[krawesome]

Hey guys,

just wondered and googled around a bit, but i cant find an answer if there is any system when it comes to model names.

i mean, at first it was all Exx... E30, E36, E90 all different 3 series models but the same namespace.

why don't they choose something consistent now?

like F30, G30, H30 and so on for the next 3 series models
maybe G40 and H40 for the next 4 series

instead, the last 7 series was the F01, the following is the G12
why not F70, G70 ... Y70, Z70?

not that it makes any difference, but i just wondered

[Chihuahua]

'Entwinklung' is German for 'development', hence the 'E' numbers for early BMWs. I.e. E28 could be thought of as the 28th development platform. Also, BMW wouldn't assign a new development code to some sub-models like they do now; E36 and E36/7 for the Z3. Now, every car gets a new chassis code, even M variants of the same chassis.

They are obviously cranking out cars at a ridiculous rate now what with all the sub models, and cars that are in development. BMW basically ran out of two digit characters for the 'E' designation and decided to restart using the 'F' designation for its platforms. What is crazy to me is that F01 was released in 2009 and we've already run out of 'F' codes for cars.

[Law]

I see you're from Austria so you should be fairly familiar with the German language.

Traditionally, the letter "E" stood for "Entwicklung", roughly meaning "development" or "evolution". The number at the end likely represents the chronological sequence in which that particular project was developed or conceived.
By the time the E90/2/3 came out, BMW had run out of numbers. It was either expand the codes by adding an additional digit or to move on to the next letter in the Latin Alphabet (i.e., the letter F). BMW chose the latter.

Coincidentally, BMW's portfolio expanded greatly during this time so it is likely that there were more "developments" during this period.
Additionally, coupes, and other variants of a "base" sedan chassis were given unique codes and M-models also gained a distinctive chassis code. (i.e., F30 sedan, F31 touring, F32 coupe, F34 GT, F36 Gran Coupe, F80 M GmbH sedan, F82 M GmbH coupe, etc; contrast with E36 which applied to all variants & bodystyles).
All those reasons above led to BMW going through the numbers at a much faster rate than before.
Now we're looking at G-chassis codes and perhaps even H-chassis codes soon.

Hope this helps.

[DaZuc]

Yeah I don't get this either, I understood the reasoning for F, but the G, now H?
This is getting out of hand.

[AlpineE92M3]

If BMW nomenclature bothers you, try picking up on Porsche nomenclature. The 9xx series has been in use since the 70s. 963,964,etc. They went from 996-997.1-997.2 and then back to 991 for the current Gen which blows my mind. They went backwards! Try picking them out on the street and knowing if it is a 997.1 or 997.2! It's a mind fuck trying to keep up with the different Gen Porsche but I try to keep up because I'm an enthusiast and I'm sick in the head. Lol. At least with BMW, the E, F, G nomenclature is in cronological order so you know which is newer.

[krawesome]

Originally Posted by Law

I see you're from Austria so you should be fairly familiar with the German language.

Traditionally, the letter "E" stood for "Entwicklung", roughly meaning "development" or "evolution". The number at the end likely represents the chronological sequence in which that particular project was developed or conceived.

Thanks a lot.

in fact, i didnt have the X-models and so on in mind, so it looked kind of random to me.
Now it's clear that the numbers are indeed chronological