BMW Chassis Codes Explained

By CarWhere Research · Updated

A BMW chassis code is BMW's internal code for one generation and body style: the E46 is the 1999–2006 3 Series, the F30 the 2012–2019 3 Series sedan, the G80 the current M3. E codes run to the late 2000s, F codes cover the 2010s, G, I and U codes today. 104 codes are decoded below.

How BMW chassis codes work

  • E — Generations developed from the 1970s to the late 2000s (E21 to E93).
  • F — The 2010s generation (F01 7 Series onward), plus several M-car codes such as F80 and F90.
  • G — The current generation family, starting with the G11 7 Series for 2016.
  • I — BMW i electric models (I01 i3, I12 i8, I20 iX).
  • U — The newest compact platform family (U10 X2, U11 X1).

Within a generation, each body style often gets its own code: the E90 sedan, E91 wagon, E92 coupe and E93 convertible are all the same 3 Series generation. BMW M cars sometimes share the base car's code (E46 M3) and sometimes get their own (F80 M3, G80 M3). A mid-cycle facelift, called an LCI, keeps the code.

BMW E codes

BMW E codes: model, body style, US model years and LCI year — 36 rows
Chassis codeModelBodyUS model yearsLCI (US model year)Specs
E30BMW M3Coupe1988–1991—E30 M3 specs
E36/4BMW 3 SeriesSedan1992–1999—E36/4 3 Series specs
E36/2BMW 3 SeriesCoupe1992–1999—E36/2 3 Series specs
E36/2CBMW 3 SeriesConvertible1992–1999—E36/2C 3 Series specs
E36/5BMW 3 SeriesHatchback1992–1999—E36/5 3 Series specs
E36BMW M3Coupe1995–1999—E36 M3 specs
E36BMW M3Sedan1995–1999—E36 M3 specs
E36BMW M3Convertible1995–1999—E36 M3 specs
E39BMW 5 SeriesSedan1997–20032001E39 5 Series specs
E39BMW 5 SeriesSports Wagon1997–20032001E39 5 Series specs
E39BMW M5Sedan2000–2003—E39 M5 specs
E46/4BMW 3 SeriesSedan1999–20062002E46/4 3 Series specs
E46/2BMW 3 SeriesCoupe1999–20062002E46/2 3 Series specs
E46/2CBMW 3 SeriesConvertible1999–20062002E46/2C 3 Series specs
E46/3BMW 3 SeriesSports Wagon1999–20062002E46/3 3 Series specs
E46BMW M3Coupe2001–2006—E46 M3 specs
E46BMW M3Convertible2001–2006—E46 M3 specs
E53BMW X5SAV2000–20062004E53 X5 specs
E60BMW 5 SeriesSedan2004–20102008E60 5 Series specs
E60BMW M5Sedan2006–2010—E60 M5 specs
E61BMW 5 SeriesSports Wagon2004–20102008E61 5 Series specs
E65BMW 7 SeriesSedan2002–20082006E65 7 Series specs
E66BMW 7 SeriesSedan (long wheelbase)2002–20082006E66 7 Series specs
E70BMW X5SAV2007–20132011E70 X5 specs
E83BMW X3SAV2004–20102007E83 X3 specs
E84BMW X1SAV2013–2015—E84 X1 specs
E85BMW Z4Roadster2003–20082006E85 Z4 specs
E86BMW Z4Coupe2003–20082006E86 Z4 specs
E89BMW Z4Roadster2009–20162014E89 Z4 specs
E90BMW 3 SeriesSedan2006–20132009E90 3 Series specs
E90BMW M3Sedan2008–2013—E90 M3 specs
E91BMW 3 SeriesSports Wagon2006–20132009E91 3 Series specs
E92BMW 3 SeriesCoupe2006–20132009E92 3 Series specs
E92BMW M3Coupe2008–2013—E92 M3 specs
E93BMW 3 SeriesConvertible2006–20132009E93 3 Series specs
E93BMW M3Convertible2008–2013—E93 M3 specs

