Photo: BMW
BMW might be thinking of adding a few more M Performance models to its roster, as three trademarks have just been filed by Bayerische Motoren Werke with the United States Patent And Trademark Office.
More specifically, the trademarks in question are the M335, M650, and M750. Just like previous BMW filings, they don't include the last letter which would have clued us in as to what powertrain they were using.
All three names were registered on June 20th. But believe it or not, they have been floating around for quite a while. One of our articles from 2011 mention all three of them, along with two dozen more possible models.
So it could mean something, or it could mean nothing at all. But out of all those random M Performance names, BMW is keen on keeping these three, which tells us they might eventually be produced.
Let's examine them in a bit more detail, starting with the big boy. The M750 is probably going to be powered by the new 4.4-liter engine from the M850i, which produces 530 horsepower. It's down on the M760Li, but that car is only available with the long wheelbase, so there's no actual overlap.
As for the M650, it's more than a little puzzling. The name should refer to a version of the 6 Series Gran Turismo, which in America tops out with the 3.0-liter 640i model. An M version would either use the 4.4-liter V8 from the M550i or the quad-turbo 3-liter diesel. But diesel in America? Probably not.
The 6 Series GT is one of the few big BMW models without an M version. But the trademark might also have been made about a smaller sports car that the Bavarians have planned.
Finally, there's the weirdest nameplate of them all, the M335. An M340i is all but confirmed for the next generation of the 3 Series sedan, offering about 360 HP. Also, there's going to be an M340d in Europe with 326 HP, but only in Europe.
We have two ideas about the M335. One is that it's a re-branded M340i with a name change to indicate that it's less powerful than the gasoline model. But it doesn't make a lot of sense, considering BMW moved the number up, not down, with the 540d U.S.-spec model, which would be a 530d in Europe based on the output.
We also need to consider the possibility of an M335e model, a 2-liter plug-in hybrid. Performance hybrids are a thing!
All three names were registered on June 20th. But believe it or not, they have been floating around for quite a while. One of our articles from 2011 mention all three of them, along with two dozen more possible models.
So it could mean something, or it could mean nothing at all. But out of all those random M Performance names, BMW is keen on keeping these three, which tells us they might eventually be produced.
Let's examine them in a bit more detail, starting with the big boy. The M750 is probably going to be powered by the new 4.4-liter engine from the M850i, which produces 530 horsepower. It's down on the M760Li, but that car is only available with the long wheelbase, so there's no actual overlap.
As for the M650, it's more than a little puzzling. The name should refer to a version of the 6 Series Gran Turismo, which in America tops out with the 3.0-liter 640i model. An M version would either use the 4.4-liter V8 from the M550i or the quad-turbo 3-liter diesel. But diesel in America? Probably not.
The 6 Series GT is one of the few big BMW models without an M version. But the trademark might also have been made about a smaller sports car that the Bavarians have planned.
Finally, there's the weirdest nameplate of them all, the M335. An M340i is all but confirmed for the next generation of the 3 Series sedan, offering about 360 HP. Also, there's going to be an M340d in Europe with 326 HP, but only in Europe.
We have two ideas about the M335. One is that it's a re-branded M340i with a name change to indicate that it's less powerful than the gasoline model. But it doesn't make a lot of sense, considering BMW moved the number up, not down, with the 540d U.S.-spec model, which would be a 530d in Europe based on the output.
We also need to consider the possibility of an M335e model, a 2-liter plug-in hybrid. Performance hybrids are a thing!
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