What if BMW named its cars? E30 could've been...?

[Andrew325is]

Yep, 325e is 2.7 liter. Early M10 316 & 316i are 1.8 liter. So the naming hasn't really ever matched the displacement. As far as I can tell it represents relative performance within the lineup. So just marketing basically.

[Andrew325is]

But E30s aren't even E30s.

What do you mean?

[e30davie]

Yes. Damn you BMW.

[E30SPDFRK]

Are we all forgetting the fact that 325e's are 2.7l?

[roguetoaster]

They should've made electric cars and called all of them turbos.

[lukeADE335i]

I'm not sure when it started but the numbers began not meaning the engine capacity. seems these days you can get a 323i and a 325i and a 330i that has the same engine capacity, maybe even the same engine? just more horsepower. different tuning, and turbos, who knows. All of the confusion.

That started straight after the e30! The e36 323i had a 2.5L engine - the 323i basically had the spec level of the 318i, with a slightly detuned 325i engine.

I like the simplicity of the 3/5/7 series naming too, can't really picture what BMW would have named their cars asides from the 7 series adopting the Bavaria name.

[packratbimmer]

The EH DRY-SIG

[ZeKahr]

BMW Roundel - named after the badge
BMW Rapp - named after one of the founders

BMW had a good thing going where the "name" of the car described it (ie 318i, 3 series , 1.8L engine, 325i, 3 series 2.5L engine) - this seems like a very german way to do it. i like it. no questions.

I'm not sure when it started but the numbers began not meaning the engine capacity. seems these days you can get a 323i and a 325i and a 330i that has the same engine capacity, maybe even the same engine? just more horsepower. different tuning, and turbos, who knows. All of the confusion.

I’m surprised they still haven’t dropped the “i” moniker. It made sense to use it back when cars were transitioning from carbs to EFI but today damn near every car is fuel injected. Maybe it’s for marketing purposes

[e30davie]

BMW had a good thing going where the "name" of the car described it (ie 318i, 3 series , 1.8L engine, 325i, 3 series 2.5L engine) - this seems like a very german way to do it. i like it. no questions.

I'm not sure when it started but the numbers began not meaning the engine capacity. seems these days you can get a 323i and a 325i and a 330i that has the same engine capacity, maybe even the same engine? just more horsepower. different tuning, and turbos, who knows. All of the confusion.

[roguetoaster]

This is sacrilege. E30 is the best name for the E30.

But E30s aren't even E30s.

[AndrewBird]

Götterwagen

[Andrew325is]

This is sacrilege. E30 is the best name for the E30.

[roguetoaster]

Haifisch
Streitwagon

[E30-325iS]

The BMW R3V

[E30Gus]

I was thinking "Carl"