Have you ever wondered how BMW names its cars or what nomenclature they use? Even if BMW changed the pattern in recent years, it’s still fascinating to look at earlier models and understand why.
BMW automobiles are typically identified by a three-digit number followed by one or two letters. The first number is the series number, and the next two numbers are the cubic centimeters (cc) of the engine divided by 100. With the E39 5 Series vehicle, which was named the 523i despite having a 2.5-liter engine, BMW’s rational model naming policy took a turn.
Different types of engines, body types, and platforms are represented by the letters that come after the numbers.
As I’ve already indicated, new engines with the same displacement but new technologies have naturally changed the name practice. The N54B30, a 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine utilized in the 335i model, and the N53B30, a 3.0-liter straight-six engine, are the most recent ones that come to mind.
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Numbers come after letters, and vice versa.
Some car names in the realm of BMW nomenclature begin with a letter and a number, like the M3. Other names, like the 328i, start with a number and a letter.
Typically, a car’s name will begin with one of these letters: “M,” “X,” “Z,” or “i.” These vehicles come in a range of body designs.
M refers to the BMW Motorsport division, just like the M3 that was just discussed. Crossover/SUV body types are represented by the letter X. According to their size, the X Series cars are likewise numbered from one to seven, with the midsize X6 being a sports activity coupe. Z stands for two-seaters in the roadster form that have rear-wheel drive. Electric or hybrid vehicles, such as the five-door hatchback i3, are identified by the lowercase i.
There is one more, more mysterious letter prefix: “B,” which stands for Alpina, a business that produces and markets high-performance BMWs. This prefix denotes modified variants of several Beemer series on automobiles.
The names of BMW passenger automobiles begin with a number that denotes a series. The series go from 1 to 8, with the 1 Series being the smallest and most affordable vehicle and the 8 Series being the biggest and most expensive. Originally, four-door sedans were designated by odd-numbered series, like 3, 5, and 7. Two-door coupes and other similar vehicles were meant to be covered by even-numbered series names like 2, 4, 6, and 8.
But in more recent years, BMW expanded the body variants of the odd-number series, throwing a monkey wrench into its moniker. For instance, BMW increased the 3 Series’ door count from four to five, adding a three-door hatchback, a five-door liftback, a five-door station wagon, and two convertible doors. As a result, identifying a car’s body style within a series may not always be possible using the series numbering method.
What Do the Numbers In BMW Models Mean?
You might have seen the designations 530i, 540i, or M550i on a 5 series sedan. The performance of the engine increases with the size of the last two digits in the number. A 540i, for example, will have greater power than a 530i. Originally, this number was directly related to the engine’s litre capacity; however, it is now used to denote overall power.
The fuel type is indicated by the letter at the end of each vehicle’s name. Gas models are identified by a I diesel vehicles by a “d,” and plug-in hybrids by a “e.” BMW’s electric I Models feature a I before the digits in the car name, which is confusing. Therefore, a BMW 330i is gas-powered whereas a BMW i4 from 2022 is electric.
BMW Clarifies What Model Numbers Mean Currently
The latest episode of the official BMW podcast explores the evolution of the company’s renowned naming scheme. You should feel (somewhat) less perplexed after reading this.
In the past, reading the model name of a BMW would reveal a lot about it. You were looking at a 3.0-liter gasoline engined 3-series if the badge on the boot said “330i.” The displacement didn’t always equal the last two digits, but generally it worked out that way. We could go on, but the majority of models adhered to the standard or at least didn’t wander too far from it. The E39 540i featured a 4.4-liter engine, the E82 125i utilized a 3.0 liter, and so on.
This approach was employed for many years, as stated in BMW’s most recent podcast, which makes use of portions of the business’ quite lengthy naming guide website page. Prior to World War Two, all automobiles had a 300 number to distinguish them from BMW bikes and airplanes (100s) (200s). Following the war, names were all over the place, but the ‘E12’ 5-series brought order to the chaos in 1972. BMW wanted a new system that would be simple for customers to comprehend regardless of the language they spoke.
The naming convention no longer functions this way, as some shockingly irate keyboard warrior types will loudly inform you. A human being! However, since displacement is no longer the primary method by which BMW delivers its customers greater power, the conventional approach is no longer viable.
The same size engine is currently used by numerous variations of each model, with the power outputs changed by various levels of turbocharging and occasionally by the addition of hybrid technology. We’re sure you’ll agree that having three separate products with the same name as 520d might be a little perplexing.
More recently, battery electric vehicles, which have no engines at all, have added to the complexity of the situation. Similar to what Audi started doing a few years ago, the last two digits of this and the majority of other BMW models now denote various output “tiers.” According to BMW, “45” refers to vehicles with an output of between 300 and 350kW. (402 – 469bhp). That is the total output with electrical aid, which explains why, despite the fact that the 540i and 545e hybrids both have the same internal combustion engine, the 545e hybrid has a higher figure.
The initial “e” did originally stand for the Greek letter “eta,” designating cars that were “optimised for torque and RPM,” according to BMW. These days, plug-in hybrid models employ it. Although “leccy M stuff” receives a simpler naming scheme, e.g. i4 M50, complete EVs like the i4 eDrive40 get a more modern moniker called “eDrive.”
Exclusively the Z and X model lines are designated for two-wheel drive, whereas the moniker xDrive is only applied to all-wheel drive derivatives that are available with and without the technology but are otherwise identical. As always, a badge with a I or “d” at the end denotes gasoline injection or diesel.
