K&N Air Intake for F30/F31 BMW 335i N55 Adds Horsepower

K&N Air Intake System 69-2027TS for the BMW 335i

Since anyone can remember, the BMW 3-Series has been "the one to beat". Every time a new compact sport sedan/coupe debuts, it's immediately measured against the perfectly balanced 3-Series yardstick. The engineers at Bayerische Motoren Werke have a secret recipe for performance, and they cooked up a special batch just for the F30/F31 2012-2015 BMW 335i. This little Bavarian Barnstormer was the most extreme non-M 3-Series that you could get, and that meant it was both a powerful canyon carver and a luxury car. To make this possible, those madmen in Munich gave it a 3-liter straight-6 with direct injection, variable valve lift control, and a great big twin-scroll turbo to deliver thrust throughout the rev-range. All of that results in 300-hp and 300 lb-ft, which is enough to launch you to 60 mph in the low 5-second range. Adding an estimated 8-hp and 8 lb-ft will certainly improve performance, and that's just what the K&N Performance Air Intake System was designed to do.

The secret to your Bimmer's performance is that twin-scroll turbo, which uses the engine's exhaust to spin an air compressor to force a huge amount of air into the (relatively) tiny cylinders. The direct injection system then sprays in a fine mist of fuel, and the whole mixture is compressed as the piston travels upward. Once the spark plug ignites this fuel/air cocktail, all of that pressurized air contributes to a massive explosion that forces the piston back down to turn the crankshaft and send power to the wheels.

BMW 335i Engine Bay with K&N Air Intake

The gasoline explosion that caused all of that movement is where horsepower actually comes from, and you can increase it by simply forcing colder air into the cylinders. The BMW N55 engine has an intercooler to reduce the incoming air temperature. However, the factory BMW F30 intake collects air through an opening in the airbox, then forces it through a thick paper air filter and down a narrow plastic intake tube. By the time that air reaches the turbo, it's already heated up because of the restrictions and turbulence that it encountered along the way. To reduce these airflow restrictions, the K&N 69-2027TS Performance Air Intake System uses a high-flow cotton gauze air filter that is able to collect and clean larger volumes of air. As dirt particles flow through the filter pleats, they become ensnared by the sticky cotton fibers. The special oil treatment in the filter will eventually soak into the dirt, causing it to become sticky and capture other dirt particles as if were part of the filter. This unique capability helped to put K&N air filters on the map, and it's the reason they're able to capture the vast majority of airborne contaminants before they reach the engine.

Dyno Chart for 69-2027TS Air Intake

To reduce the amount of hot engine bay air from entering the system, that reusable K&N performance air filter is positioned in place of the factory airbox, behind a heat shield that uses a thick rubber gasket to seal itself against the hood. This allows the air filter to collect a steady supply of cooler air from behind the bumper. The air is then cleaned and sent into a large diameter aluminum intake tube, where it flows through wide, mandrel-bent curves. When the air does finally reach that 'twin power' turbo, the temperature is lower and the oxygen/horsepower content is much higher. The intercooler can then create a colder charge to send to the motor, which enables it to make more power without making any programming or under-hood modifications. The intake tube also has built-in fittings for all of the factory sensors, so you'll be able to install the K&N 69-2027TS Air Intake in about 90 minutes, using just a few hand tools.

With a K&N 69-2027TS Typhoon Air Intake installed on a 2012 BMW 335i 3.0L, testing on a chassis dynamometer showed an estimated gain of 8.27 horsepower and 8.49 lb-ft of torque.

Features & Benefits of the K&N 69-2027TS Performance Intake System:

• Specifically engineered for the F30/F31 2012-2015 BMW 335i
• Guaranteed to increase horsepower and torque
• Sharpens throttle response
• Allows engine to deliver more power at lower RPMs
• Gives the engine a much better soundtrack
• Powder coated aluminum intake tube has built-in fittings for the factory sensors
• Entire system can be installed in about 90 minutes
• The K&N Performance Air Filter won't need to be cleaned for up to 100,000 miles
• Covered by the K&N 10-Year/Million Mile Limited Warranty

The K&N 69-2027TS Performance Air Intake Kit will fit the following vehicles:
2015 BMW 335I 3.0L
2014 BMW 335I 3.0L
2013 BMW 335I COUPE 3.0L
2013 BMW 335I 3.0L
2012 BMW 335I 3.0L

For a full list of BMW 335i air intakes visit knfilters.com. Don't forget, K&N manufactures an entire line of BMW performance parts, which you can checkout by using the Search by Vehicle Tool. Or you can click here to find a K&N dealer near you.