BMW 3-15

Which BMW 3-15 version to buy

There are three listed versions, all named 0.8 MT. They are not three different engines. They are the same named powertrain in three generations:

There are three listed versions, all named 0.8 MT. They are not three different engines. They are the same named powertrain in three generations:

Arithmetic on those figures: 15 hp − 15 hp = 0 hp between any pair of 0.8 MT rows. 11 kW − 11 kW = 0 kW. 747 − 747 = 0 cm³. Cylinder count, layout, boost, gearbox type, gear count, and drive are identical. There is no “extra money buys extra power” story inside this dataset. If you are choosing by horsepower, every 0.8 MT is 15 hp (11 kW).

What does change, and is therefore the real buying split:

• Body. 1 generation 0.8 MT is Cabrio. 2 generation 0.8 MT and 3 generation 0.8 MT are Limousine. That is the only body-type fork in the data: one open car versus two closed cars.
• Years. 1 generation: 1927-01-01 to 1929-12-31. 2 generation: 1929-01-01 to 1931-12-31. 3 generation: 1931-01-01 to 1932-12-31. Calendar overlap exists between 1 generation stop (1929) and 2 generation start (1929), and between 2 generation stop (1931) and 3 generation start (1931). Year alone does not uniquely identify a generation in 1929 or 1931; body type does.
• How many versions per generation. Each generation lists 1 modification. You are not choosing among several engines inside a generation. You are choosing which generation’s single 0.8 MT to take.

People searching “bmw 3 15 dixi”, “bmw 3 15 da 1”, “bmw 3 15 da 2”, or “bmw 3/15 specs” are looking at this same three-row table. This catalogue does not list separate names such as Dixi, DA 1, or DA 2 as version keys. The version key that must match a modification page is 0.8 MT, distinguished by generation and body, not by a second power figure (all three are 15 hp).

BMW 3-15 engine: same 0.8 MT in every generation

For BMW 3-15 engine and BMW 3/15 horsepower questions, the measured answer is one set of numbers repeated three times.

0.8 MT (all three generations): Gasoline, 747 displacement, 15 hp / 11 kW, 4 cylinders, Inline, 2 valves per cylinder, boost No, Front, longitudinal, Carburetor, Manual with 3 gears, RWD.

Power per litre, from the given pair 15 hp and 747: 15 ÷ 0.747 ≈ 20.1 hp per litre. In kilowatts: 11 ÷ 0.747 ≈ 14.7 kW per litre. That specific output is the same for 1 generation 0.8 MT, 2 generation 0.8 MT, and 3 generation 0.8 MT, because the inputs do not change.

What is not measured on any 0.8 MT row: power rpm, torque (Nm), torque rpm, compression ratio, bore and stroke, fuel grade. Do not treat those as “not applicable”; they are not measured in this dataset. A buyer comparing “which engine” cannot use torque or a power peak rpm to break the tie.

Induction and layout, taken only from the English labels: Carburetor, boost No, Front, longitudinal, Inline, 4 cylinders, 2 valves per cylinder. There is no second engine family in the data to compare against.

BMW 3-15 specs by generation (what actually changed)

1 generation (1927–1929) — the Cabrio 0.8 MT

Years: 1927-01-01–1929-12-31. Body: Cabrio. Modifications: 1 — 0.8 MT, 15 hp / 11 kW, 747, Gasoline, 4, Inline, boost No, Manual 3, RWD.

Front suspension: Dependent, leaf spring. Front brakes: Drum. Rear suspension: not measured. Rear brakes: not measured.

This is the only generation whose body is Cabrio. If the buying question is “open versus closed,” 1 generation 0.8 MT is the open answer. It is not a more powerful answer: 15 hp is the same as the later limousines.

2 generation (1929–1931) — first Limousine 0.8 MT

Years: 1929-01-01–1931-12-31. Body: Limousine. Modifications: 1 — 0.8 MT, 15 hp / 11 kW, 747, Gasoline, 4, Inline, boost No, Manual 3, RWD.

Front suspension and front brakes match 1 generation: Dependent, leaf spring; Drum. Rear suspension and rear brakes: not measured.

What 2 generation changed versus 1 generation, using only listed fields: body Cabrio → Limousine; start year 1927 → 1929; stop year 1929 → 1931. Engine displacement delta: 0. Power delta: 0. Gear count delta: 0. Drive stays RWD.

3 generation (1931–1932) — last Limousine 0.8 MT

Years: 1931-01-01–1932-12-31. Body: Limousine. Modifications: 1 — 0.8 MT, 15 hp / 11 kW, 747, Gasoline, 4, Inline, boost No, Manual 3, RWD.

