Blaupunkt car radios — serial number, BP prefix and which cars

For decades, Blaupunkt was Europe's largest OEM radio manufacturer. From the VW Golf Alpha of the nineties to the Ford 6000 CD in the Focus Mk1: behind many familiar dashboard panels sat Blaupunkt technology, even when the logo belonged to the car manufacturer.

Blaupunkt is a German electronics and audio company, founded in 1924 in Berlin as Ideal-Werk. The name Blaupunkt — literally "blue dot" — refers to the quality stamp that employees stuck onto approved headphones. The company soon grew into one of Europe's leading car radio manufacturers.

For many years, Blaupunkt was a subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH. During this period, Blaupunkt supplied OEM radios to virtually every major European car manufacturer. In 2009, Bosch sold off the Blaupunkt consumer electronics division. The brand has since existed as a licensing name, but OEM production for car brands has ceased.

Volkswagen was Blaupunkt's largest and longest-standing OEM customer. The partnership ran from the earliest in-dash car radios to the navigation systems of the 2000s.

Alpha, Beta and Gamma

In the nineties, the Golf III and IV had three fixed radio options: the Alpha, Beta and Gamma. All three were Blaupunkt productions, supplied under the VW label. The naming indicated the specification level:

• Alpha — basic radio, cassette or single CD
• Beta — mid-range, CD with RDS
• Gamma — top model, sometimes with both cassette and CD or early navigation preparation

RCD series: when is it Blaupunkt, when isn't it?

The RCD series that Volkswagen used is a multi-supplier system. Blaupunkt produced some variants, while Grundig and Bosch made others. For the RCD 300 and RCD 310 (Golf V, Polo IV), the manufacturer is usually Grundig/Bosch. The RNS 310 — the DVD navigation system in the Golf V and Touran I — is a Blaupunkt product. The RNS 510 (HDD navigation with touchscreen) is made by Continental.

The serial number always starts with VWZ on Volkswagen radios, regardless of the actual manufacturer. If you want to know whether it's a Blaupunkt, look at the type designation on the unit itself.

You can read more about VW radios on the specific model pages, such as Golf V or Polo IV.

Opel worked with Blaupunkt for years on OEM audio in models ranging from the Corsa to the Vectra.

CD30 and CDC40

The CD30 was the standard radio in many Opel models of the early 2000s. The CDC 40 Opera — a system with a separate CD changer mounted in the boot — was a Blaupunkt product that Opel used in the Astra G and Zafira A.

The CD40 and CD70 Navi (navigation system) that followed later are made by Continental/VDO — no longer by Blaupunkt.

How to read the serial number on Opel radios is explained on the model pages, for example Opel Astra H or Opel Corsa D.

The Ford 6000 CD — the most common radio in the Ford range of the early 2000s — was produced by Blaupunkt. You'll find it in the Focus Mk1, Mondeo Mk3 and Fiesta Mk5.

On the Blaupunkt versions of the Ford 6000 CD, you use the M-code system (hold buttons 2+6 while switching on the ignition). This produces a code in the format M + six digits.

Later Ford models such as the Focus Mk2 and Fiesta Mk6 use Visteon units with the V-code system. For more information, see the Ford Focus Mk2 page.

Blaupunkt also supplied radios to the PSA group (Peugeot and Citroën), under the designation RD4. The RD4 was the standard radio in models such as the Peugeot 207, 307 and Citroën C3, C4 — depending on the year of manufacture and the market.

The RD4 works with the Renault-style PRE-code system (buttons 1+6), but the exact procedure varies by model. On some PSA models, the serial number is on a sticker in the glovebox; on others, you'll have to remove the radio.

Blaupunkt radios that weren't released under a car brand label — think aftermarket units or units outside the OEM chain — have a serial number that starts with BP. This prefix is the most reliable feature for confirming that a unit is a Blaupunkt production.

For OEM units that Blaupunkt produced for car manufacturers, the serial number format of that manufacturer applies:

Note: not every VWZ serial number belongs to a Blaupunkt unit. The car brand number only tells you that the code belongs to that car brand, not who built the radio.

A brief overview of cars that came with a Blaupunkt OEM radio from the factory:

Volkswagen

• Golf III (1991–1997) — Alpha, Beta, Gamma
• Golf IV (1997–2003) — Beta, Gamma, early RCD variants
• Golf V (2003–2008) — RNS 310 (navigation)
• Polo IV (2001–2009) — RNS 310 (navigation)
• Touran I (2003–2006) — RNS 310

Opel

• Astra G (1998–2004) — CDC 40 Opera
• Astra H (2004–2009) — CD30 (early examples)
• Zafira A (1999–2005) — CDC 40 Opera
• Corsa C (2000–2006) — various Blaupunkt OEM units
• Vectra B (1995–2002) — various Blaupunkt OEM units

Ford

• Focus Mk1 (1998–2004) — Ford 6000 CD
• Mondeo Mk3 (2000–2007) — Ford 6000 CD
• Fiesta Mk5 (2002–2008) — Ford 6000 CD

PSA

• Peugeot 307 (2001–2007) — RD4
• Peugeot 207 (2006–2012) — RD4 (early examples)
• Citroën C4 I (2004–2010) — RD4

This is not an exhaustive list. Blaupunkt also supplied Fiat, Alfa Romeo and early BMW models in the nineties.

Requesting the code for a Blaupunkt OEM radio works via the serial number of the specific unit. That serial number starts with BP (open market) or with the prefix of the car brand (OEM).

Not sure which radio is fitted in your car? Check the page for your specific model for step-by-step instructions.