2001 BMW 540i — Sport Wagon
The 2001 BMW 540i Sport Wagon shipped with 2 different factory tire sizes, depending on the wheel package it left the factory with (this can also reflect a staggered front/rear setup). Check your tire sidewall or door placard to confirm which one applies to your vehicle.
This trim shipped with more than one tire size (staggered fitment, front/rear, or optional wheel package). Confirm which one matches your vehicle by checking your tire sidewall or door placard.
225/55R16
| Section width | 225 mm |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio (sidewall height) | 55% (123.8 mm) |
| Rim diameter | 16" |
| Overall tire diameter | ~25.7" |
| Revolutions per mile | ~783 |
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235/45R17
| Section width | 235 mm |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio (sidewall height) | 45% (105.8 mm) |
| Rim diameter | 17" |
| Overall tire diameter | ~25.3" |
| Revolutions per mile | ~796 |
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What this size means for your BMW 540i
On the 2001 BMW 540i Sport Wagon, the factory 225/55R16 measures about 25.7″ in overall diameter with a 123.8 mm (4.9″) sidewall, and completes roughly 783 revolutions per mile. Its 55-series aspect ratio gives a balanced everyday-passenger profile — enough sidewall to soak up road shock while keeping steering response crisp. In tire terms it is a passenger (P-metric / Euro-metric) size.
The 225/55R16 and 235/45R17 differ in both width and overall diameter (0.4″, 1.6%), which usually means a staggered front/rear setup — the two sizes are not interchangeable side to side, so match each to its correct axle.
On a vehicle of this age, the BMW 540i may have been refitted with a slightly different replacement size somewhere in its life, so check the current sidewall — not just the factory spec — before buying.
Other 2001 BMW 540i trims
- 6-Speed 235/45R17
- 6-Speed Sport Package 235/45R17 (Front) / 255/40R17 (Rear)
BMW 540i tire sizes by year
- 2026 BMW 540i 245/45R19 / 245/40R20 (Front) / 275/35R20 (Rear)
- 2025 BMW 540i 245/45R19 / 245/40R20 (Front) / 275/35R20 (Rear)
- 2024 BMW 540i 245/45R19 / 245/40R20 (Front) / 275/35R20 (Rear)
- 2022 BMW 540i 245/40R19 / 245/40R19 (Front) / 275/35R19 (Rear) / 245/35R20 (Front) / 275/30R20 (Rear)
- 2021 BMW 540i 245/45R18 / 245/40R19 / 245/40R19 (Front) / 275/35R19 (Rear)
- 2020 BMW 540i 245/45R18 / 245/40R19 / 245/40R19 (Front) / 275/35R19 (Rear)
- 2019 BMW 540i 245/45R18 / 245/40R19 / 245/40R19 (Front) / 275/35R19 (Rear)
- 2018 BMW 540i 245/45R18 / 245/40R19 / 245/40R19 (Front) / 275/35R19 (Rear)
- 2017 BMW 540i 245/45R18 / 245/40R19 / 245/40R19 (Front) / 275/35R19 (Rear)
- 2003 BMW 540i 235/40R18 (Front) / 265/35R18 (Rear)
How to read a tire size
A tire size like 225/45R17 breaks down into three parts:
the first number is the section width in millimeters
(the tire's width from sidewall to sidewall), the second is the
aspect ratio — the sidewall's height as a percentage of
that width — and the number after the "R" is the rim
diameter in inches. A letter prefix (P or LT) indicates
Passenger or Light Truck construction; its absence usually means
Euro-metric sizing.
Some trucks and off-road tires instead use "flotation" sizing, like
37X12.50R17 — here the numbers are the tire's overall
diameter and width in inches directly, with the rim diameter last.
Always verify against the tire information placard on your driver's-side door jamb or your owner's manual before purchasing — tire size can vary by factory option package even within the same trim.