FRESH: New Naming System for BMW

S4cabriofoxone submitted on 01/04/2008 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 2:17 AM
from: www.autospies.com

[52] user comments | category: Rumors

Tags: BMW, xDrive, sDrive, Names

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BMW

xDrive

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Names

FRESH: New Naming System for BMW

In case you didn't notice when you saw the shots of the new X6, there were strange markings on the side including "xDrive35i" and "xDrive50i."

Well, strangely enough, this will be put into use across the entire lineup. The 335i RWD will become the "3 sDrive35i" and the 528xi will be the "5 xDrive28i," etc, etc, etc.

I don't approve of this move at all. I think it's absolutely unnecessary and throws a system in the trash that's been successfully used for over 30 years.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! This will only make it more confusing for consumers, as if "all those numbers" weren't enough!

What do you guys think?

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S4cabriofoxone - 1/4/2008 2:19:41 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Just so you know, "sDrive" is not a typo. I probably should've made that clear---sDrive will be used on all RWD models, and xDrive will be used on all AWD models, which is redundant on the SUVs.

I just don't understand the point of this move. There is simply no reason to change their current nomenclature.

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Chip - 1/4/2008 3:29:47 PM

+1 Boost

Sorry S4, but I believe youre jumping the gun.

Yes, I believe this will be true to identify x-drive vehicles and SAVs, but they WILL NOT change a thing on standard RWD BMW's

Wont happen people, BMW isnt stupid.

S4cabriofoxone - 1/4/2008 10:25:57 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

I DIDN'T MAKE THIS UP! I found it on Bimmerfest and a couple other sites! Type it in to see for yourself!

EnnNorak - 1/10/2008 5:42:21 PM

+1 Boost

I don't understand this stupid move either -- it is just as bad as Ford renaming the 500 as Taurus. I can always tell when a department store has changed managers -- I walk in and everything has been changed and I can no longer find the merchandise I am looking for. I guess the new guy always wants to get his fingerprints on everything.

Brembo - 1/4/2008 9:04:01 AM

+1 Boost

Shouldn't it be "r" rear drive instead of "s"?

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DaHarder - 1/4/2008 1:37:50 PM

+1 Boost

Maybe it stands for 'Standard'...?

JUGNU - 1/4/2008 9:17:57 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Maybe because lately BMW and MB naming started looking similar.

(example) Mercedes E550. BMW 550i.

anyway this new BMW naming is quite confusing and long.

JUGNU

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adamsaf723 - 1/4/2008 9:29:35 AM

+4 Boost

Why disturb a working formula?

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EL34 - 1/4/2008 9:36:29 AM

-3 Boost

Ah, you guys will get used to it.

In just a short time you won't remember the old names.

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Chip - 1/4/2008 3:30:46 PM

+1 Boost

No, he is assuming this based solely on the X6 shots.

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bulldogz - 1/4/2008 9:41:52 AM

+1 Boost

this is right up there with them wanting to change their legendary slogan...foolish.

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ThierryHenry14 - 1/4/2008 10:11:41 AM

+4 Boost

What is your sourcing for this? Where did this info come from, because it doesn't really sound right.

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Chip - 1/4/2008 3:31:36 PM

+1 Boost

Thats because its not. There is no source.

w209w114 - 1/4/2008 10:11:48 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

This seems ridiculous and will only make things more confusing. When asked what they drive you'll hear "an sDrive35i" WHy is the sDrive necessasy???

They should just stick an additional badge ONLY on the cars that are different ex. Mercedes has the "4 MATIC" badge on only their 4 wheel drive models while their RWD sedans have nothing, and can therefore be clearly understood as not being all wheel drive.

In the end people will still call it a 3 series, a 5 series etc.

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w209w114 - 1/4/2008 10:17:18 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

*** CAPTION: all of this if what youre saying is infact true, SDrive and XDrive could be variants of the powertrain (such as ethanol, hybrid, mild hybrid etc) which in my opinion makes more sense in order to differentiate from the regular models

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 1/4/2008 1:34:08 PM

+1 Boost

Correction:

Not just "sDrive 35i"

Its " 3 sDrive 35i "

I will never utter those words if i am asked what vehicle i own.

" 335i Coupe/Conv/Sedan/Wagon " is just fine.

