BMW naming rationale

[raisemyrent]

OK,

so WHY did BMW go astray from their old method of giving them the number according to engine size? It appears as though this has carried over through all the series now... some people have ASSURED me that I MUST be wrong when telling them that my future 135i will have a 3.0L engine...

Also, the old "i" after the name refers to fuel injection, from the days when it was something to brag about... but it doesn't convey the fact that the car is ALSO a turbo..., so shouldn't it be called something like: 130ti? or 130tti?

oh and what's with the 1 series concept being called "tii".

It's all german for me, and I speak german, so somebody please explain.

[GT3]

Originally Posted by raisemyrent

OK,

so WHY did BMW go astray from their old method of giving them the number according to engine size? It appears as though this has carried over through all the series now... some people have ASSURED me that I MUST be wrong when telling them that my future 135i will have a 3.0L engine...

Also, the old "i" after the name refers to fuel injection, from the days when it was something to brag about... but it doesn't convey the fact that the car is ALSO a turbo..., so shouldn't it be called something like: 130ti? or 130tti?

oh and what's with the 1 series concept being called "tii".

It's all german for me, and I speak german, so somebody please explain.

All good questions...and I have no answers.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that ponders such things. :smile:

[Dan203]

I believe there is a 130i in Germany and it's a hatchback. The last hatchback BMW sold here didn't go over so well, so they never released the 130i in the US. I think the 135i moniker is just to differentiate it from the 130i in countries where that car is available. (kind of like version 3.5 of software. It's got enough changes to make it different, but not enough to warrant an entire version number bump)

Dan

[Red135]

Yes, the last two digits do refer to the size of the engine. But also to the version of the engine.
325 - 2.5L 195hp
326 - 3.0L 215hp
328/330 - 3.0L 230hp
530 - 3.0L 260hp
135/335/535 - 3.0TT 300hp

Since the 326, it is the same block with different arrangements to produce more hp noted by the third letter. BMW also previously lettered cars with an 's' for Sport (continues in the X- and Z- series) and and a 'c' for coupe.

[AchtungF80]

IIRC there was never a BMW 326...

Going back to E36 generation...

318i/is - 1.8L / 1.9L M42/44 engine 138hp and 140hp
323i/is - 2.5L 168HP
325i/is/ - 2.5L 189hp M50 engine vanos and non vanos
328i/is - 2.8L 193hp M52 engine Vanos

Then E46 generation

325i/ci - 2.5L
328i/ci - 2.8L
330i/ci - 3.0L

Then e90 generation (where they really went out of wack)

325i/328i - 2.8L later 3.0L in 2007
330i - 3.0L
335i - 3.0L TT

[Red135]

Originally Posted by AchtungE30

IIRC there was never a BMW 326...

Going back to E36 generation...

318i/is - 1.8L / 1.9L M42/44 engine 138hp and 140hp
323i/is - 2.5L 168HP
325i/is/ - 2.5L 189hp M50 engine vanos and non vanos
328i/is - 2.8L 193hp M52 engine Vanos

Then E46 generation

325i/ci - 2.5L
328i/ci - 2.8L
330i/ci - 3.0L

Then e90 generation (where they really went out of wack)

325i/328i - 2.8L later 3.0L in 2007
330i - 3.0L
335i - 3.0L TT

My bad. So glad you pointed it out.

[AchtungF80]

It drives me nuts too. Just to be a lil rebel, I wanna put an S at the end of 135i, just to pay homage.

[Red135]

Originally Posted by AchtungE30

It drives me nuts too. Just to be a lil rebel, I wanna put an S at the end of 135i, just to pay homage.

Well, then, don't forget the 'c'.:roundel:

[larryn]

My 1st BMW, a 1986 325es, had a 2.7 litre eta motor. That can't be the first "misbadged" car either.

I think it's like a lot of other car companies, and they have marketing name them...

[Tom K.]

Frank is correct (except that, IIRC, the earliest E46 2.5 liter was also called a 323). Apparently badging a 3 litre turbo as a 335i implies the equivalent of additional displacement. BTW, since BMW hasn't built a carbureated engine in years, does anyone know why they don't drop the "i"?
Also, up to the E90 series, "t" signified "touring" or station wagon - but now they aren't touring anymore, they're "sport wagons". Sort of like the X3 & X5 not being called SUVs - they are known as SAVs - "Sport Activity Vehicles".
Tom

[raisemyrent]

they're crazy

we should rebadge: 130sCtti

128s will turn into: 130Ci

God forbid they ever release an AWD version.

[WhiteOne]

I heard the numbering will all change next year. We will have to wait and see what they come up with.(true displacements?)

[BMW Dreamer]

135MsCtti

[Mad Dragon]

...

[Red135]

Sweet. We could drive 135csi. Everybody loves CSI...

[Red135]

Let us not forget the 'L'. Gotta love the Long wheel base.

[j330xi]

An early if not the first "misbadged" car was the 1979 745i which had a turbocharged engine. It was originally fitted with a specially-prepared 3.2 L type-M30 six cylinder engine and a turbocharger producing 10 psi of boost, BMW engine code M102. 249 hp/185 kW

BMW stated the the "extra 1.3 liters" was the effect of the turbo, thus making the engine the equal of a 4.5 liter

[Tom K.]

So the 135i should really be a 143i!

Personally I always thought the MB "super light" 190 SL was quite a misnomer.
Tom

[WhiteOne]

@14.7psi it would be 160CIS ?

[lamini]

I am glad they use numbers instead of some made up word like other makes do.

[spudw]

Originally Posted by WhiteOne

I heard the numbering will all change next year. We will have to wait and see what they come up with.(true displacements?)

If that is true, I'll bet good $$ that we'll have a 130i Coupe (to replace the current 128i) and it'll have 20-30 more bhp and a sightly elevated price. I'll go further and say that it'll be joined by an entry-level 123i or 125i (~210 bhp) priced at about US$25K, and the 135i will become the M135i with performance enhancements, more standard features and elevated price over the 2008 model.

All conjecture, of course. But that's how I'd have done it in the first place.

Originally Posted by lamini

I am glad they use numbers instead of some made up word like other makes do.

I can see it now... The BMW Impreza...

[AchtungF80]

I think it just got worse.
I read that the new X6 is going be designated xDrive3.0 and xDrive4.4 for its new engines...saw this badging at NYIAS.