N20 Upgrades
BMW enthusiasts all have a single common characteristic. We all love to talk about how amazing BMW used to be. We look through rose colored glasses at all the classic models we either fantasized about as kids or were initially introduced to when it came time to buy that first ‘nice’ car. With the racing pedigree, unparalleled luxury, and incredible driving experiences offered by the vintage lineup, we often look backwards and lament the modernization of new models. However, to quote one of my favorite shows, Bojack Horseman, ‘if you look at the world through rose colored glasses, all the red flags just look like flags.’ While there is no argument here that the beloved E30 M3 or E28 M5 were anything but phenomenal cars with hair-raising personalities, the reality is, with modernity comes a certain refinement of that principle. Like a diamond, it first began life as something we love for different reasons. The same can be said for the turbocharged four-cylinder N20 that enthusiasts love to hate. Why? Maybe they just haven’t found the right way to make it appeal to them. That’s what we are here to do, folks. We have tons of experience with these engines and would love to outline what Turner Motorsport can do for your N20-powered BMW.
Back in 2011, BMW replaced the naturally-aspirated straight-six engines in their higher-production number lineup with the N20 four-cylinder sporting a turbocharger. The N20 produced as much power as the previous six-banger, but did so with more efficiency and better fuel economy from a smaller, lighter, more modern platform. That said, it should be noted they produced this engine with the same mentality as all their other models, which was to appeal to a wide range of buyers and blend performance with comfort and daily drivability. With some upgrades and a little massaging from our engineers, though, the N20 can be a potent performance platform that can reliably offer you tons of fun, if you know what to look for.
First up, it is no secret that the N20 wasn’t perfect. BMW found themselves in a fun little legal dispute over the assertion that they knew the plastic timing chain guides on the N20 were not up to spec, but pushed the engine into production and sale anyway. This is an ongoing fight in the courts between BMW owners and the manufacturer, but the fact remains, these engines are out there and there is plenty you can do to make them better. Regardless of whether they are at fault or not, the engine is stout and stands to gain from some future-proofing and modifications to make it a real contender in the small displacement turbocharged engine field.
So, it should go without saying, before you dig into making more power, you should be looking to what you can do to prevent failure. A full timing service is recommended; you can find all the replacement parts right here at Turner to ensure that your N20 survives, even with some modifications, to serve you well for a long and happy life in your BMW. Go ahead and grab the Genuine BMW timing chain rebuild kit from Turner Motorsport and save yourself the worry that your N20 might experience the problem early engines experienced with their chain guides. |
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| | After you have the timing service completed, you can focus on the fun bits. It doesn’t take much to squeeze tons of power from this new generation of small-displacement, forced-induction engines, so we’re just going to cover the basics.
The Turner Motorsport Stage 3 Power Pack is the fastest and easiest solution to gain reliable, respectable, and daily-drivable performance from these cars. Of course, we have Stage 1 and Stage 2 versions, but realistically, we prefer to do a kit like this all at once. If you already have one or two components, then clearly, the Stage 3 kit is more than you need, but if you’re starting from square one, using our extensive testing as a knowledge base is the easiest solution. Let’s take a look at what’s in the kit: |
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Turner Motorsport Stepped Intercooler
Cast aluminum construction
Bar and plate design
56% increase in frontal surface area & cross sectional area
Decrease in temperature of 45 degrees from inlet side to outlet side (95 degree drop stock on outlet side vs. 140 degree drop on Turner outlet side)
Significantly less restriction (pressure drop of consistently 0.75 psi vs. 1.5-2.5 psi stock)
+18HP/10TQ (+36HP/28TQ with tune and supporting mods)
Weighs under 20 lbs.
Overall size: 520mm wide, 210mm tall
Mounting hardware included |
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The Stepped Intercooler offers better airflow, cooler charge air, and improved performance over the factory unit. With a larger surface area, decreased temperatures, and better air flow, you’ll feel a difference from this mod alone, but really benefit when it is paired with the rest of the kit for even more power gains.
Injen Cold Air Intake
While there is some debate as to the usefulness of an intake, we have done our homework. You can read about all our testing and research in our Cold Air Intake article for Turner Motorsport Performance, which goes into further detail. The summary is, cold air intakes don’t do much on their own besides look good, clean up the engine bay a bit, and provide some satisfying noise. However, with supporting upgrades and software changes, they are necessary to make the advertised power gains. The Injen CAI is one we chose to include in our kit for its performance and aesthetic benefits and has been repeatedly tested to precisely match this Stage 3 kit for the best upgrade possible. Plus, it looks good, sounds good, and is an easy install that will leave you satisfied even if it were the only mod you install on your N20. |
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Wagner Tuning Downpipe with Sport Catalytic Converter
The boys over at Wagner Tuning know a thing or two about improving airflow, in or out, from engines. With their downpipe, you can expect better sound, better flow, and emissions compliance thanks to their work solving the catalytic converter problem. It is included in this kit to provide the best performance and to meet the requirements of our tune for the most power. Of course, we don’t add a catback or full exhaust in this kit; that’s up to you. What you like sound and appearance wise will determine your best solution, so that one we’re going to say is a personal preference. For the downpipe, though, our testing with the Wagner version yielded the best results which landed it a spot in our kit for your N20.
Turner Motorsport Performance Software
Lastly, rounding out the upgrades, the Turner Motorsport N20 Performance Software is like our other similar tunes in that it’s designed to tie the previous mods together. By working with the upgrades to tell the system its new capabilities, our software pulls an impressive amount of power from the N20 just with those simple supporting mods. They are able to make power on their own, but to get the full benefits, the Turner Motorsport Performance Software tune is the only way to go. With this tune and the other mods, you can expect 56HP and 86ft-lbs of torque added to your N20 for no small change in drivability. That extra power will liven things up dramatically and give you the confidence that all your other upgrades are being used to their potential for the most fun on the street or track possible. |
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| While there is no shortage of other performance upgrades, like brakes, tires, suspension, full exhaust, and more, this list is enough to make you satisfied as an initial set of modifications to find a bit more fun in your turbo four cylinder BMW. Naturally, there are those who pine over the ‘glory days’ of larger displacement, naturally aspirated, straight-six engines with their linear power bands and hearty sound, but in reality, there is a reason BMW moved away from those platforms. With the N20, you can have all that power and more with fewer modifications and simple tuning that retain the benefits of small displacement efficiency and fuel economy. The fact is, this trend is here to stay and for good reasons. We know there is no going backwards, so why not move forward and explore all the benefits of modern technology with a little help from your friends at Turner Motorsport? | |
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