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BMW uses an in-house code to designate different models. This is still called an "E code" due to all beginning with the letter E until 2008, when they moved onto F having reached just under the number 100 with the E designation.
The E started as the beginning letter of the word "Entwicklung", or loosely 'development'.
For example, an E30 is the 3 series 1982-1991. E36 is 3 Series 1992-1998, and so on. Each E/F car has a 6-year life span nowadays.
Our Z4s are E89, the previous generation was E85/6, and the Z3 was E36/7 (the /6 or /7 indicates the coupe versions of those cars)
Hope that helps. You can find a full list of all E (and now F) codes using Uncle Google.
Those of us who talk BMWS often tend to use the E code instead of the model designation as BMW has had some models in production continuously for decades, the 5 series being the longest example. So, it makes more sense to simply say E34 to indicate the third-generation five series rather than saying, well, "the third generation 5 series". Same with E89 to mean our Z4s vs the E85 Z4.
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