[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by DanG

I wouldn't trade my M235i in for an M4 and that is coming from a previous M3 owner.

bet you would for an m2....wish m235i came stock with a diff...would be even that much more better.

[Killramos]

Just remember how much people wined about the 1M for it's shortcomings etc. It's the best damn car that has come out of M in years.

Things change. Bmw says the M Performance cars are a new thing.

In 2 years there will be a whole line up and no one will question the name. He'll there are already 3 currently! (M135i, M235i, M50d)

I will be honest I wouldn't have bought the car without the M badge so it worked on me. PS I love this car way more than our clunky V10 M6, no ones mad about that name though...

[deathsliver]

Originally Posted by ckfraser

I picked up my M235i over the weekend. Absolutely love it. Now, I've really only gotten two comments about it.

1. Is that an M3?
2. That isn't a real M. Take those badges off.

Pretty polarizing comments. I figured I'd ask, what's wrong with the name M235i? I don't really see the fuss about it, and I've left some justification below.

1. Its got more horsepower and torque than the 335i/435i/535i.
2. The M Performance cars have been around for a long time. (read: M635 CSi, M525i, M535d, M135i.)
3. Calling it a 235is doesn't have as much caché as using the M logo. If it attracts more buyers, then BMW will keep building these types of cars. Great.

What do you think? Anything wrong with the name?

Those comments were never made to me.

[deathsliver]

Originally Posted by mjposner

This is solely to compete with Audi

228i = A3
M235i=S3
M2=RS3

M235i is slathered with M badges, too ,uch cosmetic and not enough M to really deserve this, would have personally preferred 235is. Already took off side badges, but the BMWCCA Club convinced me to leave back badge on the car.

The s3 is 4 doors right? Not a direct competitor IMHO.

[MikeASU09]

There's nothing wrong with the name. People are too lazy to do 6 and a half minutes of background research - asking and assuming are much easier. To them, convenience > knowledge.

The m235i name follows perfect suit for what the vehicle stands for and is. Those who either confuse it with a proper M vehicle or contest that it's no where near a proper M vehicle are both ignorant and oblivious. Just wave as they drive off in their Camry hyrbid...

[jbenington86]

We could just piss people off and debadge the 35i and leave the M2 ....but that just wouldn't look right in the first place....I would have been fine with the name 235i and not even 235is...I originally wanted a 135i but they change it to the M235i so blame BMW

[five3three]

Originally Posted by jbenington86

We could just piss people off and debadge the 35i and leave the M2

And you know what, most people probably wouldn't even know the difference. Not everybody is a car nut like us who can tell subtle differences between the M's and the non-M's.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by five3three

And you know what, most people probably wouldn't even know the difference. Not everybody is a car nut like us who can tell subtle differences between the M's and the non-M's.

I said something very similar in another thread on the topic a while back. Literally the only people who give a shit are those knowledgable enough to catch the subtlety of the argument in the first place. So if you're having the argument, you know what the car is and what it isn't and you're arguing over some marketing bs.

[jmjordan]

I won't be surprised at all if they rename it to the 235i (or 240i) when the M2 arrives.

[DanG]

BMW has been playing around with M badges for a long time. I had a 318ti that had M badges on both sides from the factory.

[Jimmer]

Originally Posted by jbenington86

We could just piss people off and debadge the 35i and leave the M2 ....but that just wouldn't look right in the first place....I would have been fine with the name 235i and not even 235is...I originally wanted a 135i but they change it to the M235i so blame BMW

I love this..... Maybe I should...

I had a guy on the weekend look at it and say to his buddy "fancy new BMW, that's $100G right there." When they walked by the back he said "oh shit, that's an M, that's $150G then!". They got in their Ford F150 and drove off.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by Jimmer

I love this..... Maybe I should...

I had a guy on the weekend look at it and say to his buddy "fancy new BMW, that's $100G right there." When they walked by the back he said "oh shit, that's an M, that's $150G then!". They got in their Ford F150 and drove off.

Great story.

