Munich – If you’ve mentioned the name of a BMW model derivative any time in the last four or so decades, chances are it had an “i” in its name.
Ever since the BMW 520i ushered in the current naming strategy for the brand in the early 1970s, the “i” has stood for (fuel) injection and has been applied to the car-maker’s petrol-powered models, while its diesel models eventually got the letter “d” next to their series and engine nomenclature.
But it appears that the “i” symbol is set to disappear from BMW’s petrol models, starting with the next-generation 1 Series in 2024.
As reported by Motor1, a trusted BMW insider who goes by the name of ynguldyn on the Bimmerpost forum revealed this in an update about the company’s future model plans.
According to the post, the new F70 1-Series hatchback is set to enter production from July, 2024, with an initial range consisting of 118d, 120d, 118 and M135 xDrive models, with 116, 120 and 128 xDrive variants likely joining at a later stage.
The deletion of of the “i” symbol appears to apply to all BMW models that will be launched thereafter, including the new 2 Series Gran Coupé that’s due out in November, 2024 and the next-gen BMW X3 that should enter production in August, 2024.
Of course, the “i” letter still lives on in front of the numbers in BMW’s fully-electric models such as the i3, i5 and i7, except here it stands for “innovation” rather than injection.
While it makes sense that the German car-maker would want to drop the symbol for injection in an era where everything is fuel injected, many fans still find the “engine size”-naming system confusing.
It used to be that the “25” in 325i, for instance, denoted a 2.5 litre engine, but as powerplants grew smaller after gaining turbochargers in the modern era, BMW continued with bigger engine names being stuck to the boot lids of cars with smaller engines.
“In the past, the next two digits referred to the engine-size, but today they indicate the performance,” BMW says.
For instance both the 320i and 330i have 2.0 litre engines in different states of tune, but BMW uses a bigger-sounding engine designation for the more powerful version. That, much to the ire of fans, is not likely to change any time soon.
Thankfully it appears that the more iconic names such as M3 and M5 are set to continue, at least into the next decade.
“The main purpose of BMW model names is to provide clarity for customers,” BMW said.
“In addition, the names must be authentic and easily understood. Customers across the globe must be able to immediately understand why a BMW is named as it is.
“Through its storied tradition, ongoing expansion and the stringent use of its naming conventions, designations such as the BMW M3 have become firmly anchored in the consciousness of car enthusiasts, and established themselves as a brand,” the company said.
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