I took delivery of my first BMW - 2009 335 i X-Drive on Christmas Eve last year. I'm delighted with the car and am enjoying membership in BMWCCA, especially Roundel Magazine. I am trying to navigate through the shorthand of the E-numbers that designate models and years. Is there a listing somewhere that would tell me how to read these? Thanks, Andrew
E3 1968-1977 2500-3.3Li Sedan E9 1965-1975 2500-3.0 CS/i/L Coupes E12 1972-1981 5 Series E21 1975-1983 3 Series E23 1977-1987 7 Series E24 1977-1989 6 Series E26 1978-1981 M1 E28 1982-1988 5 Series E30 1984-1991 3 Series E31 1990-1998 8 Series E32 1987-1994 7 Series E34 1989-1995 5 Series E36 1992-1999 3 Series E36/5 1994-1998 318ti (Compact) E36/7 1997-2002 Z3 E38 1995-2001 7 Series E39 1997-2003 5 Series E46 1999-2005 3 series E52 2000-2004 Z8 E53 2000-2006 X5 SAV E60 2004+ 5 Series Sedan E61 2004+ 5 Series Wagon E63 2005+ 6 Series E65/E66 2002+ 7 Series E70 2007+ X5 SAV E82 2008+ 1 Series Coupe E83 2003+ X3 SAV E85 2003+ Z4 / MZ4 Roadster E86 2006+ Z4 / MZ4 Coupe E88 2008+ 1 Series Convertible E90 2006+ 3 Series Sedan E91 2006+ 3 Series Touring Wagon E92 2007+ 3 Series Coupe E93 2007+ 3 Series Convertible
Don't forget BMW has moved into the F set now starting with the new 7 Series! There is more then just E's! What was before E? (Duh D I know) Was there a D series of codes? Was there A,B and C also? Sorry to piggy back but this is a great topic!
Before E there were numbers: 114 1502, 1602, 1802, 2002 66 - 77 115 1500 62 - 64 116 1600 64 - 66 118 1800, 1800ti, 1800tisa 63 - 71 120 2000, 2000ti, 2000tilux 66 - 70 121 2000, 2000ti, 2000tilux 66 - 72 I haven't kept up to speed on the F designations.
Thanks for the info! So I wonder why they started with E? Was there engine code prior to the m and n's?
The E itself stands for "entwicklung," or development. What initiated the change however, I do not know. I believe that before BMW started using the M, S, and later N designations, they were branded only by the number of cylinders. Hopefully someone can come along and shed more light on this.
I'm not sure they even did this. The 1500 was introduced in 1962 with the M10 inline four that was in production up into the 1980s. Before that, there was a liquid cooled V8 and the air-cooled Isetta/600/700 for automotive engines and, up to 1958, a 2-liter six with prewar origins. I usually draw the line at the M10 when thinking about BMW engine codes ...
