BMW’s B58 engine is easily one of the best the brand has ever made. The 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six first began life in the F30-generation BMW 340i sedan and has since become the main engine that drives the brand. However, it isn’t just BMW that uses the B58. It’s so good that several brands actually borrow the B58 engine from BMW and use it in their own cars, to varying degrees of success. So let’s take a look at a few of them to see which brand borrows BMW’s engine best.
Toyota Supra
OK, so this one needs an asterisk. Yes, the Toyota Supra uses the B58 engine but the Supra was mostly developed by BMW anyway, alongside the current Z4. Still, it’s a different brand that uses BMW’s B58 engine, so it counts. And the Supra uses it will. With the turbo-I6, the Toyota Supra is astonishingly quick, capable of hitting 60 mph in under four seconds and it makes a fantastic noise doing it. In the Supra, the B58 makes the same as it does in M Performance BMWs: 382 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, and it’s paired to either an eight-speed auto or a six-speed manual. Ironically, BMW doesn’t even offer the B58 with a manual until it sticks one in the Z4 M40i.
Ineos Grenadier
This one is far out of left field. The Ineos Grenadier is an off-road, rugged, old-school SUV designed by a startup automaker, and it uses the B58 engine. Albeit, its sate of tune is slightly lower than other B58 engine applications, at 283 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. Though, that’s likely due to it being more for slow, steady off-roading than all-out performance. So its tune is likely intentional, rather than BMW just not letting Ineos get the full-beans version. It also uses an eight-speed auto but, being an off-roader, is has four-wheel drive and clever locking diffs.
Morgan Plus Six
The Morgan Plus Six is my personal favorite B58 application, despite never having driven one. Reason being is that I’m a sucker for classic British roadsters, especially when they look as good as the Morgan Plus Six. Plus, it comes with BMW’s fantastic B58, an optional six-speed manual, and open-top driving pleasure. If I had to choose just one car to drive for the very last time, last tank of fuel-type situation, a Morgan Plus Six with a manual would be on the short list.
