Actually it started back in the 1960s if I remember correctly: a turbo six 7 series with 3.2 liter engine was the 745i. I think we can blame it on turbos. I agree it has gotten out of hand these days.
When did BMW start cheating, and who started first ? :)
Ok, don't shoot me yet 
Used to be a time, deciphering BMW models was the easiest thing ever.
325 = 3 series, 2.5 liter engine.
750 = 7 series, 5.0 liter engine.
This mathematical precision was clear and easy. Add the decimal point and you have your engine. Or at least - within a handful of cubic centimeters. I'll vote a 2775cm3 (or something) engine to be a 2.8 liter one.
Then, something happened, and model numbers went higher than liters. By a big margin. The 335 had a 3.0 liter engine. Etc. It was that soothing narrative of "it's a smaller engine, but it's soo powerful watchamacallit that we consider it equivalent to that other, larger one".
Mercedes went the same way. Used to be a time an S600 had a six liter engine, an E270 had a 2.7 liter engine, etc. Nowadays, it's all over the place, by x2+ factors (doesn't the C43 have a 2.0 engine or something like that ?)
I somehow miss the simplicity of these times.
Does anyone remember when this all started ? I remember maybe early 2000's for BMW, but not sure when, and with which model.
And who started first, BMW or MB ?
Used to be a time, deciphering BMW models was the easiest thing ever.
325 = 3 series, 2.5 liter engine.
750 = 7 series, 5.0 liter engine.
This mathematical precision was clear and easy. Add the decimal point and you have your engine. Or at least - within a handful of cubic centimeters. I'll vote a 2775cm3 (or something) engine to be a 2.8 liter one.
Then, something happened, and model numbers went higher than liters. By a big margin. The 335 had a 3.0 liter engine. Etc. It was that soothing narrative of "it's a smaller engine, but it's soo powerful watchamacallit that we consider it equivalent to that other, larger one".
Mercedes went the same way. Used to be a time an S600 had a six liter engine, an E270 had a 2.7 liter engine, etc. Nowadays, it's all over the place, by x2+ factors (doesn't the C43 have a 2.0 engine or something like that ?)
I somehow miss the simplicity of these times.
Does anyone remember when this all started ? I remember maybe early 2000's for BMW, but not sure when, and with which model.
And who started first, BMW or MB ?
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Ah, marketing. All any automaker really cares about is selling you a car, so big numbers help to sell based on compensation. The 6s on my boat read 6172, for “I-6, 172 cid per cylinder.”
Remember the mustang 5.0s of the 80s? Actually 4.9. I guess they didn’t want to market a V8 the same size as their (better) I6. GM went the other way in ‘70, when a Chevelle SS396 was actually 402. My ‘70 VW 1600 was actually 1581. They round whichever way helps them sell cars… or more specifically, convince you to buy theirs.
In modern times, engines of all brands within the brand are fairly modular, so 1.5 3s, 2.0 4s, 3.0 6s and 4.0 8s are ubiquitous. When the same size engine with different boost needs to sell several models, they have to finagle the model names.
I used to prefer the German nomenclature of series/engine size. Now it’s meaningless, so I’m back to preferring an actual name with a number on the trunk. The one on mine reads “442”, which is a lie if you think it means what it doesn’t.
To answer your question with modern BMW, sometime in the early noughts. BMW made different sizes of the Mg N52 engines, we just never got them in the US, so they were named on power level and 3 stage option (or lack thereof). Certifying the N52B25 was unpaid money, so simply detune the approved N52B30.
You didn’t just buy a BMW if money was of any concern, did you?
Remember the mustang 5.0s of the 80s? Actually 4.9. I guess they didn’t want to market a V8 the same size as their (better) I6. GM went the other way in ‘70, when a Chevelle SS396 was actually 402. My ‘70 VW 1600 was actually 1581. They round whichever way helps them sell cars… or more specifically, convince you to buy theirs.
In modern times, engines of all brands within the brand are fairly modular, so 1.5 3s, 2.0 4s, 3.0 6s and 4.0 8s are ubiquitous. When the same size engine with different boost needs to sell several models, they have to finagle the model names.
I used to prefer the German nomenclature of series/engine size. Now it’s meaningless, so I’m back to preferring an actual name with a number on the trunk. The one on mine reads “442”, which is a lie if you think it means what it doesn’t.
To answer your question with modern BMW, sometime in the early noughts. BMW made different sizes of the Mg N52 engines, we just never got them in the US, so they were named on power level and 3 stage option (or lack thereof). Certifying the N52B25 was unpaid money, so simply detune the approved N52B30.
You didn’t just buy a BMW if money was of any concern, did you?
Just checked an internet search for that motorcyle and it is 49cc engine. Ha!Well, there was a Chinese motorcycle brand which was selling a 698 where "698" stood for the volume of engine oil it could get, in cc. There's always worse
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