Although your vehicle’s model number is prominently badged on the back of your BMW, internal classifications into E/F and G model codes also exist. The body style, model, and approximate age can typically be determined by specialists or dealers using this three-digit combination.
You can find the model code for your BMW E, F, or G using this short list. The car will always be referred to on our website (in any article or explanation) using the main body code (indicated in bold).
In This Article...
How BMW Naming Schemes Work
Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW all employ an alphanumeric naming scheme. BMW vehicles are available in numbered series from 1 to 8. A bigger automobile equates to larger odd-numbered series. Even-numbered series typically feature variations on the preceding series’ body design. (Note that the names of the series don’t use hyphens like Mercedes-Benz classes: 3 Series versus E-Class.) SUVs are X models. Roadsters are Z models. The prefixes sDrive (two-wheel drive) and xDrive (all-wheel drive) can also be added to models; however, not all RWD BMWs are identified with a sDrive badge. Cars beginning with a lowercase I are electric or hybrid models.
The size of the engine is indicated by the second set of numerals in a model name. Previously, they monitored engine displacement. A larger number today just denotes a larger engine. The last letter (for instance, 230i) designates the vehicle’s engine type. For gasoline fuel injection, most automobiles terminate with i. There are also “e” electrified hybrids and “d” diesel vehicles in some markets.
There are “M Cars” that are created by BMW’s M performance division, such as the M5. These stand apart from vehicles such as the M550i xDrive, which frequently have more power and sportier tuning and styling than the basic variants. Alpina is another tuner that creates high-performance BMWs that are made and offered by BMW. They start with the letter B. (i.e. XB7).
If you put it all together, “X6 xDrive50i” succinctly describes the car in BMW lingo, yet telling someone you just bought it can be a mouthful.
Which “e” is my BMW according to the body designations?
Although you may have heard a lot of “e” words at your local BMW Service Center, along with potentially some “f” and “s” words, phrases like “e36,” “e60,” and “e28” have specific meanings to BMW mechanics and aficionados. For instance, an e46 is referred to as a 2003 330i. Depending on the look and year of your BMW, these “e” designations are used to define BMW Body style design. Entwicklung, the German term for development or evolution when you link the ‘e’, is abbreviated as “E.”
If you don’t understand any of these terms, the following list should assist you identify the code name for your BMW.
A 5 series BMW is what?
The premium midsize automobile class’s leader in 2022 is the BMW 5 Series. The 5 Series offers an engaging handling and engine performance, a roomy cabin with supportive seats, a ton of standard tech goodies, and an intuitive infotainment system.
A BMW 3 Series is what?
The German company BMW has been producing the 3 Series brand of small executive automobiles since May 1975. It has been built in seven distinct generations and is the replacement for the 02 Series.
Initially only available as a 2-door saloon, the 3 Series now comes in 4-door saloon, 2-door convertible, 2-door coupe, 5-door estate, 5-door liftback (“Gran Turismo”), and 3-door hatchback body styles. Since 2013, the 4 Series has been used to sell the coupe and convertible vehicles, therefore these body types are no longer part of the 3 Series lineup.
BMW’s best-selling model, the 3 Series, has won numerous honors throughout its history and represents about 30% of the brand’s yearly total sales (excluding motorcycles).
How is a BMW M Series made?
BMW M GmbH, originally BMW Motorsport GmbH, is a division of BMW AG and a producer of supercars.
The original purpose of BMW M, which stands for “motorsport,” was to support the company’s racing program, which was tremendously successful in the 1960s and 1970s. As time went on, BMW M started to add specially modified higher trim models to the lineup of BMW vehicles, for which they are today best known to the general public. To distinguish them from their rivals, these M-badged automobiles typically feature upgraded external trim, aerodynamics, interior trim, transmissions, and suspensions. At BMW’s exclusive testing and tuning facilities at the German racing circuit of Nurburgring, all M vehicles are scrutinized.
In addition, BMW M offers M packages for the BMW S1000RR motorbike. The M1000RR is a homologation-only, limited-production race-style vehicle.
A BMW 328i is a 3 Series, right?
The 328i, which grew to represent the largest six-cylinder engine option inside the ordinary (non-M-car) sports-sedan (and coupe and convertible) range at the model’s peak in the mid-’90s, is almost as famous as the legendary M3 in the pantheon of iconic BMW 3 Series cars.
The badge replaced the 325i, which had replaced the renowned 323i designation atop the original E21 and era-defining E30 variants of the 1970s and 1980s, when the E36 generation underwent a facelift. The 1998 E46 replacement carried the 328i moniker, but only until 2000, when the more powerful 330i took its place. However, since everything comes full circle, the 328i returned in late 2007 for the E90 facelift.
However, despite receiving excellent reviews, the beloved in-line six-cylinder engine was replaced with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo in the name of lower emissions, which infuriated many brand loyalists despite the logo remaining on the 3 Series’ backside.
For the 2015 facelift, the 328i badge disappeared (again), being replaced by another 330i. Don’t worry, BMW enthusiasts. At some point in the future, it will surely return to a 3 Series bootlid.