Hachee2001 - 1/4/2008 10:26:35 AM

+3 Boost

This is so asinine that I can't believe it. Sure we'll get used to it, but it sounds ridiculous. Truth is, the current system really doesn't need the "i" any more, does it? That's for "injection", which was sort of a big deal back in the '70s.

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w209w114 - 1/4/2008 12:10:34 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Agreed. The "i" is no longer necessary at all. Mercedes underwent this change a long time ago in the 80s by removing the E from the end of the model lines (E stood for einspritzung or fuel injection, Germans please correct my spelling if I am wrong) Eventually the E became a model by itself.

Heres an example of the old naming system up to the 1970's (which I kina liked)

300SEL = 3.0 engine, S for the class, L for long wheelbase

No "E" meant no fuel injection, no S meant an E-Class (only 2 sedans available back then) and a C meant Coupe.

BMW Should evolve their naming system to reflect the new cars and technology much like other companies have. That being said I think it is an overkill to put SDrive infront of everything. They should apply it only to special models and finally remove the "i" from all of them.

Obliv - 1/5/2008 5:57:41 PM

+1 Boost

I thought "i" stood for Inline. *Shrug*

Hantra - 1/4/2008 10:30:09 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

No doubt this has to be yet another symptom of BMW's recent change in philosophy.

A year after the big ad blitz telling everyone how they were independent, and didn't need to satisfy a certain managing company or anything, now it seems they are completely turning the way of the companies they were jabbing.

Remember the articles about how they're pissing off their suppliers with their Wal-Mart approach to buying? This is a sign that BMW is going "corporate", and will now be concerned solely with the numbers at quarter-end. Don't get me wrong, I know they are in business to make money, but they always have been. And the recent changes show that their new goal is just to maximize profits at all costs. Just like most large companies. It's sad, but I think we're witnessing the disappearance of the last mass production car company that still has a soul.

If this continues, BMW's will become nothing more than soulless appliances, just like Accords and Camrys.

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phantom330 - 1/4/2008 10:35:24 AM

+4 Boost

somehow I completely doubt this is true

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Chip - 1/4/2008 3:34:12 PM

+1 Boost

Me too !!! This isnt true people.

BMW4me4ever - 1/4/2008 10:59:05 AMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

There has been no news of this in the inner BMW Circles. I work for BMW and this is news to me.

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JRobUSC - 1/4/2008 11:07:55 AM

+1 Boost

they're obviously doing it for all the SAV/SAC models, since in addition to the X6 xDrive XXi models the press release for the X5 diesel called it the X5 xDrive 35d. Hopefully it stops with the SAV's and doesn't make its way to passenger cars, because I don't like it.

JRobUSC - 1/4/2008 11:33:41 AM

+2 Boost

actually I DO NOT think it's going to affect passenger cars, because in the same press release they called the diesel 3-series a 335d.

TimE - 1/4/2008 11:58:56 AM

+1 Boost

BMW will start to market their drive systems more aggressively - so the "xDrive" & "sDrive" badges will also appear on the vehicles: as a part of the official model nomenclature.

xDrive = AWD

Eg. X5 xDrive35i, X3 xDrive30d, X6 xDrive50i. X5, X3, X6 badges will be positioned on tail gates, while drive+engine badges will be featured on front doors / flanks.

***

3er, 5er, 7er case (badge is positioned on boot lid, drive tag lying under the series+engine code - 335i )

335i
xDrive

735d
xDrive

530d
xDrive

***

sDrive = RWD + active electro-mechanical rear differential (Dynamic Performance Control).

335i
sDrive

535d
sDrive

Z4 sDrive35i (Z4 on boot lid, sDrive35i on front door / flank.

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ThierryHenry14 - 1/4/2008 12:49:31 PM

+1 Boost

lets hope you are right. But it just seems so extraneous that they would need to ad the xDrive, let alone sDrive, to the bottom of the model.

S4cabriofoxone - 1/4/2008 1:09:47 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

I ALSO DOUBTED THIS WHEN I FIRST READ IT.

However, I first found it on x5world.com. Here you go:

http://www.x5world.com/x5-e70-forum/40984-bmw-xdrive-trademark-filings.html

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DaHarder - 1/4/2008 1:35:49 PM

+1 Boost

I just wish that they'd return to naming their vehicles as they once did:

Series/Displacement

Where a BMW 535 was simply a 5-Series with a 3.5 liter engine, instead of some mythical 'performance rating' naming scheme.

