2003 540i/6 M-Sport Build Color Breakdown

[zM3]

There are several references to there being 1265 540i 6-speed M-Sport cars sold in the US/Canada for the 2003 model year. There's also a reference to 147 being Sterling Gray but I have not found details on the quantity of other colors. I decided to use the VIN decoder site to get the details, and from what I found, the actual number is 1190, with an additional 25 non-M Sport 6-speed cars being sold in Canada (some of the 1190 are Canadian M Sport cars). The first VIN is GF70861, the final one is GF72075 (the 25 Canadian non-M Sport fall within those VINs). This all assumes the VIN decoder is correct (it was accurate for both my BMWs), the site is www.rubmw.ru/vincode/eng if anyone wants to check my findings. If anyone has evidence (NOT the Ken Rockwell site) that this is incorrect, let me know. There's a slight chance I missed one or two Canadian non-M Sport and included them in the M Sport group, but definitely not the ones that were unique colors (Toledo Blue, Bluewater, Chiaretto Red, Titanium Gray).

The color breakdown:

Exterior:

Titanium Silver: 322
Black Sapphire: 247
Black (Schwarz 2): 242
Sterling Gray: 241
Topaz Blue: 58
Alpine White: 43
Slate Green: 24
Imola Red: 7
Carbon Black: 4
Orient Blue: 2

Interior:

Black: 771 (includes 1 Extended Nappa Leather Individual)
Gray: 228
Beige: 173
Stone Green: 18

Build Combinations:

Alpine White - Beige: 21
Alpine White - Black: 12
Alpine White - Gray: 8
Alpine White - Stone Green: 2

Black Sapphire - Beige: 53
Black Sapphire - Black: 180
Black Sapphire - Gray: 11
Black Sapphire - Stone Green: 3

Carbon Black - Black: 4 (*all Canadian)

Imola Red - Black: 6
Imola Red - Gray: 1

Orient Blue - Beige: 2

Slate Green - Beige: 7
Slate Green - Black: 4
Slate Green - Stone Green: 13

Black (Schwarz 2) - Beige: 50
Black (Schwarz 2) - Black: 179
Black (Schwarz 2) - Gray: 13

Steling Gray - Beige: 16
Sterling Gray - Black: 174
Sterling Gray - Gray: 51

Titanium Silver - Beige: 2
Titanium Silver - Black: 197
Titanium Silver - Gray: 123

Topaz Blue - Beige: 22
Topaz Blue - Black: 15
Topaz Blue - Gray: 21

Build Combinations in order from least rare to most rare:

Titanium Silver - Black: 197
Black Sapphire - Black: 180
Black (Schwarz 2) - Black: 179
Sterling Gray - Black: 174
Titanium Silver - Gray: 123
Black Sapphire - Beige: 53
Sterling Gray - Gray: 51
Black (Schwarz 2) - Beige: 50
Topaz Blue - Beige: 22
Topaz Blue - Gray: 21
Alpine White - Beige: 21
Sterling Gray - Beige: 16
Topaz Blue - Black: 15
Black (Schwarz 2) - Gray: 13
Slate Green - Stone Green: 13
Alpine White - Black: 12
Black Sapphire - Gray: 11
Alpine White - Gray: 8
Slate Green - Beige: 7
Imola Red - Black: 6
Slate Green - Black: 4
Carbon Black - Black: 4
Black Sapphire - Stone Green: 3
Alpine White - Stone Green: 2
Titanium Silver - Beige: 2
Orient Blue - Beige: 2
Imola Red - Gray: 1

[croat]

[Bartholomeo]

Nice to see that 'Orient blue - beige" is such a rare combo.

[MartinV]

I knew my titanium silver with beige interior was rare, now I know.

I wonder who has the other one.

Another reason to keep it for ever.

[zM3]

Martin V, I'm guessing you have VIN GF71591. The other Silver/Beige car is GF71086. Not that it makes it any easier to track down

I should mention I have an Excel file with all the 2003 6-speed US/Canada VINs listed with Exterior and Interior color for each VIN.

If the info I posted is correct, all the xxx/1265 numbering is wrong/irrelevant.

[Manny G.]

WOW Awesome post. Cant believe that there is only 1 Imola Red - Grey combo EVER

[Justin517]

I thought the GF#'s were US only? And Canada had the M-sport stuff available from 2001 like the rest of the world.