BMW F codes

BMW F codes: model, body style, US model years and LCI year — 26 rows
Chassis codeModelBodyUS model yearsLCI (US model year)Specs
F01BMW 7 SeriesSedan2009–20152013F01 7 Series specs
F02BMW 7 SeriesSedan (long wheelbase)2009–20152013F02 7 Series specs
F04BMW 7 SeriesSedan (ActiveHybrid 7)2009–20152013F04 7 Series specs
F07BMW 5 SeriesGran Turismo2011–20162014F07 5 Series specs
F10BMW 5 SeriesSedan2011–20162014F10 5 Series specs
F10BMW M5Sedan2013–20162014F10 M5 specs
F15BMW X5SAV2014–2018—F15 X5 specs
F22BMW 2 SeriesCoupe2014–20212018F22 2 Series specs
F23BMW 2 SeriesConvertible2014–20212018F23 2 Series specs
F25BMW X3SAV2011–20172015F25 X3 specs
F30BMW 3 SeriesSedan2012–20192016F30 3 Series specs
F31BMW 3 SeriesSports Wagon2012–20192016F31 3 Series specs
F32BMW 4 SeriesCoupe2014–20202018F32 4 Series specs
F33BMW 4 SeriesConvertible2014–20202018F33 4 Series specs
F34BMW 3 SeriesGran Turismo2012–20192016F34 3 Series specs
F36BMW 4 SeriesGran Coupe2014–20202018F36 4 Series specs
F44BMW 2 SeriesGran Coupe2020–2024—F44 2 Series specs
F48BMW X1SAV2016–20222020F48 X1 specs
F80BMW M3Sedan2015–2018—F80 M3 specs
F82BMW M4Coupe2015–2020—F82 M4 specs
F83BMW M4Convertible2015–2020—F83 M4 specs
F85BMW X5SAV (X5 M)2014–2018—F85 X5 specs
F87BMW M2Coupe2016–20212018F87 M2 specs
F90BMW M5Sedan2018–20232021F90 M5 specs
F95BMW X5SAV (X5 M)2019–20262024F95 X5 specs
F97BMW X3SAV (X3 M)2018–20242022F97 X3 specs

BMW G codes

BMW G codes: model, body style, US model years and LCI year — 26 rows
Chassis codeModelBodyUS model yearsLCI (US model year)Specs
G01BMW X3SAV2018–20242022G01 X3 specs
G05BMW X5SAV2019–20262024G05 X5 specs
G07BMW X7SAV2019–present2023G07 X7 specs
G12BMW 7 SeriesSedan2016–20222020G12 7 Series specs
G14BMW 8 SeriesConvertible2019–20252023G14 8 Series specs
G15BMW 8 SeriesCoupe2019–20252023G15 8 Series specs
G16BMW 8 SeriesGran Coupe2019–20252023G16 8 Series specs
G20BMW 3 SeriesSedan2019–present2023G20 3 Series specs
G21BMW 3 SeriesSports Wagon (Touring) — not sold in the US2019–present2023G21 3 Series specs
G22BMW 4 SeriesCoupe2021–present2025G22 4 Series specs
G23BMW 4 SeriesConvertible2021–present2025G23 4 Series specs
G26BMW 4 SeriesGran Coupe2021–present2025G26 4 Series specs
G26BMW i4Gran Coupe2022–present2025G26 i4 specs
G29BMW Z4Roadster2019–20262023G29 Z4 specs
G30BMW 5 SeriesSedan2017–20232021G30 5 Series specs
G42BMW 2 SeriesCoupe2022–present—G42 2 Series specs
G45BMW X3SAV2025–present—G45 X3 specs
G60BMW 5 SeriesSedan2024–present—G60 5 Series specs
G70BMW 7 SeriesSedan2023–present—G70 7 Series specs
G70BMW i7Sedan2023–present—G70 i7 specs
G80BMW M3Sedan2021–present2025G80 M3 specs
G82BMW M4Coupe2021–present2025G82 M4 specs
G83BMW M4Convertible2021–present2025G83 M4 specs
G87BMW M2Coupe2023–present—G87 M2 specs
G90BMW M5Sedan2025–present—G90 M5 specs
G99BMW M5Sports Wagon2025–present—G99 M5 specs

BMW I codes

BMW I codes: model, body style, US model years and LCI year — 1 rows
Chassis codeModelBodyUS model yearsLCI (US model year)Specs
I20BMW iXSAV2022–present2026I20 iX specs

BMW U codes

BMW U codes: model, body style, US model years and LCI year — 1 rows
Chassis codeModelBodyUS model yearsLCI (US model year)Specs
U11BMW X1SAV2023–present—U11 X1 specs

Other BMW chassis codes

Models not yet in the CarWhere spec tables. Years are worldwide production years, which can differ from US model years by one year.