Front suspension: Dependent, leaf spring. Front brakes: Drum. Rear suspension: not measured. Rear brakes: not measured.

What 3 generation changed versus 2 generation: start 1929 → 1931; stop 1931 → 1932; body stays Limousine. Power, displacement, fuel, cylinders, layout, boost, gearbox, drive: deltas all zero.

3 generation is the shortest listed window: 1931 through 1932 versus two-year-plus spans on the earlier generations as dated in the data. It is not a higher-output generation.

Performance and economy (mpg, 0-100, top speed)

For every 0.8 MT in every generation:

• 0–100: not measured
• Top speed: not measured
• City consumption: not measured
• Highway consumption: not measured
• Combined consumption: not measured
• CO2: not measured
• Eco class: not measured

A buyer cannot rank generations on acceleration, top speed, or mpg from this catalogue. Those figures are not measured, not “zero,” and not omitted because the car has no such parameters. If a listing elsewhere quotes a speed or a fuel figure, it is not from this data.

Weight-to-power cannot be calculated: kerb weight is not measured on all three 0.8 MT rows, so kg per horsepower is not available. Do not infer a “light Cabrio” or “heavy Limousine” from missing mass.

Dimensions and weight

For 1 generation 0.8 MT, 2 generation 0.8 MT, and 3 generation 0.8 MT:

• Kerb weight: not measured
• Gross weight: not measured
• Ground clearance: not measured
• Fuel tank: not measured
• Wheel sizes: not measured

You cannot choose a generation by tank range, ground clearance, or tyre size. Those fields are not measured. The only dimensional-class signal in the data is body type: Cabrio (1 generation) versus Limousine (2 generation and 3 generation).

Which version to choose — comparison using the numbers

If you want the open body: 1 generation 0.8 MT, Cabrio, 1927–1929, 15 hp / 11 kW, 747 Gasoline, 4 Inline, Manual 3, RWD. You give up the Limousine body of the later two generations. You do not give up power: 15 hp is the same.

If you want a closed body and the earlier of the two limousines: 2 generation 0.8 MT, Limousine, 1929–1931, 15 hp / 11 kW, 747 Gasoline, 4 Inline, Manual 3, RWD. Versus 1 generation, the arithmetic on power and displacement is 0. Versus 3 generation, the same.

If you want a closed body and the last production window: 3 generation 0.8 MT, Limousine, 1931–1932, 15 hp / 11 kW, 747 Gasoline, 4 Inline, Manual 3, RWD. Versus 2 generation 0.8 MT, every measured engine and drivetrain number is identical; the difference is years (1931–1932 versus 1929–1931), not horsepower.

If you hoped extra money bought a stronger engine: this dataset does not list a second displacement, a second horsepower, an automatic, a different drive, or boost other than No. There is no 20 hp row and no larger-than-747 row. Specific output stays ≈20.1 hp/l on all three 0.8 MT entries.

If you are matching a search for DA 1 / DA 2 / Dixi 1929: use generation and body from this table, not a renamed version string. The modification name to keep as a link anchor is 0.8 MT. 1929 appears on 1 generation (stop 1929-12-31) and 2 generation (start 1929-01-01). A 1929 car in this catalogue is either Cabrio 0.8 MT (1 generation) or Limousine 0.8 MT (2 generation). A 1931 car is either Limousine 0.8 MT 2 generation (stop 1931-12-31) or Limousine 0.8 MT 3 generation (start 1931-01-01). Body plus dates, not a second hp figure, is how you tell them apart.

Chassis fields that do not break the tie: front suspension Dependent, leaf spring and front brakes Drum on all three 0.8 MT rows. Rear suspension and rear brakes not measured on all three. You cannot pick a generation for a different listed rear axle or rear brake type.

Price and for sale: this catalogue has no price, no asking price, and no sale listings. “BMW 3-15 price” and “BMW 3-15 for sale” cannot be answered with a number from these data.

Reliability / problems: not in the data. Do not invent failure modes. The measured comparison stops at 15 hp, 11 kW, 747, Gasoline, 4 Inline, boost No, Manual 3, RWD, Cabrio versus Limousine, and the three date ranges.

Short pick: same engine three times — 0.8 MT at 15 hp / 11 kW and 747 in every generation. Choose 1 generation 0.8 MT for Cabrio (1927–1929). Choose 2 generation 0.8 MT for Limousine in 1929–1931. Choose 3 generation 0.8 MT for Limousine in 1931–1932. Nothing in the numbers pays you more power, more gears, or a different drive for picking a later generation.