1997 BMW 740i — Base Model
The 1997 BMW 740i Base Model came from the factory equipped with 235/60R16 tires. If your vehicle has since been fitted with aftermarket or upsized wheels, your actual tire size may no longer match this factory spec — always confirm against your door placard before buying.
235/60R16
| Section width | 235 mm |
|---|---|
| Aspect ratio (sidewall height) | 60% (141 mm) |
| Rim diameter | 16" |
| Overall tire diameter | ~27.1" |
| Revolutions per mile | ~744 |
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What this size means for your BMW 740i
On the 1997 BMW 740i Base Model, the factory 235/60R16 measures about 27.1″ in overall diameter with a 141 mm (5.6″) sidewall, and completes roughly 744 revolutions per mile. Its 60-series aspect ratio gives a taller, comfort-biased sidewall that favors ride quality and shrugs off rough pavement. In tire terms it is a passenger (P-metric / Euro-metric) size.
On a vehicle of this age, the BMW 740i 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.
BMW 740i tire sizes by year
- 2026 BMW 740i 255/45R20 (Front) / 285/40R20 (Rear) / 255/40R21 (Front) / 285/35R21 (Rear)
- 2025 BMW 740i 255/45R20 (Front) / 285/40R20 (Rear) / 255/40R21 (Front) / 285/35R21 (Rear)
- 2024 BMW 740i 255/45R20 (Front) / 285/40R20 (Rear) / 255/40R21 (Front) / 285/35R21 (Rear)
- 2023 BMW 740i 255/45R20 (Front) / 285/40R20 (Rear) / 255/40R21 (Front) / 285/35R21 (Rear)
- 2022 BMW 740i 245/50R18 / 245/45R19
- 2021 BMW 740i 245/50R18 / 245/45R19
- 2020 BMW 740i 245/50R18 / 245/45R19
- 2019 BMW 740i 245/50R18 / 245/45R19
- 2018 BMW 740i 245/50R18 / 245/45R19
- 2017 BMW 740i 245/50R18 / 245/45R19
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.