BMW - BMW Engine Designation

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Sun 22 Feb 2009 20:58
BMW Engine Designation - V4 Heaven
Hi all,

Can anyone explain the rationale behing BMW putting an engine designation on the back of their cars that is different to the engine hidden under the bonnet? IE a 118/318 has a 2.0 litre engine.

Any clues?
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Sun 22 Feb 2009 21:10
BMW Engine Designation - rtj70
They also had cars badged as 323/523 with a 2.5 litre engine. And the 535d is a twin-turbo 3.0 diesel engine. The same engine as the 530d but with twin-turbo.

The model number and engine size does not necessarily match up. Sometimes they will and sometimes they will not.

Nothing more to add. Apart from they probably indicate the performance you'd expect. So a 118d may have a 2.0l diesel engine but tuned to have power you'd expect from a 1.8 diesel.

Edited by rtj70 on 22/02/2009 at 21:11

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Sun 22 Feb 2009 21:13
BMW Engine Designation - Lygonos
It enables the Jones' to see what echelon of the hierarchy you inhabit.

Even if you debadge the car , the manufacturers' marketing guys ensure you can spot differences in exhaust pipe size/shape/number so that those who care can tell what you are driving in the traffic jams.

Less cynically, it makes it a lot neater when you can designate 525, 530 and 535 models rather than look for another way to show they have the same 3.0 engine in different states of tune.

More cynically again it helps the marketing guys sell a 525 for 3 grand less than a 530, which in turn is 3 grand less than a 535.
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Sun 22 Feb 2009 21:14
BMW Engine Designation - PhilDS
It designates BHP rather than engine size, e.g.

318i 2.0l 143bhp
320i 2.0l 170bhp

318d 2.0l 143bhp
320d 2.0l 177bhp
123d 2.0l 204bhp

Another example is BMW only make 2 diesel engines - 2.0l & 3.0l - but they're badged based on their output

116d 116bhp
118d, 318d 143bhp
320d, 520d 177bhp
123d 204bhp

All 2.0l engines

325d, 525d 197bhp
330d, 530d, 730d 245bhp
335d, 535d, 635d 286bhp

All 3.0l engines

HTH
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Sun 22 Feb 2009 21:17
BMW Engine Designation - rtj70
For some of my examples I referred to previous models like the 323 and 523.
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Sun 22 Feb 2009 23:02
BMW Engine Designation - scotty
325d 525d 197bhp
330d 530d 730d 245bhp
335d 535d 635d 286bhp
All 3.0l engines


Has that always been so? Wasn't there once a 2.5l diesel?
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Fri 27 Feb 2009 10:37
BMW Engine Designation - cepi
2.5l diesel was on E35 - 5 series

1993-1995 BMW 525td - 2.5 L M51D25 UL I6 115 hp (86 kW; 117 PS) diesel
1991-1995 BMW 525tds - 2.5 L M51D25 OL I6 143 hp (107 kW; 145 PS) diesel

This was on Opel/Wauxhall Omega too.

5-series E39 had them too:

2000-2003 525d - 2.5 L M57D25 diesel I6120 kW
1997-2000 525td - 2.5 L M51D25TU UL diesel I6 85 kW
1996-2000 525tds - 2.5 L M51D25TU OL diesel I6 105 kW (143 PS; 141 hp)

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_5_Series
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