[tturedraider]

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The sad state of affairs with BMW honoring their history continues.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a6...Awl7QMxA2bmk7L

[cooolone2]

More move to chase away the faithful...

[Burrcold]

It's the M in front of these model names that they should be getting rid of, not the i.

[ekinnee]

I get it, it's so that there's just BMWs not ICE BMWs and EV BMWs as noted by the "i" and "e" designation.

[///MPhatic]

BMW lost me when they named the 2-dr an M4 and the 4-dr an M3.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

I gave up on modern BMW after they started M'ing up everything

[DanG]

Sad day when i(njection) is dropped. Long history behind the i.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

I gave up on modern BMW after they started M'ing up everything

I think the worst day is when they killed the DCT.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

It's the M in front of these model names that they should be getting rid of, not the i.

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

I gave up on modern BMW after they started M'ing up everything

The Motorsport designation began with the E12 M535i in 1979, so it’s been around for 45 years. It’s nothing new.

https://www.bmw-m.com/en/topics/maga...m535i-e12.html

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

BMW lost me when they named the 2-dr an M4 and the 4-dr an M3.

I agree, I think the 4 Series is stupid. But, the four door ///M3 sedan dates back to the E36. I’m a little biased, because I love a four door and I’m a big fan of the E90 ///M3 sedan.

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

The Motorsport designation began with the E12 M535i in 1979, so it’s been around for 45 years. It’s nothing new.

https://www.bmw-m.com/en/topics/maga...m535i-e12.html

Right, but that was also BMW Motorsport (later "M") that was engineering the higher performance model. The "M" now is 99% ///Marketing and we all know it. I was under no assumption that my previous M340i was an "M car". I would have been happier if they had kept the F30 340i M Sport moniker.

[M-technik-3]

Funny as I have no clue what the M40 or M50 those were engine type's in the 80/90 and 00's

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

But, the four door ///M3 sedan dates back to the E36. I’m a little biased, because I love a four door and I’m a big fan of the E90 ///M3 sedan.

The first M3 was the 2-door E30, and later BMW made the choice to call the 2-dr and 4-dr versions "M3" as well, so changing the 2-dr to "M4" made no sense whatsoever. Very surprised they didn't make a sub-compact hatch the M5 with their idiot naming system.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

Right, but that was also BMW Motorsport (later "M") that was engineering the higher performance model. The "M" now is 99% ///Marketing and we all know it. I was under no assumption that my previous M340i was an "M car". I would have been happier if they had kept the F30 340i M Sport moniker.

Okay. I don’t quite get your difficulty. You’re right, in 1979 the M535 was prior to the official ///M Division, but it also only had Motorsport tweaks just like the current Motorsport designated cars and was not a fully reworked ///M car like the ///M Division has traditionally built. I think it’s fair to say the current Motorsport models, M340, M240i, M550i are tweaked similarly to the way the original M535 was with levels of equipment/tuning models like my F30 340i M Sport did not have. The M Sport on my car is truly only appearance/marketing (though it is a definite improvement in appearance). Anyway, that’s my perspective on the current M added to the series names.

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Okay. I don’t quite get your difficulty. You’re right, in 1979 the M535 was prior to the official ///M Division, but it also only had Motorsport tweaks just like the current Motorsport designated cars and was not a fully reworked ///M car like the ///M Division has traditionally built. I think it’s fair to say the current Motorsport models, M340, M240i, M550i are tweaked similarly to the way the original M535 was with levels of equipment/tuning models like my F30 340i M Sport did not have. The M Sport on my car is truly only appearance/marketing (though it is a definite improvement in appearance). Anyway, that’s my perspective on the current M added to the series names.

This debate has been beaten to death, and I'm not going to try and flip the script. In my opinion...putting the M before the model designation had nothing to do with the rebirth/revival of the Motorsport division M535. It was done for marketing purposes to get people to say "I own an M car". I never thought that when owning an M340i, and really wish they had toned down the M badges and name, but that's just me.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

This debate has been beaten to death, and I'm not going to try and flip the script. In my opinion...putting the M before the model designation had nothing to do with the rebirth/revival of the Motorsport division M535. It was done for marketing purposes to get people to say "I own an M car". I never thought that when owning an M340i, and really wish they had toned down the M badges and name, but that's just me.