For example, a M Division’d 3-series is an M3, but on SUVs, the magic letter is coupled with just one number designating the “series” and appears after the model name. Although electric cars and SUVs only have the two digits, such as the X3 M40i, you get the standard three-digit number if it’s a half-fat M car, such as M550i.
For its models, BMW used a complex alphabetic nomenclature:
Bayerische Motoren Werke, one of the “German Big 3” upscale automakers, is referred to as “BMW.” The English translation is Bavarian Motor Works. For its models, the BMW nomenclature has also adopted intricate Alpha-Numeric combinations. BMW models therefore employ a somewhat different combination than Audi.
For several of its models, BMW Nomenclature use numbers, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8, followed by alphabets, such as I “d,” & “x.” Other times, the BMW nomenclature includes an alphabet, such as “M,” “X,” or “Z,” followed by a model number. So, we made an effort to decode these letters and digits.
The odd numbers (3, 5, and 7) and even numbers (2, 4, 6, and 8) in the BMW Nomenclature are designated for 4-door sedans and 2-door coupes, respectively. The 1-Series is the smallest and least expensive BMW model offered, and is available as a Hatchback or Coupe/Convertible with a 3-door or 5-door option. The 8 series is the largest and most expensive BMW Luxury vehicle, though.
What names do BMWs have?
Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, or the Bavarian Engine Works Company, is what the abbreviation BMW stands for. The corporation was founded in the German state of Bavaria, hence the name. Additionally, it shows the original product line of BMW: different application-specific engines
What names do BMW engines go by?
In order to distinguish engines throughout engineering and production, automakers frequently give them internal nomenclature designations. Typically, they are just a list of letters and numbers that the average consumer cannot understand. But as Engineering Explained’s Jason Fenske notes in his most recent video, these codes typically include a wealth of information. BMW is a perfect example because it has been calling its lineup of engines the same way for decades. Here is a guide to understanding BMW engine code names.
I’ll give you an example. The S63B44T4 engine in the 2018 M5 is a reliable one. Here is the meaning of all those letters and digits.
The first letter indicates the “engine family” that this powerplant belongs to. In this instance, “S” stands for an engine created by BMW’s M division. Given that the engine is from an M5, this makes sense. The majority of standard, non-M BMW engines have a “N” designation if they were created after 2001, and a “B” designation for those created after 2013. If a BMW engine has a “W,” it was not produced by BMW but rather by an outside supplier.
6: The second character is a number that denotes how many cylinders the engine has. Don’t be deceived; occasionally, the digit doesn’t match the number of cylinders. For instance, this “6” actually denotes a V8 engine. Engines with three or four cylinders are designated as 3 or 4, accordingly. Here, the numbers 7 and 8 designate V12 and V10 engines, respectively.
The engine has undergone three upgrades, as shown by the third character. For instance, if this number were “0,” the original design would have been indicated. The “3” above denotes that this engine has three enhanced features, such as sequential turbos or direct injection.
B: The engine’s fuel type and whether it is positioned longitudinally or transversely in the vehicle are indicated by the fourth character. The “B” in this case indicates that it is positioned longitudinally and runs on gasoline. The engine would run on gasoline and be positioned transversely if it had a “A” designation. Diesel engines are denoted by letters “C” and “D,” while electric motors are denoted by letter “E.”
44: The displacement is represented by these two digits. Here, the “44” refers to 4.4 liters. This would be a 5.0-liter engine if it were to say “50.”
T: The engine’s “performance class” is indicated by this character. From lowest (K), lower (U), middle (M), upper (O), top (T), and super are the options (S). Ironically, this engine is in the second-highest category, which is the top class.
4: The very final character stands for the number of redesigns the engine has undergone during the course of its existence. It would be a new engine that has not yet been changed if this number were “0.” The engine in question is in its fifth generation and has had four modifications, as indicated by the “4”.
TU: The final two characters of some older engines are “TU,” which stands for “technical upgrade.” The engine has changed significantly from the previous edition, which is exactly what it sounds like.
What do the letters on BMW automobiles mean?
A: BMW, or Bavarian Motor Works in English, stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke. If your knowledge of geography is lacking, Bavaria is a southern German state where BMW first began producing aviation engines in 1917. BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce currently make up the BMW group, which has its corporate headquarters in Munich, the capital of Bavaria.
If Bavarian Motor Works is too formal for you, the German automaker’s high-end models are more commonly referred to as Bimmer. The business also considers itself to be “the ultimate driving machine,” at least in accordance with its long-running American advertising campaign.
From the official bio of the business: “Since 1975, BMW of North America, LLC has operated in the US. In 2003, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC started selling cars. The BMW Group has expanded its operations in the United States to include marketing, sales, and financial service companies for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of motor cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy with headquarters in California; technology offices in Silicon Valley, Chicago, and various other operations across the nation. All X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles, as well as the X6 and X4 Sports Activity Coupes, are produced at BMW Production Co., LLC in South Carolina. This facility is a component of the BMW Group’s global manufacturing network. The 344 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 153 BMW motorcycle retailers, 127 MINI passenger car dealers, and 36 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers are the networks through which the BMW Group sales organization is represented in the United States. The North American sales headquarters for the BMW Group is situated in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, under the name BMW (US) Holding Corp.”