BMW Data

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Houston
#1
BMW Acronyms Translation
BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke (or Bavarian Motor Works)
C Coupe
CS Coupe Sport
CSi Coupe
CSL Coupe Sport Lightweight
M Motorsport
S Sports or Special
Ti Touring International (twin Carb.)
Tii Touring International, Injected
X Four-wheel drive
SA Special Model
L Long wheelbase
i Fuel injection

BMW Engine Codes Translation
Z8 V8 M motor
S62 V8 4.9 liter M5 motor
S52 B32 Euro spec. 3.2 liter motor
S14 M3 4cyl. 16 valve
S38 New version M88/3 for M5 and M6
M102 745i turbo engine
M88/3 M1 street motor and early M6
M88/2 M1 Group 4 race motor
M88/1 M1 Group 4 race motor
M88 M1 24 valve DOHC motor
M70 12 cyl. motor
M60 V8 motor 3.0-4.0 liter
M52 B32 US spec. 3.2 liter M3 motor
M50 New small 6 cyl. 4 valve motor
M40 New 4 cyl. 4 valve motor
M30 Big 6 cyl. 2.8-3.5 liter
M21 Diesel motor
M20 Small 6 cyl. 2.0-2.7
M10 4 cyl. 1.6-2.0 liter motor

BMW Chassis Codes Translation
Z8 Z series V8 M motor 2001-current
E65 4th generation 7 series
E60 5th generation 5 series
E46 4th generation 3 series 1999-current
E39 4th generation 5 series 1996-current
E38 3rd generation 7 series 1995-2001
E36 3rd generation 3 series 1992-1999 (including Z3 series 1996-2000)
E34 3rd generation 5 series 1989-1995
E32 2nd generation 7 series 1988-1994
E31 8 series 1991-1997
E30 2nd generation 3 series 1984-1992
E28 2nd generation 5 series 1983-1988
E26 M1 1979-1980
E24 6 series 1977-1989
E23 1st generation 7 series 1978-1987
E21/5 1st generation 3 series 1.8 motor 1980-1983
E21 1st generation 3 series 2.0 motor 1977-1979
E12/6 1st generation 5 series 3.0 motor 1975-1978
E12/5 1st generation 5 series 2.8 motor 1979-1981
E12 1st generation 5 series 4cyl.
E10 2002 turbo 1973-1974
E9 2.5-3.0 CSi/L 1968-1976
E6 1600-2002 Tii 1967-1974
E3 2.5-3.3 Li
Type 121 2000-2000Tii
Type 118 1500-1800 Tii
Type 114 1602-2002 Tii
 
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Location
Atlanta, GA
#9
They do use 'd' now

I was sitting in my BMW dealer getting a CD player installed and was thumbing through the latest Roundel Mag, and they had an article about the new diesel model that's coming out in the EU soon (If it's not already out). The pics they showed, had it saying 'cd' (I think it was 330cd, but I don't recall the model, seeing cd was the eye catching part). Especially since that's what I was at the dealer for (Doh!).
[thumb]
 

sundanan

New Member
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Location
indonesia
#11
manuel...why do u not include M42 on ur BMW Engine Codes Translation?? what's different between M40 and M42 ??? fyi, in my country (Indonesia) only available for M40 (318i 89-91), so that i have difficulty when seeking engine parts on internet for M40, almost 99,99% of cyber parts store provide for M42 only rather than M40...
 
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Location
Houston
#13
sundanan said:
manuel...why do u not include M42 on ur BMW Engine Codes Translation?? what's different between M40 and M42 ??? fyi, in my country (Indonesia) only available for M40 (318i 89-91), so that i have difficulty when seeking engine parts on internet for M40, almost 99,99% of cyber parts store provide for M42 only rather than M40...
sorry for the extremely late reply, hope this helps...

M40 1.6/1.8 SOHC-8v/L4 E30/E36
M42 1.8 DOHC-16v/L4 E30/E34/E36
 
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Location
Maine
#15
I think I read that the "e" like in 325e stands for economy or something like that. I am glad this topic came up because I had a hell of a time searching through the boards to find it before!
 

Dave8812

Active Member
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Location
Missoula, MT
#17
like mama always said, life is like a box of chocalates..... oops, wrong thing! Look it up (thats the right one!) I'm sure you'll find it if you do a search on google.
 
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Location
Pittsburgh, PA USA
#18
I remember seeing a E34 5-series touring diesel (5xxTd) back in the '80s here in the US.

A quick search found references to E39 530td's and 525Td's so they're out there somewhere.
 
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Milwaukee, WI
#19
The 524td was turbo diesel, not touring diesel. It was a regular E28 5 series sedan.

e stands for eta, a greek letter that means efficiency, IIRC.

"s" has also denoted coupe, as in E36 325is, or sport as in 535is.

"a" is automatic and "c" can be convertible, but not on the badge. A 530ia is badged 530i and 325ic is badged 325i (as in E30/E36) or 325cic badged 325ci (as in E46).

The overall scheme used to denote series and displacement, as in 5 series, 4.0 liter engine, but this has not been consistent. (4.4 liter 540s badged 540, now badged 545, 2.5 liter cars badged 323, even a Z3 w/a 2.5 badged a Z3 2.3).
 


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