[crabu2]

The 230i is suppose to make more power than the 228, but when I look at the transmission ... at least in the auto, it looks like the 228 is going to be quicker, especially being it's also about a 100 lbs lighter.

Here's why I say this...
http://www.thecarconnection.com/car-...58133,40053749

Look at the final drive ratios

230i - 2.81
228i - 3.08

Now look at all the transmission gears... See... I'm guessing the extra power the B46 makes isn't enough to over come the gearing advantage of the 228i cars with the N20.

Has anyone taken both to the track to see how they compare?

[Rayscott]

Originally Posted by crabu2

The 230i is suppose to make more power than the 228, but when I look at the transmission ... at least in the auto, it looks like the 228 is going to be quicker, especially being it's also about a 100 lbs lighter.

Here's why I say this...
http://www.thecarconnection.com/car-...58133,40053749

Look at the final drive ratios

230i - 2.81
228i - 3.08

Now look at all the transmission gears... See... I'm guessing the extra power the B46 makes isn't enough to over come the gearing advantage of the 228i cars with the N20.

Has anyone taken both to the track to see how they compare?

I purchased my 228ix last June. I knew the 17's were coming soon but I believe I got a better deal on the 16. The fact that my 16 may be quicker doesn't matter to me. It is very subjective and with the pletora of performance options on the market any 228 can be tuned to make it go faster. I enjoyed last summer in my 16 cruising around my beach area in my vert. I hope you are enjoying yours.

[crabu2]

Originally Posted by Rayscott

I hope you are enjoying yours.

I'm still waiting... It's build schedule is week 16, which is the week starting on 4/16. Still got a few more weeks for the build to start, then a few weeks for delivery... I've factory ordered vehicles in the past, but I haven't been this excited in decades... I really miss having a rag top and I'm hoping this summer is a dry summer..

[RoundelM3]

You're overthinking things. I drove a 330i loaner a few weeks ago when I had the convertible top tension strap recall done. It was noticeably quicker than any 328i that I've driven or rode in. I'd say it might have been quicker than my '16 228i with the N26 engine.

[Rayscott]

Originally Posted by crabu2

I'm still waiting... It's build schedule is week 16, which is the week starting on 4/16. Still got a few more weeks for the build to start, then a few weeks for delivery... I've factory ordered vehicles in the past, but I haven't been this excited in decades... I really miss having a rag top and I'm hoping this summer is a dry summer..

I feel your anxiety but all good things are worth waiting for. I didn't have that issue as I got mine from dealer stock. I have been in Naples for 2 months and cant wait to get back home to my baby. Vert weather is coming soon.

[Tpeterson]

Originally Posted by roundel335

You're overthinking things.

I agree. It's unlikely BMW would engineer the new model to be slower than the old one. Higher gearing should should give better gas mileage when cruising,though.

[USA-RET]

Originally Posted by Tpeterson

I agree. It's unlikely BMW would engineer the new model to be slower than the old one. Higher gearing should should give better gas mileage when cruising,though.

I agree.

[termigni]

if I were you, I'd save my anxiety and spend a few more to get the 240i.

[Fugly M3]

final gearing may be higher, but the individual transmission gears are lower...hence probably a near wash to get the best mpg at gears 6-8. Note the BMW published 0-60mph/100kph for the B46 are lower than the N20/26 cars are about a tenth lower. My 230i 2TB is not appreciably slower than my N54 powered e92 6MT was. #engineeringwin

[BarryJI]

Are you planning to tune your 230?

[crabu2]

Originally Posted by BarryJI

Are you planning to tune your 230?

Nope, but who knows down the road.

I started looking because I was on this site showing specs on different cars. That's when I saw the theoretical top speed and noticed the 228 and 230 had different top speeds listed and the 228i was higher. With that, I started looking into why that might be since the 230i has slightly more hp.

Based on what I saw, the regearing of the transmission and diff tells me during normal driving, the 2 are going to be very close, but once you get into higher speeds, the pickup will be better on the 228i and it should have a higher top end. I just don't see the 230i being about to match the 228i once you get into higher speeds or passing. Sure they're going to be similar from a dead stop, but I feel once it gets to 100mph or abouts, the 228i is going to walk all over the 230i... It looked to me like the 230i gearing was really setup for mpg at higher highways speeds.

I really don't want to tune, but I think an extra 30hp is going to make a world of different for the 230i. I'll get a better feel once I have the car in hand.. but until then, I'm hoping stock will be fine.. Shoot, I'm good with the way my '07 Camry runs, and I think it's only got like 155hp... I have no idea on the gearing, but I do think it's very quick for said hp, but I'm not racing people either.

[Fugly M3]

Originally Posted by crabu2

Shoot, I'm good with the way my '07 Camry runs, and I think it's only got like 155hp...

you won't have an issue

[aerobod]

Originally Posted by crabu2

Nope, but who knows down the road.

I started looking because I was on this site showing specs on different cars. That's when I saw the theoretical top speed and noticed the 228 and 230 had different top speeds listed and the 228i was higher.

