BMW is planning a change in the traditional labeling of its internal combustion models

The letter “i” after the three-digit motorization designation has appeared on BMW combustion cars since the introduction of the fuel injection system, but now it is beginning to be associated primarily with electromobility.

In recent years, due to the electric division of the same name, the letter “i” began to appear before the designation of the model itself, when it refers to a car with an electric drive. For example, the i5 and i7 models are an alternative to the combustion models of the 5 and 7 series. And it is with electric models that the letter “i” should be connected in the future, as reported by BMWBlog.

Speculations about the end of the iconic letter on the back of combustion models have been circulating for a long time, but Bernd Köber, Senior Vice President of BMW, who was asked by BMWBlog why the letter disappeared from the designation of the upcoming BMW X3 M50, which would have in the future, finally shed light on the situation to replace the X3 M40i model.

Photo: Jan Handrejch, Novinky

Plug-in hybrid models are indicated by the letter “e” at the end of the model name.

Köber said that the letter “i” has had different interpretations throughout the brand’s history, but should always refer to innovation. And while in the past it referred to injection models, in the future it should refer to electric models.

“We thought we’d like to keep the ‘i’ as a symbol and we’d like to keep it as a signature that suggests you’re driving an electric car, and that was our logic,” the automaker said.

According to BMWBlog, the first model without the letter “i” in the designation of combustion engines should be the new BMW X3, and the updated 1-Series and 2-Series Gran Coupes could also arrive with the new designation this year. However, we will have to wait for more information.