We Told You A More Powerful 3-Series Is Coming But WHAT Should They Call It?

I hope it comes with a new ass, new headlight and a new organic shaped interior.

— Badgewhore (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 12:20:48 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

First off they need to stop jacking with the number. It has traditionally been engine size, but they started screwing with that when they added the turbos (Lexus is guilt of it to, as is Mercedes to some extent). keep it 335i and yes, I think adding the 's' in would be good. Though how does this vary from the ZHP package on the previous generation? That one had some of the upgrades mentioned but it was still a 330i, you could just tell it had the ZHP package from the way it looked. Dunno, just my two cents, mod it for what it's worth :-p

— jeffy210 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 12:22:32 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7   

If it's still a twin-turbo in-line 6 engine, then yes! The 335is will do just fine. But if it's a larger displacement engine, a v-8 perhaps, then 350i will be appropriate.

— investor27 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 12:44:27 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

This is, perhaps, the only automotive website that is consistently concerned with what the manufacturers are naming their cars. Does BMW honestly believe that people think the 335i is slower than the IS350 and C350 because '350' is a larger number than '335?' BMW, I do not care what you call it, just make sure it's fast as hell, and priced well below the M3 if M Motorsport wasn't involved.

— Anthony (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 1:03:07 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

They should keep it 335i.

It should just be a package just like the E46 ZHP package.

— SmokeEm (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 1:16:49 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Sounds like a pre emptive strike against the on coming 340-350HP G series Infiniti's

— Dodgeyaussie (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 1:37:34 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

I remember BMW was thinking about "Club sport" a while back.

— bclemans (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 2:34:20 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

They need to do somthing becuase the CTS-V is a beast.

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 2:38:30 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Um, just a point to make, it kind of can't be called the 350i unless it has an engine that is around 5 litres.

Duh!

— motor1 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 3:24:00 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Shame on you 001 for suggesting 350i- as a BMW owner you should know their naming system and that a 350i would mean a 5.0 litre engine. Just like the 745i you used to own meant 4.5 litres....

Perhapz vee needz za BMW reprezentative to kontact you and eggzplain zis to you, no?

— BondMI6 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 5:29:04 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

It sounds like someone can't sleep because the 3 series keeps beating your luxury toyotas ;)

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 7:43:13 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

If anything, I think the name 335is sounds best. 350i is literally impossible unless it will be equipped with a V8.

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 7:46:21 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

SASv350is Sportive Activity Sedan Vehicle

— t_bone (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 9:56:17 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

My thoughts...I think 338i would be good for the badge. Wether or not it's a 3.8L (Most likely it won't be that big) engine, the badge would suggest it's slight bump in power over the 335i; just like the 328i does the 325i, yet would still give some meaning or clues to engine inside, as it would be in the general vicinity or range of its actual size.

BTW they'd probably name it the 340i before 350i!

— MunichRob (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 10:04:36 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

328ia nd 338i would look nearly identical on the back of the cars and cause confusion. The people who care will now what the 'is' means.

— NannerPus (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 12:28:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

The name is too easy, 369i Potent Leasee.

The ads can go as follows "This INDIVIDUAL can knock you up in under 5 seconds."

Or 369i Minuteman would work too.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 2:52:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

All those fake displacement numbers are simply confusing and deceiving. Just be honest and call it what it really is, the 330ti.

— FanboyOfTheTruth (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 4:00:35 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

It should be a package of the 335... Performance package.

— jlatin (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 4:20:02 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

My vote goes for 340i or 345i. The original e23 745i from the '70s and '80s had a turbo 3.2 litre inline 6, later growing to 3.4. BMW applied a displacement multiplication factor used by the FIA to determine classification of turbo engines when raced against n/a cars. They have usually rounded displacement numbers to roll off the tongue better, so 340i or 345i would work.

— eimr02 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 6:36:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

They may as well add half an inch of ground clearance, a new trunk lid, and call it the 4 series. It's GENIUS ---- not.

— Jordanski (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 7:34:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

3P

— sizquik (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 12:09:30 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

New BMW names are very confusing at least to people who don’t know very much about cars. One of my friend has a X6 xdrive50i and recently while talking to him he said, 'its 5.0 litre V8, very fast, a lot faster than my earlier 2004 BMW X5 V8'. I said it's not 5.0 but 4.4 with twin turbos, he said, he is not sure but thinks it's 5.0, as the 50i in the name stands for 5.0 litre and also his earlier car 2004 BMW X5 V8 was a 4.4 and after that BMW made 4.6 then 4.8 litre. So 5.0 is only advancement. Similarly my few customers also believed xdrive35i is a 3.5 litre 6 cylinder and i corrected them. I mean BMW should make their names more meaningful and easy like MB, Lexus and Audi. Write T for turbo, 50i for 5.0, 44i or 40i for 4.4, 30i for 3.0...etc. I think just for the sake of being different they do it, as all MB, Lexus, Audi, Jag...etc, write L at the end of long wheelbase car, S500L, LS460L, A8L...etc but BMW writes it in between the number and i. 750Li.
i is not that important also.
Now BMW made their badges even more confusing by introducing x drive and s drive.

JUGNU

— JUGNU (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2009 6:02:01 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

its not "IS" its "SI". for example, look at the current Z4. there is a 3.0i and a 3.0si. the X3, the 2008's say 3.0si. on the 2008 X5, they have 3.0si. They changed it for 2009 where it says XDrive 3.0i, only because of adding the XDrive badge in front of the 3.0i.
so yes, i think it should be a 335si. they cant add it to the M Sport package because it is already too late! To keep things traditional, they should call it a performance package.

— 2ndbimmer (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 11:08:08 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

335is. Elegant.

— SouthBayM5 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/24/2009 2:57:29 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

how about 335tii

— dchartman (View Profile)

Posted on 3/27/2009 10:29:38 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1