust systems work perfectly with or without an ECU remap. On your BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54, however, we recommend having it done at an approved tuning centre: it is what lets the engine reach its full potential.
The biturbo N54 lends itself well to remapping: at Stage 2 it is rated at 380 hp and 540 Nm, depending on the condition of the engine and the tune. The naturally aspirated N52 offers much narrower headroom. In both cases, the ROG exhaust claims no gain; it gives the six-cylinder the voice it deserves.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
4 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 4: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54, 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: front pipes and catalytic converter
Optional: the front pipes on your BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54, with their catalytic converter. Sound intensity is rated on our scale of 0 to 10, valves open; the factory exhaust scores 3.
Option available for the BMW Z4 E89 2.5L / 3.0L; the BMW Z4 E89 3.0T is sold as a cat-back only.
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
+€1,250
8/10Road use and inspection
Emissions control is still very much there, and flow improves noticeably. The choice for everyday driving.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+€1,250
9/10Inspection: depends on local rules
Half as many cells: flow comes close to a decat and the sound gains real aggression at high revs.
Decat
+€1,010
10/10Track use
No emissions control: maximum flow, raw sound, the sharpest revving.
Sound intensity, on a scale of 0 to 10
- 10/10Decat front pipes + 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 vehicle inspection 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 Z4 E89 N52 / N54.
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.
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Step 4 of 4: Tips: the visual signature
Match the tips to the style of your BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54, 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 Z4 E89's six-cylinder engines
The N52 has the clear voice of naturally aspirated straight-sixes, rising through the revs with an increasingly high-pitched, metallic note. The N54 is deeper and gruffer, with the whoosh of its two turbos. The Z4's factory exhaust flattens both personalities, even with the roof down, precisely when you would expect to hear the engine.
With the valves open, the ROG exhaust transforms every top-down drive: crystal-clear revs on the N52, a thick rumble and crackles on the N54. With the valves closed, the roadster regains a calmer sound, for long motorway journeys or early-morning departures.
From order to fitting
-
Configuration
You choose your exhaust and enter your VIN, found in box E of your registration document or at the base of the windscreen.
-
Check
We check compatibility with your VIN before manufacturing begins.
-
Manufacturing
Your exhaust is made to order, for your car.
-
Delivery
Free, 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 Z4 E89 N52 / N54? 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 comes from that part. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54
-
Daily driving
€2,190
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves whenever you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
€3,940
- Titanium
- 200-cell front pipes
- ECU remap
More sound, more breathing, and a car you can still present at vehicle inspection.
View this configuration -
Track
€3,700
- Titanium
- Decat front pipes
- 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 Z4 E89 N52 / N54: your questions
How much power does an exhaust add on the BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54?
As standard, the BMW Z4 E89 2.5L / 3.0L produces from 204 to 258 hp; the BMW Z4 E89 3.0T produces from 306 to 340 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 Z4 E89 N52 / N54?
For the BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54, 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 Z4 E89 N52 / N54?
No. On the BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54, the cat-back alone carries the valves and already transforms the sound. Replacing the front pipes 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 a ROG exhaust pass vehicle inspection on the BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54?
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 brings more sound and flow, and whether it is accepted at the emissions test depends on the car and local rules; the decat version is intended for track use.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted on the BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54?
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 price and lead time for a ROG exhaust on the BMW Z4 E89 N52 / N54?
From €2,190 to €3,940 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Free delivery 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 Z4 E89 N52 / N54. 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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