All these additional names/labels should be left to lesser nameplates, and speaking of nameplates, the actual 'labels' themselves are somewhat unsightly in my opinion.

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TheSailor - 1/4/2008 1:48:02 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Hmm... I understand the move, but I think they could have come up with something better than this... I think I'll just stay with 335, 535, 550 etc. regardless of what bmw want to call it!

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ThierryHenry14 - 1/4/2008 2:42:20 PM

+1 Boost

right... many people will still call it the 335 all wheel drive or 335 sedan. 335 coupe... Its just ingrained into the society...

adambravo - 1/4/2008 3:37:53 PM

+1 Boost

What do I think? I think you've made a flying leap to an incorrect conclusion. Just because BMW's trademarked sDrive doesn't mean they're going to rebadge all their passenger cars. What it suggests is that there may be rwd variants on the X5, X3, and upcoming X1--so the awd versions are xDrive, and the rwd versions are sDrive.

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Chip - 1/4/2008 3:49:12 PM

+1 Boost

Yes, but there will never be "S" drive.

Proof:

Infiniti G35s, G37s, M35s, M45s
Acura TL, type S
Audi S4, S5, S6, S8
Mercedes S-class, SL-class, SLK-class,
Mini Cooper S

ThierryHenry14 - 1/4/2008 5:10:19 PM

+1 Boost

wait, what are you talking about?

Chip - 1/4/2008 5:25:34 PM

+1 Boost

Im saying that the letter "S" is so unbelievably played out, that BMW would never add it to their models.

S4cabriofoxone - 1/4/2008 10:25:07 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

?

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lewishamiltonpimp - 1/4/2008 4:18:03 PM

+1 Boost

Does the OP have a cite (umm...that means a 'source').

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lexusis350 - 1/4/2008 4:31:11 PM

+1 Boost

I don't mind the new naming system. I also like the current naming system so really, I don't care.

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MunichRob - 1/4/2008 4:55:15 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Well I'm sure marketing cares a whole lot...People remember when BMW was considering marketing the new 3-series coupe as a 4-series, but then changed their mind stating that it just confuses customers looking to trade their old 3-series coupe/convertible for the new model.

I see them making this move solely with their SUV's or in BMW talk...solely with their SAV's.

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Chip - 1/4/2008 5:37:59 PM

+1 Boost

I remember this too MunichRob,

Automobile Mag or Car and Driver (cant remember which) posted spy pics of the E92 saying the coupe was getting a new engine, moving upmarket, and becoming the 4 series. Obviously, it never happened, as I suspect this wont either. As I said then, I will believe it when I see it.

For the record, I really hope this is false and that x-drive badges stay on BMW SAV's only.

utahnkid - 1/4/2008 8:18:58 PM

+1 Boost

Totally agree. If they really change them to read how you just showed us it'll be a bad move.

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utahnkid - 1/4/2008 8:19:51 PM

+1 Boost

But I don't agree with the if it aint broke don't fix it saying.. That does nothing for innovation.

DrFill2001 - 1/5/2008 9:31:11 AM

+1 Boost

There's a difference between innovation and mass-confusion.
DrFill

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DrFill2001 - 1/5/2008 9:31:12 AM

+1 Boost

There's a difference between innovation and mass-confusion.
DrFill

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huu76 - 1/5/2008 9:59:08 PM

+1 Boost

If it is true, it's probably because Chris Bangle needed to show something for his paycheque, and here it is.

I wonder how the Quandts feel about the outlook on their BMW shares now? However, they may have been a bit preoccupied at the time.
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/oct2007/gb20071010_765240.htm?chan=search

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AE86 - 1/5/2008 10:02:30 PM

+1 Boost

I will believe this when I see it! Anyone remember how the new 3er coupe was destined to become the 4 series? What is out there today? 335i coupe and sedan. While this makes searching for used BMW's slightly tricky on Craigslist, this is how things will be for the foreseeable future.

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vman1013 - 1/7/2008 3:13:42 PM

+1 Boost

Or name the Go Slow 300 what it really is. Just a Toyota Go Slow 300.

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