BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10: a four-cylinder waiting to be revealed, the exhaust system guide
The 5 Series F10 is a large saloon designed to eat up the miles, and the N20 fitted to the 520i and 528i makes it an efficient and enjoyable tourer. The flip side: the factory exhaust is designed so that you never hear this turbocharged four-cylinder. Find out here how to configure a ROG exhaust that gives your F10 character without taking anything away from its comfort, option by option.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10
From €2,190 in stainless steel, €2,690 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10 2.0T (2011-2016)
- Engine
- N20 · 184 to 245 hp · 270 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 535i N55 F10 3.0T, BMW 550i N63 F10, BMW M5 F10 4.4TT, BMW 220i N20 2.0T.
The N20: the TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder of the 5 Series F10
The N20 is a 2.0-litre direct-injection four-cylinder, boosted by a twin-scroll turbo and fitted with Valvetronic variable valve lift. In the 520i, it produces 184 hp and 270 Nm; the 528i uses a more powerful version. In a saloon of this size, it is above all the early torque that counts, and the N20 delivers it effortlessly, with a lively throttle response.
The turbo already absorbs some of the engine's pulses, and the F10's factory exhaust, designed for silence on long journeys, erases the rest: you hear the tyres more than the engine. The ROG valved exhaust takes the place of the factory system, with the engine and ECU left untouched, and gives you back control of the sound: a hushed saloon when you travel, a present and angry four-cylinder when you accelerate.
How the exhaust on your BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10 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 520i / 528i N20 F10, 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 520i / 528i N20 F10, 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 520i / 528i N20 F10 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 245 hp version.
The ROG exhaust works with or without an ECU remap. To get the full potential out of your BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10, we recommend taking it to an approved tuning centre afterwards.
The same N20 powers the 528i in a more powerful version: the 520i therefore has a mechanical reserve that a Stage 2 remap exploits, with a suitable front section. The result depends on the condition of the engine and the quality of the map, but the ROG exhaust provides a coherent base for this tuning.
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 520i / 528i N20 F10, 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 520i / 528i N20 F10, 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
+690 €
8/10Road use and French MOT
More flow, emissions control retained: the right option for road use.
100-cell sports catalytic converter
+690 €
9/10French MOT pass not guaranteed
More open than the 200-cell: the sound hardens at high revs and emissions control is reduced.
Decat
+430 €
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 520i / 528i N20 F10.
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 520i / 528i N20 F10, 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 5 Series F10's N20
A turbocharged four-cylinder lacks the roundness of an inline-six, but the N20 has a dry, husky tone that is not without interest, especially under acceleration. In the F10, the factory exhaust reduces it to anonymous background noise: the car goes quickly, but nothing lets you feel it.
With the valves open, the ROG exhaust gives the N20 a deeper, fuller voice, with a noticeably more present grain every time you accelerate. With the valves closed, the 5 Series returns to its role as a quiet grand tourer, for family trips as well as long motorway stretches.
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 520i / 528i N20 F10 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 520i / 528i N20 F10
-
Daily driving
2 190 €
- Stainless
- Cat-back only
- ROG remote
Your BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10 stays easy to live with, the factory emissions control is retained, and you open the valves when you decide.
View this configuration -
Fast road
3 380 €
- Titanium
- 200-cell downpipe
- ECU remap
The best of both worlds: character and breathing, with emissions control retained.
View this configuration -
Track
3 120 €
- Titanium
- Decat downpipe
- Stage 2
The most extreme configuration, for track use only.
View this configuration
Every BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10 has its own history and use: if none of these profiles fits you, let's talk.
BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10: your questions
How much power does an exhaust add on the BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10?
As standard, the BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10 produces 184 to 245 hp and 270 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 245 hp version reach 320 hp and 480 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10?
For the BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10, 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 520i / 528i N20 F10?
It is not compulsory. The cat-back alone is enough to change the character of the BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10. 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 520i / 528i N20 F10 pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?
The cat-back only and the 200-cell converter keep emissions control: present the BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10 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 520i / 528i N20 F10?
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 520i / 528i N20 F10.
What price and lead time for a ROG exhaust on the BMW 520i / 528i N20 F10?
From €2,190 to €3,380 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 520i / 528i N20 F10. 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...
- Mercedes-AMG E55 W211 V8 Kompressor: the wolf in a business suit, the exhaust guide With the E55 W211, AMG slipped a 476 hp, 700 Nm supercharged V8 into an E-Class that looks...
- Mercedes-AMG CLS53 C257: the return of the straight-six, the exhaust system guide A four-door coupé with flowing lines, the CLS53 C257 benefits from Mercedes' return to a layout the brand...