BMW has filed trademark registrations for a series of new car names.
According to reports, the names registered include i1, i2, i3, i4, i5, i6, i7, i8, i9 and E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9. The M50d, Urbanic, Gran Coupe, Compactive, and Compactive Tourer names were also filed.
Speculation suggests the M50d is a tri-turbo diesel, the Urbanic is a trim level for the Mega City project, the Gran Coupe is a four-door coupe 6-Series, and the Compactive name will be applied to sporty crossovers based on the 1 and 3-series.
The i registrations would then be applied to the Project-i electric city car sub brand that is being planned, while the E denomination is for electric cars, as previewed by the BMW 1-series Concept ActiveE that was at this year's Detroit motor show.
Detroit show: Electric BMW 1-series
Registering a name under trademark does not guarantee it will be used: car companies routinely file names to block competitors from using them.
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Re: BMW trademarks new car names
There is also of course the Compactor, which just munches up pedestrians who don't get out of the way quickly enough.
Re: BMW trademarks new car names
I'd like it, actually. Maybe they could revive the 4.4 litre diesel V8 they've just killed - that was a magnificent engine and the only all-alloy diesel V8 ever made. Sure, the new x40d is a superb piece of engineering, but, even with inherent balance, which the V8 lacks, it doesn't sound as good as the V8. The stock 4.4 litre made about 330bhp, and, well, the x40d makes 300ish stock but can be tuned to 400ish, so getting 440bhp out of the big V8 diesel shouldn't be a problem. Strapping two more turbos to it (it's already a twin-turbo) should sort it out... and cure the slight lag I remember in the 745d I rode in on holiday in Germany. Quad-turbo lagless diesel V8 with 450bhp+? Maybe even over 500bhp, take from Audi the crown of most powerful production diesel car ever made? The Q7 V12 has 493bhp, by the way... and I love the way diesel V8s sound.
Re: BMW trademarks new car names
The Zero?
Oh, wait. That was a Mitsubishi.