BMW has been setting up its electric branding for more than a decade. Everything electric that comes from a BMW has an “i” somewhere in its name. That’s just how it’s been since the original BMW i3. And with the upcoming electric 3 Series, built on BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, that naming continues, as it will bring the i3 name back. So with the M Division version of the i3, BMW had the easiest naming slam dunk in history, but somehow it still missed. Instead of calling it the BMW iM3, it will just be called the M3.
Calling it the M3 wouldn’t be confusing if it were the only one. However, BMW will also be making an internal combustion M3 as well, with an updated version of the S58 engine. So both versions are going to be called M3, despite them being built on different platforms (the combustion M3 will ride on BMW’s CLAR architecture) and both having entirely different powertrains. That will likely be confusing, at least for now.
Why won’t BMW just take the layup and name the electric version the iM3? According to BMWBlog, BMW M feels that the M3 nameplate transcends powertrain. It’s an idea of performance that’s bigger than whatever powers it. OK, sure. But adding an “i” to the front of “M3” isn’t going to dilute the model’s heritage any more than switching over to electrification. It seems unnecessarily confusing to develop an electric brand identity for more than a decade, and then abandon it when the most exciting opportunity to use it comes along. Additionally, if the electric M3 isn’t as good as the standard one, does that dilute the nameplate?
On the other hand, I think the real reason for keeping the same name for both cars is that BMW is looking beyond this generation. This dual-M3 situation is going to be a one-off, and future generations of M3 will almost certainly be purely electric. So if this generation has an M3 and iM3, what is the future electric only car called? It would likely be confusing for BMW to call this electric one the iM3 and then revert back to M3 once there’s no longer a gas-powered version. And if it stuck with iM3 forever, then the traditional M3 name dies, and BMW likely doesn’t want that. So I assume BMW feels that the best course of action is to just never use iM3.
Will this naming convention convince or prevent any buyers? No, ultimately it won’t matter. But it will be confusing at first, especially since the electric M3 is based on a car called the i3.