I never thought that either when I owned am M340i. I thought this car has the M designation because it has a more highly tuned motor than the F30 340i, bigger M Sport brakes, and a limited slip differential the F30 340i didn’t have. Obviously we see it differently. I think very few people other than serious enthusiasts care about having an M car and, therefore, have no interest in telling others they have an M car. Most enthusiasts on this and other BMW forums don’t really care about having an M car. M cars are great, no doubt, but most BMW enthusiasts are like me and are perfectly happy owning “regular” BMWs and that’s why we choose not to spend the extra money an M car costs.

[///MPhatic]

The true nature of ///M is Motorsports, and cars made for that purpose, but IMO it's ok to have some factory upgrade parts on other performance oriented BMW's, they just shouldn't have put an M-anything on it, but since that's their Motorsport division, it does make a sort of sense.

At least it's obvious when it's a real M-Car, since it's just the M and the number...oh wait, some say the OG M2 isn't a real M-Car. Never mind. Carry on.

[IcewaterPete]

All right boys be on the lookout for dudes in hoodies walking around the back of your car carrying dental floss. The i is going to be a hot collector item.

In a way it makes sense, in a sad way, since the model number hasn’t denoted the displacement in a loooong time. I keep opening the hood on my 440i expecting to see a V8 with 4.0 liters…

Congrats BMW you have officially killed off your model nomenclature. Next stop GM. Introducing the new BMW xmtlz.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

The true nature of ///M is Motorsports, and cars made for that purpose, but IMO it's ok to have some factory upgrade parts on other performance oriented BMW's, they just shouldn't have put an M-anything on it, but since that's their Motorsport division, it does make a sort of sense.

At least it's obvious when it's a real M-Car, since it's just the M and the number...oh wait, some say the OG M2 isn't a real M-Car. Never mind. Carry on.

Well, I consider the OG M2 a real M car!!

Originally Posted by IcewaterPete

All right boys be on the lookout for dudes in hoodies walking around the back of your car carrying dental floss. The i is going to be a hot collector item.

In a way it makes sense, in a sad way, since the model number hasn’t denoted the displacement in a loooong time. I keep opening the hood on my 440i expecting to see a V8 with 4.0 liters…

Congrats BMW you have officially killed off your model nomenclature. Next stop GM. Introducing the new BMW xmtlz.

It was kind of sad when the motors stopped matching the number designation. But, I think (I’m not certain) that was happening in Europe with the lower level models before it started happening in the U.S. I don’t think the 316 and 318 each had a 1.6 and a 1.8, did they?

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Well, I consider the OG M2 a real M car!!

As do I, but I do feel like the Competition is more "///M", just because it's more track-oriented.

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

It was kind of sad when the motors stopped matching the number designation. But, I think (I’m not certain) that was happening in Europe with the lower level models before it started happening in the U.S. I don’t think the 316 and 318 each had a 1.6 and a 1.8, did they?

How confused should I be that my 128i M-sport is actually a 3.0L engine?

At least my factory "M" badges are discretely placed on my door sills and steering wheel with nothing on the outside to make the claim beyond the grey rear valance and the larger openings in the front bumper.

[IcewaterPete]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

How confused should I be that my 128i M-sport is actually a 3.0L engine?

At least my factory "M" badges are discretely placed on my door sills and steering wheel with nothing on the outside to make the claim

You should be very confused!

As a kid of the ‘80s “discrete” was the whole BMW thing as far as I’m concerned. Cramming a monster motor and track ready suspension in a four door sedan with only a small badge on the rear deck lid made it all that more appealing. Hauling the family around in a sedan and then embarrassing the guy next to you at the stop light in his sports car made it all that much more fun.

[IcewaterPete]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

As do I, but I do feel like the Competition is more "///M", just because it's more track-oriented.

Don’t sweat it so much. If you like it then own it and enjoy it.

Look I own a comp and I get jealous every time I hear the OG’s exhaust note. If they didn’t make the 1M or if it wasn’t such a success there never would have been the OG M2 and then never a Comp version. Everybody drools over the 1M and what motor is in it? N54 And the brakes? Not so good. It is rare so that’s a huge draw.

If it still bugs you find a Comp to take for a drive. If it feels good find a way to swap out for it. At the end of the day you still have a machine that is at the top of the hill.