BMW Style 5 (BMW's own catalogue name is "Kreuzspeiche", cross-spoke) is a single BBS-made cross-spoke design that BMW produced as a whole family of sizes rather than one wheel, in cast aluminium with a silver finish. Under the one number "5" BMW homologated 14, 15, 16 and 17-inch diameters and fitted them as factory equipment across cars as different as the small E30 3 Series and the Z1 roadster, the E28 and E34 5 Series, the E23 and E32 7 Series, the E24 6 Series and early E36. So "style 5" spans a light four-lug 14-incher to a five-lug 17 — working out which one you have is half the job.
📐 The real size variants
Documented sizes run from the 6.5×14 (ET30 and ET45) and the iconic 7×15 — the E30 wheel, in ET24, ET30 and ET41 — up to the 7.5×16 (ET27) and the 7.5×17 used on the bigger chassis. Weight per wheel is about 6.35 kg for the 14 and roughly 8.2 kg for the 17. The OEM part numbers that authenticate a 15-inch set are 36111179066 (7×15 ET24), 36111179140 and 36112225375; most carry a BBS stamp on the inner spoke.
🔧 The bolt-pattern trap: 4×100 (57.1 mm bore) vs 5×120 (72.6 mm bore)
This is the mistake that wrecks most purchases. Style 5 was built in two different bolt patterns behind the same face. The four-cylinder and smaller chassis (E30 316/318, the four-lug branch) use 4×100 with a 57.1 mm bore. The six-cylinder cars and larger saloons — including the E30 M3 and 325i, plus E28, E34, E32, E24 and E36 — run 5×120 with a 72.6 mm bore. The two are not interchangeable: a 4×100 wheel will never seat on a five-lug hub, and vice versa. Before you buy, count the studs on your hub and measure the centre spigot — don't trust the listing photo or a vague "it came off an E30."
🛞 Tyres by diameter and fitting
Sensible sizes that keep rolling diameter near stock: 185/65 R14 or 195/60 R14 on the 14; 195/65 R15 or 205/55 R15 on the 7×15; 205/55 R16 on the 16; and 225/45 R17 on the 17. Torque the conical-seat M12×1.5 bolts to about 110–120 Nm in a star pattern and re-check after 50–100 km. Buying used — these are 30-to-40-year-old alloys — look inside the spokes for kerb cracks and corrosion under the lacquer, and confirm all four match on bolt pattern and offset rather than being a mix with replicas.
Compare it with other period BMW styles in our English wheel guide: the multi-spoke Style 32, the 16-inch Style 24, the sporting Style 37, the Style 44, the Style 68 and the popular Style 95.
❓ FAQ
Which Style 5 do I need, 4×100 or 5×120?
Count the studs on your hub. Four-cylinder E30s and the smaller chassis use 4×100 with a 57.1 mm bore; the six-cylinder and larger cars (E30 M3/325i, E28, E34, E32, E24, E36) use 5×120 with a 72.6 mm bore. The right wheel must match on stud count, bore and offset.
Does the usual 7×15 E30 wheel fit an E30 M3?
Not directly: the E30 M3 is 5×120, while the common E30 15-inch is 4×100. You need the five-lug version, which also tends to carry a different offset. Always confirm the bolt pattern before buying.
How much does a Style 5 weigh?
It depends on diameter: around 6.35 kg per wheel for the 6.5×14 and up to roughly 8.2 kg for the 7.5×17. They are light for their era, part of the appeal on classics.
What tyres should I run?
185/65 R14 or 195/60 R14 on 14″; 195/65 R15 or 205/55 R15 on the 7×15; 205/55 R16 on 16″; and 225/45 R17 on 17″ — sizes that keep rolling diameter close to standard.
Is it a good winter wheel?
The 14″ and 15″ versions are: tall sidewalls absorb broken roads and winter tyres are cheap and plentiful in those sizes, ideal for daily-driving a classic. The 16″ and 17″ make more sense in summer.
