BMW to drop ‘i’ from internal combustion model names – 330i to become 330, X5 xDrive60i to be X560?

BMW could beryllium applying alteration successful the naming normal of its conveyance models successful bid to amended place its afloat electrical models, according to Australian website Drive.

The tract cites a BMW insider who goes by the surface sanction ‘ynguldyn’, who says that the German shaper volition soon beryllium dropping the ‘i’ suffix from its models’ badges, which has historically denoted the beingness of petrol engine, specifically, its injection strategy for petrol. Conversely, a ‘d’ suffix indicated the usage of a diesel powerplant.

In notation to upcoming models, ‘ynguldyn’ claimed connected the Bimmerpost forum that the successor to the 118i hatchback volition beryllium named 118, and the M Performance variant, the M135i volition subsequently go the M135. There is simply a disclaimer of sorts, saying that “it remains to beryllium seen if the aforesaid is going to hap with each aboriginal models.”

In March, the German marque was reported to person registered 48 trademarks for upcoming exemplary names, according to CarBuzz, and the caller nameplates diagnostic i, X and iX prefixes. In presumption of denoting benignant of powertrain, the one prefix volition bespeak models with a afloat electrical powertrain, and those without volition proceed to diagnostic combustion engines, specified arsenic with the examples listed above.

For example, wherever the aboriginal combustion-engined models volition dispense with the one suffix, EV models volition get the one prefix to denote their usage of electrical powertrains, specified arsenic with the i120 denoting an electrical 2 Series, i330 being an EV 3 Series, i550 an electric 5 Series, and truthful on.

By extension, electrical SUV models volition beryllium identified by their iX prefix, specified arsenic an iX540 being an electrical X5, an iX550 being a higher-output mentation of said model, and truthful on, the study claims.

One outlier successful the present-day BMW exemplary line-up, by this logic, is the iX electrical SUV. At present, antithetic variants wrong the iX scope are denoted by their suffixes, opening with the xDrive40, oregon the xDrive60 arsenic the apical show iX. How the iX would beryllium positioned successful the aboriginal BMW scope remains to beryllium seen.

The station BMW to driblet ‘i’ from interior combustion exemplary names – 330i to go 330, X5 xDrive60i to beryllium X560? appeared archetypal connected Paul Tan's Automotive News.