[MartinV]

Martin V, I'm guessing you have VIN GF71591. The other Silver/Beige car is GF71086. Not that it makes it any easier to track down

I should mention I have an Excel file with all the 2003 6-speed US/Canada VINs listed with Exterior and Interior color for each VIN.

If the info I posted is correct, all the xxx/1265 numbering is wrong/irrelevant.

Yes, you are correct. I'm GF71591. Thanks so much for all the work. I know a lot of people in this forum have always wondered about the color combos.

Martin V, I'm guessing you have VIN GF71591. The other Silver/Beige car is GF71086. Not that it makes it any easier to track down

I should mention I have an Excel file with all the 2003 6-speed US/Canada VINs listed with Exterior and Interior color for each VIN.

If the info I posted is correct, all the xxx/1265 numbering is wrong/irrelevant.

That was fast; sirjustin1 in this forum owns GF71086.

[webdesigner]

Proof that rare does not equal desirable.

[Dking078]

Can we sticky this... And that vin decoder please?
This thread is full of WIN.

I would love to see pics of that orient blue one!

[jdjg]

pics of all of those combinations!!!

[Craiga06]

Nice to see that 'Orient blue - beige" is such a rare combo.

+1 I knew I found a winner


Actually scratch that I dont have an 03. But its still sexy lol and rare!!

[1quick540]

I did not see Anthracite Metallic as a paint color. I guess you say its some what rare....I know it was a factory option in 2000. Does anyone have any additional information on this color, what years it was offered and or production numbers from 2000 to 2002

thank you

[English]

I had a 2001 540i6 in anthracite on black. I'm sure they existed, but I never saw another 540 with that combo.

EDIT: I know we are talking about 03 540i6 M-sports here. Just answering the above question.

[shaymcquaid]

Thanks you!
We own 1of 6 imola/Black. Cool!
Is there a way to determine tranny types?

[zM3]

Is there a way to determine tranny types?

The list of build combos is only for 6-speed manual M Sport cars (2003 model year only). The automatics have a different VIN sequence and are not included in the numbers I posted.

[shaymcquaid]

Thx, missed that

[bigjoe87865]

this is really neat, thanks ... mine is the most common one , 1 of 197 Titanium silver/black

so, how did this whole 1265 come into play and why didnt anyone detect the error for all these years? this is big news in the e39 community.


april is a good month, we learned about 1190 M sports, and e60 wheel hubs fit on an e39


happy 4/20.

[crdiscoverer]

Alpine White - Black: 12

Give me one of those 12 and I will die as a happy man.

[dltracy]

Sweet…. I have number F71545. Which would be the 684th one built and one of 179 that were black on black. That is… If I'm reading all of the above correctly.

[silver05sti]

Great post, thanks. Good to know production numbers on my recently picked up slate/stone combo.

[Petes540i6]

I don't own one of these gems and I think this is a great post as well.

[f355spider]

One thing to remember that dilutes the "exclusivity" of the 2003 540 M-Sport, is that they sold them from 2001 to 2003 in Canada (and the rest of the world)...so there are quite a few more to add to the mix. I have a 2001 540 M-Sport I imported down from Vancouver, BC. Identically equiped as the USA versions, with the exception that they included the M5 rear trunk lip spoiler...and you had an option for either 17" staggered style 66 wheels, or 18" staggered M-Pars. You could also order a 530 M-Sport, which had the standard 530 sport suspension (no M-Sport Suspension II option like the 540s), but all the usual M-Sport cosmetic upgrades.

[croat]

One thing to remember that dilutes the "exclusivity" of the 2003 540 M-Sport, is that they sold them from 2001 to 2003 in Canada (and the rest of the world)...so there are quite a few more to add to the mix. I have a 2001 540 M-Sport I imported down from Vancouver, BC. Identically equiped as the USA versions, with the exception that they included the M5 rear trunk lip spoiler...and you had an option for either 17" staggered style 66 wheels, or 18" staggered M-Pars. You could also order a 530 M-Sport, which had the standard 530 sport suspension (no M-Sport Suspension II option like the 540s), but all the usual M-Sport cosmetic upgrades.

Side question, how's the import process from Canada to USA?
I just imported E46 M3 from US to Canada so I know all about it but have no idea what is done when going from Canada to USA

[Musicman132]

Wow I just asked this question in another thread last night, and then today I see this list...

Pretty amazing. Thank you for sharing!

I have one of the more common ones

How many of those are wagons?
Like this one...
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...nal&listType=3

OH and here is one of those Imola red ones for sale...

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...17933112&Log=0