{"id":76572,"date":"2024-09-05T14:11:13","date_gmt":"2024-09-05T18:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=76572"},"modified":"2024-09-05T14:11:13","modified_gmt":"2024-09-05T18:11:13","slug":"bmw-naming-conventions-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=76572","title":{"rendered":"Decoding BMW’s Naming Conventions: From Classics to EVs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Through the years, BMW has introduced and discontinued a number of nameplates, naming conventions, and trim levels. Keeping it all straight can be a bit of a hassle \u2013 even for enthusiasts. We\u2019ve got you covered \u2013 here\u2019s BMW naming through the years, explained.<\/p>\n

Classic BMW Naming Conventions<\/h2>\n

So, let\u2019s start at the very beginning. Early on, BMW\u2019s naming was a lot more confusing than it is today. The first car BMW brought to customers was the BMW 3\/15 PS<\/a>. \u201cPS\u201d stood for the German equivalent of \u201chorsepower,\u201d and the 3 stood for how much of that horsepower could be considered taxable. BMW took a number of approaches to naming in the decades that followed, including a few models that got actual, honest-to-goodness names. The final one was the BMW Isetta, produced from 1962. BMW started naming models based on engine displacement beginning with the Neue Klasse models \u2013 i.e., the 2002<\/a> sported a 2.0-liter. The \u201c02\u201d at the end designated the number of doors. Four-door models typically sported a \u201c00\u201d suffix.<\/p>\n

BMW\u2019s naming habits started more closely aligning with what we see today in the 1970s. The 520i was the first that used a badge that followed the cleaner Series-followed-by-displacement convention that many of us know and love today. Also introduced around this time were ultra-sporty CS (Coupe Sport) and CSL designations (Coupe Sport Lightweight [construction])<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Modern BMW Naming Conventions<\/h2>\n

The 520i introduced a few details into the mix. First, model numbers. The 5 Series, followed by the 3 Series in 1975, replaced the Neue Klasse cars, and things got simplified. The first number denoted the Series of the vehicle \u2013 which, over time, took on a \u201csmallest-to-biggest\u201d scale ranging from the 1 Series to the 7 Series. Following the Series comes engine displacement. A model like the original 520i, for example, featured a 2.0-liter engine. Then, there\u2019s fueling.<\/p>\n

One now-repurposed suffix you might see on older BMW vehicles is the \u201ce\u201d designation, as in 325e<\/a>. These \u201ceta\u201d motors optimized low-end torque. The idea was to cater to the American motorists who were accustomed to torquey V8s. They\u2019re also fuel-injected, despite the \u201ci\u201d after other models that ostensibly stands for fuel injection. If you see a \u201cd\u201d or \u201ce\u201d at the end, it\u2019s a diesel or hybrid model, respectively. Of course, much of this naming changed with turbocharging, new models, and the introduction of BMW SUVs.<\/p>\n

BMW dubbed their SUV models the X Series, likely to keep familiarity strong with the xDrive all-wheel drive nomenclature they\u2019d already introduced. Naming followed a similar logic that it did on the other models, with a number from one through seven denoting size and luxury. Trim levels, like xDrive30i, denoted drivetrain layout and engine displacement.<\/p>\n

Alongside all these changes, BMW also introduced new body styles. The ti\/tii models<\/a> \u2013 standing for Turismo Internazionale and Turismo Internationale Iniezione, respectively \u2013 translated to Touring International and Touring International Injection in Italian. You can find them on models from the 2002 to the E36 compact and beyond. Similarly, GT models \u2013 Gran Turismo \u2013 were introduced bridging the gap between sedan and wagons. Long wheelbase \u2013 L models \u2013 arrived for shoppers who wanted to be chauffeured rather than drive themselves.<\/p>\n

BMW M Models and Naming Conventions<\/h2>\n

The first BMW M badge appeared on the M1, but it wasn\u2019t until the BMW M535i<\/a> appeared in 1979 that BMW Motorsport became a producer of series production cars. The BMW M5 and BMW M3 followed, again, with similar naming conventions running parallel to non-M variants. We saw GTS<\/a> (Grand Touring Sport, presumably) models crop up in the later generations, followed by a reimagination of what CS means. Today, it stands for Competition Sport rather than Coupe Sport. CSL is now \u201cCompetition, Sport, Lightweight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Future and EV BMW Naming Conventions<\/h2>\n

BMW has recently announced that they\u2019re dropping the \u201ci\u201d from the end of future gas-powered models, too. So, that\u2019s a big change. The first one is the 1 Series, appropriately, so you\u2019ll only see models like the BMW 120 and BMW M135<\/a>. Furthermore, models like the i4 and iX designate full electrification by their \u201ci\u201d prefix. The \u201ce\u201d no longer refers to eta engines \u2013 now it\u2019s for hybrid power. A notable exception to both rules is the BMW i8 \u2013 a hybrid. As the EV lineup grows, you\u2019ll see names like the iX2, iX3 \u2013 which are already available in some markets \u2013 and more.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s in a Name, Anyway?<\/h2>\n

While we did our best to touch on the most common names, we invariably missed some that didn\u2019t fit nicely into the timeline. The CSi suffix briefly existed after the Neue Klasse cars left production, which stood for Coupe Sport Injection. The extremely limited-production M3 CRT<\/a> boasted Carbon Racing Technology, an abbreviation yet to appear anywhere else. Ci and iS, too, have gone the way of the dodo. The former was a coupe and convertible designation; the former denoted Sport-Package coupe cars. Finally, the Z Series is a run of two-seater coupes and convertibles made from 1990-ish into the present day.<\/p>\n

BMW\u2019s abbreviations are varied and, sometimes, inconsistent. Hopefully we made it a little easier to stumble your way through it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Through the years, BMW has introduced and discontinued a number of nameplates, naming conventions, and trim levels. Keeping it all straight can be a bit of a hassle \u2013 even for enthusiasts. We\u2019ve got you covered \u2013 here\u2019s BMW naming through the years, explained. Classic BMW Naming Conventions So, let\u2019s start at the very beginning. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":76573,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-76572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=76572"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76572\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/76573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=76572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=76572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=76572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}