[Stealth3si]

Originally Posted by LaserRacer

This is incorrect... Model designations are specific to the manufacturer...there is no universal coding.

E30 is the designation which determines the generation of the car...M3 means a BMW 3 series built to BMW Motorsport specs.

Originally Posted by The Phantom Mullet

See below.

Indeed.

The "E30" is simply another way of stating which generation of car you're referring to. In the case of the E30, it was produced from 1988-1992. The E36 was the next generation, and was imported to the US from 1995-1999. The E46 followed from 200-2006. The current generation (since 2008) is either the E90 or the E92, depending on body style. BMW always skips one year of M3 production when re-designing the car. The reason for the gap between 1992 and 1995, is simply because they chose not to import the M3 to the US those years.

And if you have the money for an E30, go for it. There are very few other cars that can do what it does, but better. Basically, Lotus products. Although a Lotus would likely fall short in a rally setting...

OK thank you for the heads up.

I have another question: do the numbers have any relation to, say for instance, the amount of cylinders, valves and/or liters per model?

[mulletman]

Well, maybe. But not really. With some of the BMW and Mercedes Benz designations it might, but it would be entirely unreliable.

With BMW, you end up with the E-numbers, which denote generation. Like E30, E36, and E46.... which are all various versions of the 3-series. The E60 is the current 5-series. The E90 and E92 are the current 3-series models. So really, it's pretty arbitrary.

[Stealth3si]

Hmm. I see.

More than likely, I think I'm lost in translation here.

I may get back to you on this if I remember to mention this subject to my friend (again) because it made sense to me when he'd explained it before.

[LaserRacer]

However, with the rest of the BMW line, The second two numbers in the designation (the 25 in the 325i designation) often (but not always) indicate the displacement in 10ths of litres.

[mulletman]

Originally Posted by LaserRacer

However, with the rest of the BMW line, The second two numbers in the designation (the 25 in the 325i designation) often (but not always) indicate the displacement in 10ths of litres.

This can also be true with Mercedes Benz products. However, it doesn't work often enough, that I'd call it kind of a general coincidence when it actually lines up. Bigger numbers are better, though.

[LaserRacer]

But 3 is a smaller number than 318. And I do believe that the M3 is superior in all ways to the 318ti.

[mulletman]

The presence of the following indicates that the vehicle is exempt from logic, physics, rules, and most everything else.



... unless it's attached to that 318ti you mentioned....