BMW 1- and 3-series coupes to become 2- and 4-series

BMW is shaking up its badging strategy and will turn the next-gen 1-series and 3-series sporting derivatives into the 2-series and 4-series.

Two-door Ones and Threes - the coupes and convertibles - will in future be rebadged as the BMW 2-series and BMW 4-series.

Audi and Mercedes went ahead and did it: the A5 Sportback, coupé and convertible are one number more prestigeous and expensive than the more mainstream A4 models; the E-class coupé and cabriolet fetch E-class money despite their well concealed C-class genes.

A decade ago, BMW had exactly the same idea and came very close to sticking a 4-series badge on to the two-door 3-series derivatives. But at the eleventh hour, this plan was withdrawn, allegedly because management feared that a split in registration numbers would be perceived as brand weakness.

This time, however, the sales strategists are reportedly determined to not only revive the 4-series moniker but also to add two new 2-series models.

• F32, 3-series coupé replacement badged 4-series, mid-2013
• F33, 3-series convertible replacement badged 4-series, spring 2014
• F35, all-new four-door coupé badged 4-series, spring 2015
• F22, 1-series coupé replacement badged 2-series, early 2013
• F23, 1-series cabriolet replacement badged 2series, summer 2014

By Georg Kacher