Other BMW chassis codes with model and production years — 26 rows
Chassis codeModelProduction yearsNote
E12BMW 5 Series (first generation)1972–1981
E21BMW 3 Series (first generation)1975–1983
E23BMW 7 Series (first generation)1977–1986
E24BMW 6 Series coupe (first generation)1976–1989
E26BMW M11978–1981Not sold new through US dealers
E28BMW 5 Series (second generation), incl. first M51981–1988
E30BMW 3 Series (second generation)1982–1994The E30 M3 is in the M3 spec table
E32BMW 7 Series (second generation)1986–1994
E34BMW 5 Series (third generation)1988–1996
E36/7BMW Z3 Roadster1995–2002E36/8 is the Z3 Coupe (1998–2002)
E38BMW 7 Series (third generation)1994–2001
E52BMW Z82000–2003
E63 / E64BMW 6 Series coupe / convertible2003–2010
E71BMW X6 (first generation)2008–2014E72 = ActiveHybrid X6
E82 / E88BMW 1 Series coupe / convertible, incl. 1 Series M Coupe2007–2013
F06 / F12 / F13BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe / convertible / coupe2011–2018
F16BMW X6 (second generation)2014–2019F86 = X6 M
F26BMW X4 (first generation)2014–2018
F39BMW X2 (first generation)2017–2023
G02BMW X4 (second generation)2018–2025F98 = X4 M
G06BMW X6 (third generation)2019–presentF96 = X6 M
G09BMW XM2022–present
G32BMW 6 Series Gran Turismo2017–2023
I01BMW i32013–2022
I12 / I15BMW i8 coupe / roadster2014–2020
U10BMW X2 (second generation)2023–present

Chassis code vs engine code

The chassis code names the car; the engine code names what is under the hood. An E90 335i and an E82 135i share the N54 engine, while an F30 335i uses the N55. The BMW engine codes page decodes those, and the BMW known issues by chassis code page lists what to check on each generation.

Not sure which chassis, engine and options a BMW has?

The CarWhere build sheet decodes a BMW VIN into its factory record — model and type code, factory option codes, original paint and upholstery. $9.99, instant.

BMW build sheet by VIN

Frequently asked questions

What does the E in BMW chassis codes stand for?

E stands for Entwicklung, German for development: each E number was an internal BMW development project. Later generations moved to F, G, I and U prefixes, but enthusiasts still use the codes as shorthand for a generation and body, such as E46 or G20.

How do I find the chassis code of my BMW?

Match the model and model year to the tables on this page — for example, a 2016 3 Series sedan is an F30. The chassis code is not spelled out in the VIN, but the VIN identifies the exact model and year, and a BMW build sheet decoded from the VIN lists it.

Which years are the E46, E90, F30 and G20 3 Series?

In the US the 3 Series generations run E90 2006–2013, F30 2012–2019, G20 2019–present. Coupes and convertibles in the E90 generation are E92 and E93, and the F30 era coupes became the separate 4 Series.

What is the difference between BMW F and G chassis codes?

F codes cover most BMWs launched in the 2010s, such as the F30 3 Series and F10 5 Series. G codes mark the next generation on BMW’s newer modular architecture, beginning with the G11 7 Series for 2016 and including the G20 3 Series, G05 X5 and G80 M3.

What does LCI mean on a BMW?

LCI stands for Life Cycle Impulse, BMW’s term for a mid-generation facelift. An LCI car keeps its chassis code but gets updated styling, equipment and often engines; the tables on this page give the US model year each LCI arrived where we could confirm it.

Sources

Chassis codes and US model years in the main tables come from the CarWhere BMW spec dataset, which cites BMW Group PressClub USA material per generation. The supplementary table was cross-checked against the references below.

  1. CarWhere BMW specs by chassis code (per-generation sources) — CarWhere
  2. BMW Group PressClub USA — BMW of North America
  3. BMW Group Classic — BMW Group
  4. List of BMW vehicles — Wikipedia (secondary reference)

More BMW tools

Independent reference compiled by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by BMW AG or BMW of North America. BMW, M and the model names are trademarks of their owner.