BMW 4 Series

[Wolfe]

@MatskiMonk -- No one cared if the series names made sense. It was BMW who decided it had to make sense. They could make up any rules they want, which is why they look foolish for retconning a long-standing part of the lineup to fit the 6-series into a logical scheme no one asked for, then demonstrating with the 6GC and 4GC that the number of doors is irrelevant.

If an even number can be a four door coupe, surely an odd number could be a two door sedan (as my E30 was registered on its title). And if there isn't a 7-series hatchback or touring, why would it be a big deal that there isn't a two door 5-series? The new system is consistent in its own way, but that doesn't explain why it was necessary to shake up what was already there.

Again, it doesn't actually make a difference for the cars themselves. My only point is, I think the chuckling BMW is getting over it is justified.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Again, it doesn't actually make a difference for the cars themselves. My only point is, I think the chuckling BMW is getting over it is justified.

Laughing at something because you don't understand makes you look arrogant, or ignorant, not sure which.

So then they buy a 3GT and I laugh at them.

See.



The revised naming structure is simply there to differentiate the slightly more hum-drum models, from the sportier, more 'exclusive' models. It's as simple as that...

... until March, when a FWD drive hatchback will fall under the guise of a sportier more exclusive model, at which point, even I'll struggle to rationalise it!

Seriously though, you are right, it doesn't matter so much to the vehicles, I just hope the 4GC is noticeably better to drive than the F30, which seems to have evolved the 3er into something slightly softer.

 

[Zenith]

Snip

Pretentiousness is always the best way to make excuses for a stupid idea.

I would say you look like a sucker when you mindlessly gulp down every new overpriced niche product that a certain manufacturer puts out. This is especially true when the response you give to someone taking notice that the newest sexy gadget is redundant or useless is somewhere between "Well it's a slightly more X-feature of this Y-Model so therefore it makes sense" and "You just wouldn't understand, plebeian."

People pretending to be insightful and informed on a product lineup that's designed to capitalize on this. Funny, this marketing approach would work well in the world of personal computing and entertainment.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Pretentiousness is always the best way to make excuses for a stupid idea.

I would say you look like a sucker when you mindlessly gulp down every new overpriced niche product that a certain manufacturer puts out. This is especially true when the response you give to someone taking notice that the newest sexy gadget is redundant or useless is somewhere between "Well it's a slightly more X-feature of this Y-Model so therefore it makes sense" and "You just wouldn't understand, plebeian."

People pretending to be insightful and informed on a product lineup that's designed to capitalize on this. Funny, this marketing approach would work well in the world of personal computing and entertainment.

Lol. Really, you've no idea how for from being that stereotype I am, but whatever - I believe you are demonstrating a serious lack of ability to appreciate that other people have different needs, wants and tastes to you. I don't care in the slightest if these niche products don't suit your needs, wants or tastes, it's the fact you think you are some how qualified, in some smug fashion, to dictate that if somebody else happens to find feature X more useful than that offered by product Y - whether or not that is a good choice. The thing I find most infuriating, and if it comes across as "You just wouldn't understand, plebeian." then sorry, but way too many people make their mind up, before actually getting the facts to formulate an opinion.

Just Sayin'.

 

[Zenith]

snip

Then explain to me what the BMW 3GT is good at and why it commands such a premium.

I'm well aware that plenty of people like the 3GT and will buy it. As Keef has already pointed out, people will buy anything with a BMW badge on it. This does not make the 3GT a good car. I'm not asking if people like it, I'm asking whether you can justify it as a good car.