How can I locate my BMW’s model number?
Have you ever wondered how BMW names its cars or what nomenclature they use? Even if BMW changed the pattern in recent years, it’s still fascinating to look at earlier models and understand why.
BMW automobiles are typically identified by a three-digit number followed by one or two letters. The first number is the series number, and the next two numbers are the cubic centimeters (cc) of the engine divided by 100. With the E39 5 Series vehicle, which was named the 523i despite having a 2.5-liter engine, BMW’s rational model naming policy took a turn.
Different types of engines, body types, and platforms are represented by the letters that come after the numbers.
As I’ve already indicated, new engines with the same displacement but new technologies have naturally changed the name practice. The N54B30, a 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine utilized in the 335i model, and the N53B30, a 3.0-liter straight-six engine, are the most recent ones that come to mind.
How does this apply to BMW models?
You might have seen the designations 530i, 540i, or M550i on a 5 series sedan. The performance of the engine increases with the size of the last two digits in the number. A 540i, for example, will have greater power than a 530i. Originally, this number was directly related to the engine’s litre capacity; however, it is now used to denote overall power.
The fuel type is indicated by the letter at the end of each vehicle’s name. Gas models are identified by a I diesel vehicles by a “d,” and plug-in hybrids by a “e.” BMW’s electric I Models feature a I before the digits in the car name, which is confusing. Therefore, a BMW 330i is gas-powered whereas a BMW i4 from 2022 is electric.
What qualifies as a BMW 328i?
Over the past 25 years, the BMW 328i has established itself as one of the most popular luxury sports sedans in North America. The 328i, which replaced the 325i, added refinement and power right away in the same high-performance, high-end package that has come to be associated with German automaker BMW. The BMW 328i is an experience in and of itself to drive, which is why Americans continue to consider this vehicle when looking for a vehicle.
Our specialists have put together the full buyer’s guide if you’re thinking about buying a new or used BMW to make sure you feel ready at every step of the process.
What does E46 on a BMW mean?
The E46 3 Series was the successor to the E36 3 Series, whose manufacturing terminated in 2000, and is the fourth generation of the BMW 3 Series line of small executive automobiles. It was manufactured by the German automaker BMW from 1997 to 2006. The E46 was first made available in sedan, coupe, convertible, station wagon, and hatchback body styles in November 1997. The 3 Series Compact has been the name given to the latter.
The 2-door coupe version of the M3 performance variant debuted in June 2000, while the convertible version debuted in April 2001. The BMW S54 straight-six engine powers the M3, which has a 6-speed manual or 6-speed SMG-II automated manual transmission as an option.
After the E90 3 Series sedans were released in late 2004, the E46 lineup began to be phased out. The E46 coupe and convertible body types, however, were still manufactured up until August 2006.
F10 BMW: What does it mean?
The BMW F10 (sedan version), BMW F11 (wagon version, marketed as Touring), and BMW F07 (fastback version, marketed as Gran Turismo) are the executive cars that make up the sixth generation of the BMW 5 Series. They were manufactured by BMW from January 2010 (for the 2011 model year) to 2017, with the F10 being introduced to the domestic market on March 20, 2010, and the F11 in the summer of 2010. The F07 Gran Turismo was constructed from early September 2009 to 2017, and it was released in late October 2009 on the domestic German market.
The 5 Series Gran Turismo is the first and only fastback-bodied 5 Series model ever made. Additionally, the F10 generation of the 5 Series is the first to offer a hybrid drivetrain, a turbocharged V8 engine, an 8-speed automatic transmission, a dual-clutch transmission (in the M5), active rear-wheel steering (known as “Integral Active Steering”), electric power steering, a double-wishbone front suspension, an LCD instrument cluster (known as “Black Panel Display”), and automatic parking (called “Parking Assistant”). In China, Mexico, and the Middle East, a long-wheelbase sedan with the model number F18 was offered for sale.
The BMW S63 twin-turbocharged V8 engine and a 7-speed dual clutch transmission power the 2011-released M5 variant. It uses a turbocharged engine for the first time in an M5.
The G30 5 Series was introduced in February 2017 to replace the F10.
Describe F32 BMW.
The compact executive automobiles BMW F32 (coupe version), BMW F33 (convertible version), and BMW F36 (five-door liftback variant, marketed as “Gran Coupe”) make up the first generation of the BMW 4 Series. From 2014 until 2020, the F32/F33/F36, which is frequently referred to as the F32, were produced.
The E92/E93 coupe/convertible versions of the fifth-generation 3 Series lineup were replaced by the F32. The F32 is produced alongside the F30 3 Series and has several features in common with it. The F32/F33/F36 are powered by turbocharged petrol and diesel engines with 3 cylinders (petrol only), 4 cylinders, and 6 cylinders, just like the F30 3 Series line.
Early in 2014, the F82/F83 M4 versions with strong performance were released. They are propelled by an S55 straight-six turbocharged engine.