BMW Rethinks Model Names, Porsche Goes Primal, and More

0 comments / Posted Oct 03, 2023 by Marvin Roane

BMW Rethinks Model Names, Porsche Goes Primal, and More!

M Competition Is The New Starting Point

The auto industry has been buzzing with news, so here are some highlights in case you missed it.

BMW M is going to be phasing out the base model. What does this mean? It means the Competition is the new starting point if you want an M Model moving forward. With the “M-Lite” models like the M440i and M340i filling the gap of the standard model, CEO of BMW M Frank van Meel, feels there is no longer a need for the standard M model. Instead the Competition model will be the new normal. But if you want more gusto there will also be the CS and CSL to choose from for your road legal track car needs.

BMW Files New Naming Trademark

Speaking of all things BMW, they have also recently filed a new trademark for naming clarification. Let’s face it, their naming convention can definitely be a little confusing for those that aren’t familiar with it. Back in the day, it was simple. A 3 number system, the first was the car series, the next 2 were the engine size. Currently, it’s a little muddled to say the least. Whether it’s gas powered or electric, SUV or not, a performance variant? That will have an added M as well. So an M440i vs an i4 M50 may share some similarities, but the placement of the letters mean some very drastic differences. The 'i' at the end was added and stood for fuel injection whereas if added to the beginning it meant the car was an EV. With the upcoming line of Neue Klasse vehicles, BMW is taking the opportunity to clean things up a bit.

If you want a gas powered 3 series of the higher power level you will be looking at a 340. If you want an electric version of the same vehicle, it will be an i340. If you want an SUV, an X is included. So an X330 would be ICE where an iX330 would be the electric variant. Hopefully this will indeed be the case because it definitely would make things a little easier.

Porsche 911 Unleashed

Do you happen to have about $1 million burning a hole in your pocket and just aren’t sure what to do? Lucky for you, Porsche has just revealed its new Track-only 911 GT3 R Rennsport. Now the Rennsport isn’t competition-legal, but instead is what happens when you let a manufacturer make something that applies by no rules whatsoever. Porsche considers this as the 911 in its most primal form.

Limited to just 77 examples, the new Porsche is powered by a 4.2-liter, flat-six which makes about 611 horsepower and revs up to 9,400 rpm. Equipped with a 6-speed sequential dog-type transmission, this thing weighs only 2,733 lbs and puts that power exclusively to the rear wheels. Needless to say this thing is going to be amazing and a symphony to the senses.

VW Jetta Recall

If you have a 2019-2020 Jetta, you may be eligible for a new fuse for your ignition. Volkswagen has voluntarily filed for a recall that affects about 47,651 vehicles. The problem affects vehicles equipped with a traditional ignition switch, where the poly fuse may fail thus causing the vehicles electrical system shutting down and causing the engine to stall while driving. If the problem occurs, driver’s will see two errors displayed, “Ignition switch off, safely stop the vehicle,” followed by “Starter system faulty, please service vehicle.” The root cause of the issue is still being investigated, however owners with affected vehicles are going to be notified near the end of October via letter.

Oktoberfest 2023!

Finally, Oktoberfest has started and there are tons of deals to be had, so make sure to check it out and keep an eye out for more savings on the way. Prost!

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