In all cases the top speed is artificially limited to either 210, 240 or 250km/h (nominally quoted for the US as 130, 149 & 155 mph). Cars with non-performance upgrades (all-season tyres for example) will have a 210km/h limit, xDrive models with relevant performance options will have a 240km/h limit and sDrive models with relevant performance upgrades will have a 250km/h limit. All 2-series models in North America have enough power and correct gearing to exceed the highest 250km/h speed limiter applied.

[englishguy84]

This is ridiculous

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by crabu2

The 230i is suppose to make more power than the 228, but when I look at the transmission ... at least in the auto, it looks like the 228 is going to be quicker, especially being it's also about a 100 lbs lighter.

Here's why I say this...
http://www.thecarconnection.com/car-...58133,40053749

Look at the final drive ratios

230i - 2.81
228i - 3.08

Now look at all the transmission gears... See... I'm guessing the extra power the B46 makes isn't enough to over come the gearing advantage of the 228i cars with the N20.

Has anyone taken both to the track to see how they compare?

The gear ratios in the 230's auto are fractionally deeper. In the end, the overall gearing is a wash. Also, the difference between a 2.81 and 3.08 final drive is a mere 9% in torque multiplication IF the ratios in the tranny were the same between the two. From my drag racing days, the general rule of thumb is it takes about 15% more gearing to make a measurable difference in 1/4 mile time. But you also end up trading some top end acceleration by going with deeper gears. I'll be the first to admit that swapping to a deeper final drive gear ratio certainly feels faster by the seat of the pants, but sometimes "feel" doesn't correlate to a measurable difference and in some cases, you can over gear a car and actually make it slower yet can feel violent in bursts of acceleration.

[lajollabeach]

recently replaced my 2016 228i with a 2019 230i. Just going by my subject experience, unless you are measuring acceleration in some kind of accurate manner you'll not notice a difference between the 2 cars. The 228i had m sport package and the 230i has the track handling package. Now there's a difference you can feel! THP makes corners way more fun.

[230iZTR]

I think in the long run the B46/48’s use of a closed deck design in the block will overcome any gearing advantage the N20/26 may have. Stronger cylinders will allow it to support substantially higher power levels if the fueling system and trans can hold it.

[lajollabeach]

Have a 2019 230i, had a 2016 228i. I would not be surprised to learn 228i turned out to be a tad quicker. But it's certainly not a big difference. In general The N20 engine ran better overall, with less turbo lag (or some kind of lag) and all around smoothness. The 228i (automatic) seemed to shift more smoothly too.

The 230i is new and I haven't yet gotten a chance to drive over 100 mph. Maybe it'll go from hundred to 115 faster than the 228i. The 228i would get there eventually, but it took all afternoon.

[_M1_]

Originally Posted by crabu2

The 230i is suppose to make more power than the 228, but when I look at the transmission ... at least in the auto, it looks like the 228 is going to be quicker, especially being it's also about a 100 lbs lighter.

Here's why I say this...
http://www.thecarconnection.com/car-...58133,40053749

Look at the final drive ratios

230i - 2.81
228i - 3.08

Now look at all the transmission gears... See... I'm guessing the extra power the B46 makes isn't enough to over come the gearing advantage of the 228i cars with the N20.

Has anyone taken both to the track to see how they compare?

Because it is slower!

Well actually since I was just looking at these two cars and looking into this stuff, I found some dyno graphs from Dinan comparing stock numbers on the N20/26 vs B46/48 and the N20 makes almost 5hp and 15 lb-ft more torque as well.

Links below (click through the pictures for the stock dynos):

https://www.dinancars.com/product/d4...ies=&mid=230i/

https://www.dinancars.com/product/d4...ies=&mid=228i/

[_M1_]

Still don't believe me? Here take a look at some instrumented testing from Car and Driver.

Take a look at these few links and decide for yourself. For some reason they haven't directly published the 228i RWD stats on their own (perhaps for BMW's sake?), but you can infer from the article.


https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...e-test-review/

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...e-test-review/

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...-transmission/


If you read carefully the BMW 228i does 0-60 in 4.9 seconds and the 230i appears to do it in 5.3 seconds.

That's a significant difference. It's quicker in the 1/4 mile and in every other instrumented acceleration test as well.

[_M1_]

Now personally, I felt this straight off the bat driving both cars and was really surprised by the 228i. I also feel like the B46 engine has more lag than the N20.

At the end of the day, if you're not sensitive enough to feel the difference, then it doesn't really matter. Just enjoy your car....and knowing that the newer one is slower haha

[XutvJet]

Trap speed tells the real story. The N20 got 101mph and the B48 100mph. 1mph is well within the margin of error. Also, we don't know the test mileage either. When these cars have less than 10k miles, they're pretty damn tight. It's not uncommon for most any car to get a bit quicker and faster once it gets 10k miles under its belt. I know my M235 got a lot quicker once broken in.