[david.orr]

Originally Posted by jbenington86

We could just piss people off and debadge the 35i and leave the M2 ....but that just wouldn't look right in the first place....I would have been fine with the name 235i and not even 235is...I originally wanted a 135i but they change it to the M235i so blame BMW

I'm contemplating debadging the M or all of it when mine arrives

[3.0L]

Some of the better known car magazines that reviewed the first available M235i went more or less "Able Sugar" over all of the M badges. Not only did they gripe about the use of the M, they bitched heavily about the quantity. To listen to them, you'd think the car was an M badge billboard. In reality, very few are visible on a passing vehicle, not to mention only an enthusiast would notice... or care.

Beyond that, I've grown to like the M badges. The 2 on the fenders are small and fairly discrete. The only one that's really clear from a distance is one on the trunk lid. The badges on the wheels and brakes are very small and difficult to spot when the car is moving, so no big deal there.

So now that the M235i has been on the streets for a few months, plus the plethora of reviews, road tests, videos and magazine articles, I think folks are beginning to understand that this is an M Performance car. Nothing wrong with that.

I like it

[E46toF22]

Originally Posted by ckfraser

I picked up my M235i over the weekend. Absolutely love it. Now, I've really only gotten two comments about it.

1. Is that an M3?
2. That isn't a real M. Take those badges off.

Pretty polarizing comments. I figured I'd ask, what's wrong with the name M235i? I don't really see the fuss about it, and I've left some justification below.

Just noticed you're in Halifax - jeez, I thought people in the Maritimes were way easier going than that (at least they seemed that way when I spent a week in NS). I'm expecting I'll get comments like that in the Centre of the Universe where I am (JK about that whole CoU thing - honest! ), but not down east.

I really don't see why people should have an issue with the idea of an M235i if they don't have an issue with Audi "S" cars instead of "RS" models, or Mercedes with "AMG" plastered on them when there are 3 digits after the class letter on the trunk instead of 2. I have to think that in a while, when there are more M235's and other M Performance models out there, people will relax a bit. And look - there are already 2 fewer ///M badges on the 2015's, so we're down to what, 14 or so? What are people complaining about???

And I agree with 3.0L - at 0-100 km/h in 5 seconds, are that many people going to be noticing the tiny ///M's on the wheels?

[escobar929]

Originally Posted by pikcachu

I don't remember the 135is coming with m sport package standard or m sport brakes either.... but maybe i'm wrong... neither offering an LSD for it

both the 135i and the 135is came w/ M-sport and M-sport brakes standard but neither came w/ an optional LSD

I dont hate the name but would have preferred if it was named 235i, just to avoid the hassle of having to explain it to people

and its not like there's no precedence, the e28 came as an M535i and M5

[2+3=5]

What's wrong with the name M235i? absolutely nothing...
BMW could have named it WTF - which has what my friend kept saying after test driving mine last night

[dan99]

What if i told that bmw have done this nomenclature before in the past? In 1985 bmw had the model e28 m535i. This naming strategy is nothing new.

http://www.bmwmregistry.com/model_faq.php?id=6

[Alpine F31]

Originally Posted by zkeeper

some people think they are the purveyors of purity, when much of it is simple jealousy or insecurity.

BAM!

Extremely well said!

[mjposner]

"Literally the only people who give a shit are those knowledgeable enough to catch the subtlety of the argument in the first place."

I disagree, I see this as a way to get partially knowledgeable people to spend 50 large on a 135is. Its like the fake Ms on 328s and 745s

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by mjposner

"Literally the only people who give a shit are those knowledgeable enough to catch the subtlety of the argument in the first place."

I disagree, I see this as a way to get partially knowledgeable people to spend 50 large on a 135is. Its like the fake Ms on 328s and 745s

Fair point. I specifically meant those who have a problem with the name and think it should be a 235is or something similar. Regardless of what they call the car or why anyone buys it, for $50k it's undoubtedly one if the best values out there. Luckily debadging is easy and free mod for those of us who think BMW got it wrong.

[ckfraser]

Glad everyone agrees. I kind of like the name, personally.

@E46toF22 Don't worry, I understand the whole 'Centre of the Universe' thing. I'm originally from Ottawa. I've experienced it.