Last year, there were reports that BMW was changing the names of its cars to make them easier to find when its electric cars come out. One of the changes that were talked about was getting rid of the “i” from the names of cars with internal combustion engines. This would lead to “BMW 330” instead of “BMW 330i.” The Bavarians have officially said that the “i” doesn’t appear anymore, so we know for sure that what was said is true. Bernd Korber, Senior Vice President of Brand Management at BMW, said, “We’d like to keep the letter ‘i’ as an asset and as a signature to show you’re driving an electric vehicle.” We thought that, even though our idea of the BMW I has always been different and includes more than just electric technology—a shot used to be at the end of the badge as well. Since the early 1970s, BMW has added an “i” to the end of its car names to emphasize the use of fuel injection, which was a new technology in cars at the time. It was an easy sign that the person driving the car had enough money to buy the fuel-injected kind. But after all, BMWs got fuel injections, and the “i” stayed, even if it was just a custom. After BMW added SUVs and a roadster to its lineup, things got a little more difficult with names like BMW X5 xDrive35i and BMW Z4 sDrive35i. However, with the advent of BMW’s electric cars, the ‘i’ branding took a different turn. The company associated the ‘i’ with ‘innovation, ‘leading to its use on both gas and electric cars, diluting its original meaning. Coming soon: internal combustion. From now on, the first number will stand for the type of BMW model, and the last two numbers will stand for the engine. It’s not as easy as it used to be when BMW ruled the world, but it’s still simpler than it has been lately. The last two numbers no longer show engine capacity. So, from now on, cars with internal combustion engines will be called “BMW 330” and “BMW X320.” BMWBlog says that the first cars to drop the “i” will be the next model X3, the 1 Series, and most likely the 2 Series Gran Coupe. The 7 Series may also drop the letter when it gets a makeover soon. Because of this, taking the famous “i” off of BMW’s gas and diesel cars may seem silly after fifty years of fame, but it makes sense. Also, it’s almost magical that the “i” now stands for a good new technology instead of the old kind of new technology. No matter what, everyone will need some time to get used to it.
