Between 2003 and 2019, versions of the Alstom Coradia adapted for Italy and designed by Giugiaro were built as the “Meridian”. The first was the “Minuetto”, which was built as the electric ALe.501/502 and as the diesel-hydraulic ALn.501/502 and was bought by other railway companies in addition to the FS. The second generation is formed by the five-car ETR.245, which Trenord is using for the Malpensa Express since 2008. The third generation is operated under the brand name “Jazz”. There is the four-car ETR.324, the five-car ETR.425 and the six-car ETR.526.

The oldest variant of the Networker family that was built in series was the class 165. To distinguish it from the electric variants, it was later called “Networker Turbo”. They were ordered by Network SouthEast for service in the Thames Valley and Chiltern Region and are therefore also known as “Thames Turbos” and “Chiltern Turbos”.

The sets consist of two or three cars, all of which are powered. Under the floor of each car is a six-cylinder turbo diesel from Perkins with a displacement of 12.2 liters and an output of 350 hp. The power is transmitted to both axles of a bogie via a hydraulic gearbox from Voith. The top speed is basically 75 mph. 

The basic variant 165/0 was built 28 times as two-car sets and eleven times as three-car sets. Some of the trains use part of the London Underground lines and have therefore got the tripcock system. In addition, the class 165/1 was built 18 times as two-car sets and 19 times as three-car sets. These received a modified gear ratio for 90 mph and yaw dampers on the bogies to be used on main lines.

For longer distances, the class 166 was built from 1992, which, like the 165/1, can reach 90 mph. In addition to an adapted interior, this has air conditioning and additional toilets in contrast to the 165. Here 21 sets were created, all of which have three cars.

Since the privatization of British Railways, the trains have changed operators several times. Today all are owned by the Great Western Railway and Chiltern Railway. Later, many Class 165 trains also received air conditioning and interior modernization, while the first class compartments were partially replaced with second class. Some trains were moved to the Bristol area following the electrification of the Great Western Main Line, others were replaced with class 168 or class 180 diesel multiple units and then moved to more remote areas. To date, only one class 165 set has been scrapped after an accident.

The SNCF's largest order to date were the “Autorail à grande capacité” multiple units. The goal was to replace the previously locomotive-hauled TER trains in regional traffic. They are offered for diesel and electric traction, with the B 81500 and B 82500 combining both types of power. They can run sections with overhead lines electrically with an output of 1,900 kW, while two diesel engines with a total of 1,324 kW are used for non-electrified sections. While the B 81500 is only designed for 1,500 volts direct current and consists of three or four cars, the three-car B 82500 can also be used under 25,000 volts alternating current. All variants have a powered bogie at each end and Jakobs bogies between the cars.

The Desiro Classic represents the original design of the Desiro series. It was introduced in 2000 with the DB Regio class 642, which is still the largest operator of the Desiro Classic today. The vehicles each consist of two car bodies, which rest in the middle on a common Jakobs bogie. Each car is powered by an underfloor diesel engine from MAN or MTU, which is available with an output of 275, 315, 335 or 360 kW. Power is transmitted via a hydromechanical five-speed gearbox. The vehicles are equipped with fully automatic Scharfenberg couplings and can be operated with each other in multiple. A planned multiple operation with vehicles of the other DB series 64x was not implemented due to a lack of suitable software.

The trains are often used on branch lines on which the use of locomotive-hauled trains no longer made economic sense and some of which were about to be closed down. On some routes, such as the Gräfenberg Railway from Nuremberg to Gräfenberg, now only vehicles from this class are used that can run an optimal timetable for their performance profile. Thanks to the automatic couplings, it is possible to split the trains at the designated points and thus implement winging without the need for additional personnel. Depending on the operator and the route, the vehicles are used with different interior fittings. There are vehicles that have a total of 12 seats in first class and 98 seats in second class, as well as vehicles without first class.

In Germany, DB Regio operates 234 Desiro Classic and four other operators a total of 53 more. Abroad, the largest contingent consists of 120 examples of the Romanian CFR class 96, followed by 60 Austrian ones, which are used as class 5022. A total of 167 other vehicles can be found within Europe in Denmark, Greece, Slovenia and Hungary. Overseas, the sole operator is the North County Transit District, which operates a network in northern San Diego County, California. Twelve Desiro Classics are used there as NCTD Sprinters, which have been maintained by a consortium of Veolia and Bombardier since 2009. The vehicles have more powerful air conditioning and made negative headlines in 2013 due to a temporary shutdown due to excessive wear on the brakes.

As a diesel-powered variant of the British Desiros, the class 185 was created for the TransPennine Express. The order was placed in 2003 as part of a franchise between TPE parent company First and Keolis, which included the ordering of 56 three-car trains and the construction of associated maintenance facilities. Ultimately, only 51 trains were purchased, which were delivered in 2006 and 2007. Built at the former Uerdingen waggon factory, the vehicles replaced the Class 158 Sprinter units and the leased Class 175 Alstom Coradia.

The requirements for the vehicles included a top speed of 100 mph and at the same time good acceleration, since the area of operation was in a hilly landscape. The required performance was achieved through the use of a Cummins QSK19 with 750 hp per car and the power transmission via a hydraulic three-speed gearbox from Voith. These each drive both axles from one bogie and enable an acceleration of 1.1 mph per second.

Starting in 2007, Siemens and TransPennine Express tested a so-called “Eco-Mode” that automatically switches off individual engines depending on the driving situation. Because only two engines are running when driving downhill and one engine when shunting, a fuel saving of 7% and a 15% increase in the service life of the engines could be achieved. However, since this system led to problems, it was deactivated again for the affected trains and not pursued further.