 

[The87Dodge]

2017 3-series and 4-series get a new turbocharged engine and IDrive 5.0. The engine is a 3.0L turbo making 320 horses.
http://www.motortrend.com/news/2017-bmw-3-series-4-series-gain-new-turbo-4-lineup-gets-idrive-5-0/

 

[Leonidae@MFT]

So new 2.0 4 banger turbo in 2-series labeled 230i and new 3.0 6-cylinder turbo in the 3/4 series labeled 340i/440i? Damn, BMW's labeling has completely lost the logic it used to have before E60/90.. *smh*

 

[MatskiMonk]

So new 2.0 4 banger turbo in 2-series labeled 230i and new 3.0 6-cylinder turbo in the 3/4 series labeled 340i/440i? Damn, BMW's labeling has completely lost the logic it used to have before E60/90.. *smh*

You need to go further back than the E60 & E90, but that's just me being a pedant. I'm more curious as to how you think they should do it, in your world where it seems the badge can only reflect series and displacement, they have 2 options...

A) Name multiple models with varying output, emissions, consumption and price the same thing, because the displacements are now common to models of varying output, emissions, consumption and price.

or

B) Spend billions re-engineering their engine line-up just so the displacement matches the badge.

Both seem pretty silly to me.

 

[Cale]

The 340/440 cars have been on sale for months already. The engine sounds very gtr like with stock exhaust

 

[McLaren]

The 6 Gran Coupe worked well; it was a 5 Series with the exterior of a 6 Series, 2 models that looked different enough because they were built literally as a 4-door & a 2-door individually. That and it's a beautiful looking car.

This however is just stupid; a 3 Series with the exterior of a 4 Series that was already the 2-door version of a 3 Series. This is literally a 2013 3 Series with the M-Sport Package with some of the new M3's aggressive lines & the rear pillar moved back what? A foot?

I said it again in the other thread recently that I think it's still silly but I ate some crow after yesterday learning that my sis' just bought a 4GC. Let me drive it & as expected, I did like it (prefer it to have the M-Sport options though) inside & out. Told her I still think it's dumb logic, but seeing as she has no knowledge of what I was talking about, she just called me dumb instead.

 

[VXR]

320ti, and 320tii for the lower and higher output, respectively.

 

[MatskiMonk]

320ti, and 320tii for the lower and higher output, respectively.

If we apply that logic to, for instance, the 3 series diesel models...

316d -> 320td
318d -> 320tdd
320d -> 320tddd
325d -> 320tdddd

I'm not sure that's better to be honest.

 

[VXR]

They had three tunes of diesel on the E36 2.5. So 320d, 320td, 320tds. So much more honest than calling a 3.0 a 340i.

 

[Clark]

I think they should just do it for the power now maybe.

So like I expect 20d engines to have 200bhp soon, so maybe it could work like this.

316d has 160bhp
320d has 200bhp
325d has 250bhp
335i has 350bhp

Etc.

They're not far of those figures for the current models so with progession they have had over the years they'll be at those figures soon.

 

[MatskiMonk]

They had three tunes of diesel on the E36 2.5. So 320d, 320td, 320tds. So much more honest than calling a 3.0 a 340i.

Indeed, but that's also misleading, is the 320d not a turbo, but the 320td is? Do they not all feature an intercooler? It probably is possible to come up with a logical sequence of letters, though I don't think looking to BMW's past particularly holds the answer in this specific respect. If we did, there's also precedent to call a 3.0 3 series a 342i, thanks to the E23 745i. But, why even bother? People will complain either way, but people who are vaguely familiar with BMW nomenclature will know that a 328i is faster and more expensive than a 320i. If you start expecting people to learn even more letters, you're going to end up confusing even more people.

There's also the original precedent...

I think they should just do it for the power now maybe.

The 3/15 and 3/20 were named for this reason in the 1920's and 1930's.

__

I'll agree the naming strategy in terms of the series suffix doesn't 'work' as well as it used to, but generally speaking, for what it actually communicates to the general public, i.e. status, it still works.

 

[lxmmy]

4 Series LCI Facelift

 

[sirjim73]

Here's an M4 GTS from Goodwood supercar paddock last weekend. Not sure how that fits in with your discussion about names and numbers above, but its definitely a 4 series