BMW E21 "320is" it is an official designation?

[fvargas]

I'm looking for information about the designation BMW 320is in the E21 without luck because these don't appear in any E21 owner's manual, any BMW catalog, or in the ETK BMW E21 US name series, I want to know if this designation 320is was created for some people in the US in the years of production or was created directly by BMW for the BMW 320i full equipped.

Thanks in advance

[e21Terry]

320i was the base model. the S (sport package) came with a front air dam, upgraded suspension, limited slip differential, Recarro seats, & a leather wrapped steering wheel. Quiorusly, they have no model badge on the boot lid.

[fvargas]

320i was the base model. the S (sport package) came with a front air dam, upgraded suspension, limited slip differential, Recarro seats, & a leather wrapped steering wheel. Quiorusly, they have no model badge on the boot lid.

Thanks!! however i have the doubt, if the 320is designation is official by the factory or not, because don't appear in any BMW owner's catalog, parts catalog or repair catalog, do you know?

[midlifebmw]

Correct. You could opt for the "sport" package from the factory/dealer with those items. Normally this would then also have a trunk model number delete, you had an E21 with no numbers on the trunk. I don't know if this was followed to the letter.

So the "S" basically was not a model designation as you see later with the E30 325ix (all wheel drive) and the flood of "is" models afterwards. It was just a way to let owners know your car had the sports package option.

That's how I understand it.

[fvargas]

Correct. You could opt for the "sport" package from the factory/dealer with those items. Normally this would then also have a trunk model number delete, you had an E21 with no numbers on the trunk. I don't know if this was followed to the letter.

So the "S" basically was not a model designation as you see later with the E30 325ix (all wheel drive) and the flood of "is" models afterwards. It was just a way to let owners know your car had the sports package option.

That's how I understand it.

Thanks!!, That's how I understand too!!!, the "S" is not official BMW designation, it's only for refer to the BMW 320i full equiped (with air dam, bbs wheels, sports recaro seats, five OD tranny and LSD).

Anyone know additional info about the "S" designation?, if was called 320is by the factory in a E21 or by the owners the following years?

[midlifebmw]

I had an original "sports package" dealer sticker from my '81 around. Looked pretty official to me but it did NOT designate the car as a 320is just that it had a sports package.

[Isdera]

They were never actually sold as an "iS". 320iS came about because it's easier to say than BMW 320i Sport pack. "iS" is not an official name.

[rumdum]

My 82' is designated as a IS on the window sticker. The factory brochure for the year 82' or 83' (which i've seen and is for sale on Ebay from time to time) displays the IS model in the center spread. Hope this helps.

[Layne]

It was called a "320i with sports package" at the time. It was not officially a separate model, ie no one has a title that says 320iS on it. Later on the E30 came as an official 325iS and 325eS, so we just call it that for simplicity. It's the same as people calling their E34 tourings "525it" it's just an easy way to convey what you're talking about, not an official model. The title just says 525i.

[dspulv1]

The 320is was offered from model years 1980 through 1983 and was a US only special edition package which included the items mentioned in earlier posts. It was offered in five colors....black, red, silver, white (White also offered in a "subset" special "white package" edition, though I know there was a specific name for it. It had the mirrors and basket weave rims painted white. A number of units also had the front air dam painted white but I think this was dealer applied. Only offered for one year as best as I can remember, 82 I think), and Bronzit for the 1983 model year only.

The "is" is the US version of the 320i special editions put out by the factory over the years. In Europe there were the "E", "S" and "M" editions as well as the JPS or John Player Special edition in Australia. All were in the later part of the model run as BMW was trying to still maintain interest in the model towards the end of its production.

The only mention of any of the special editions as far as I can tell was on the window sticker at time of purchase or in the dealer brochure. Never in the owners manuals.

Hope this helps....

[dieslcruisrhead]

Pardon the old thread. I have a couple e21s and one is badly in need of suspension. A friend has an e21is that he'd like to sell me the suspension and subframe. Hopefully with the swaybar too. One of my e21s is a 77 but it's off site so I'm not sure if it still has the rear sway, but hopefully.

I can also get the complete rear subframe too which is perfect because I think I'm going to put a different diff (weld in) a limited slip from e30 with luck. It is going to be a race car (lemons, but in it to do well) so I hope it'll hold up and do well 🙂🙂🙂.

Does the is suspension bolt up?

Also if anyone has thoughts on the e30 diff in the e21 please let me know. I am a very competent welder and modifier but know little about bmws. I need limited slip, a fast ratio, (2.9-spmethong would be perfect), ability to hold up to torque, and I can score tons of E30 parts cheap as a friend has a 'junk yard' of sorts for them. 🙂🙂. There are 3 or 4 e30 limited slips lying around waiting to be bolted up to something.

Thx!!

[mxl556]

If I am not mistaken, iS- sport package only existed for post facelift 80-83 models. 77-79 models did not have sport package, individual parts could be added separately (for example recaros). Rear suspension is essentially the same for all E21's. Early 77-79 models always had a rear swaybar, on 80-83 models swaybar was not installed, with the exception for the sport iS package, where the same 16mm swaybar was included.

Now, front suspensions are very different between 77-79 and 80-83. 80-83 standard and iS sport package had identical front suspensions. Some cars came were equipped with Bilstein shocks from factory, but I do not think it had anything to do with sport package.

Max

[SoCalE21]

The rear bar was added, and the front bar was thicker.

From my brochure, says the sport package was:

Front air dam
5,5×13” special cross spoke light alloy rims
Sports suspension with increased diameter front stabilizer bar and the addition of a rear stabilizer bar
Limited slip differential (25%)
Dual operation manual sunroof
Recaro sports seats
Leather sport steering wheel and leather gear shift knob
Deluxe tool kit
Fog lights
AM/FM stereo cassette radio