[55 cent]

Does anyone know when the E46 coupe will change to E56? Sedan will change first and the coupe probably the following year. But what year? Will it be called E56? Does anyone have any pics out there?

 

[tpzblu330ci]

It should be the E90 Coupe unless becuase it will be called the 4-series they are gonna change the platform designation as well. It should come out in late '05 as a '06 model from what I have heard.

 

[55 cent]

thanks. I saw the pics at autofiend.com. I heard a rumour at the local BMW dealership the 4-series might come out as early as this summer but the sales rep. didn't think it was true.

 

[mash20]

didn't they ditch the whole 4-series idea and just keep the sedans and coupes as the 3-series like it always was?

 

[bmwti]

they were planning changing it to the 3 and 4 series. And then "Roundel" reported that BMW decided it wasnt a good marketing move. But then a few months later, it was reported that BMW was thinking about splitting into the two different series again. The reality is that until anything becomes official, everything is speculation.

I predict that the new sedan will appear not this summer, but the following in 2005. And then a year later the next coupe will come too.

 

[2001BMW330xi]

I hadn't even heard that they had reconsidered not splitting it up. I think it could be a good idea, because if you haven't noticed, the 6 series is really basically a 2 door new 5 series with a little nicer engine. So splitting up 3 and 4 for sedans and coupes wouldn't necessarily be a bad idea since people are responding well to the 5 and 6 series difference.

 

[HW323ci]

they were planning changing it to the 3 and 4 series. And then "Roundel" reported that BMW decided it wasnt a good marketing move. But then a few months later, it was reported that BMW was thinking about splitting into the two different series again. The reality is that until anything becomes official, everything is speculation.

I predict that the new sedan will appear not this summer, but the following in 2005. And then a year later the next coupe will come too.

:tsk: bmw ag has been flip-flopping on the 4 series name since 1990! they said they were going to do it for the e36, then e46, and now e90.

 

[mash20]

I really think they shouldn't. They should stick to the classic good ol' BMW trend of 3,5,7 with the occasional 6. (can't quite fit the 8 in there, but it was still one hell of a car)

 

[HW323ci]

I really think they shouldn't. They should stick to the classic good ol' BMW trend of 3,5,7 with the occasional 6. (can't quite fit the 8 in there, but it was still one hell of a car)

it's an effort to standardize the naming scheme. even numbers had been used for 2 door models whereas the odd numbers were used sedans. the 3er had been the odd ball as was the m1, z1 and z3. the z4 was a move in the right direction to standardizing the naming scheme. but because the "3" is the bread'n'butter of the bmw ag, marketing is sort of stuck w/ it much like the intel "pentium" name.

 

[egyptnads]

they should end the 3 series, just so no more 3 series come out and my car wont be out dated

 

[ilitig8]

It should be the E90 Coupe unless becuase it will be called the 4-series they are gonna change the platform designation as well. It should come out in late '05 as a '06 model from what I have heard.

The only thing I have read (multiple places) is the 3 series which may or may not be split to 3/4, will be E90 Sedan, E91 Wagon, E92 Coupe and E93 Cab. The last thing I read was BMW may have too much on their plate over the next few years (1;2;3/4;6; M3/4,5,6; X5 to split the 3 series, the same reason the Z9 has been no-goed in the near future. If they differentiate the series enough to make the name split they will likely need more seperation in assembly lines and BMW is already pushing the limit of its current factories, thus the outsource of the X3 build.

Vandy