[mde83]

I don't have mine yet but when I do, and if anyone asks, I will say "BMW X3 m40i". Either their eyes will glaze over and they will change the subject...or they will ask if that is some special car... and in both cases the conversation will end quickly...or they will be an enthusiast and react accordingly - and then we can talk BMW...

If I am unknowingly talking to an enthusiast I don't just want to say X3...because...while they are great vehicles, there as tons of them out there... Including the m40i moniker will be much more likely to peak the interest of an enthusiast...particularly a BMW enthusiast...

[MrPorter]

What a wildly inappropriate thing to say to someone when asking about what is most peoples' first or second-most expensive possession.

I do want to chime in that anyone who would want to sit and listen as you work to get out the whole "X3 M40i" will ask you a qualifying question after you answer X3, like "oh, which one did you get?" No one else cares, even if we want them to.

But this guy...yeah. Who says that out loud to people? A BMW is a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but even across the entire spectrum of "car brands" or even "all available SUVs/crossovers", it's anything but basic.

[MrPorter]

Originally Posted by titomi

X3 is not a SUV, it's not even officially called that, it's SAV.

Please tell me you don't correct people like this in public. You're replacing a general term with marketing jargon like that's how people are supposed to talk.

And it doesn't matter if you're protecting the SUV term like there's some minimum utility requirement or if you just buy into BMW's communications - either way, BMW made a make-believe category to create perceived differentiation in the marketplace...and somehow, 20 years later, we still have people trying to make it happen.

[verysideways]

People rarely ask, but if they do I just say a BMW. Anyone who cares will ask which one, most people don't!

[Lux700]

I suppose, if someone’s asking they must be partially interested, otherwise why would they be asking? In fact, asking someone what car they drive is a question I personally avoid unless they have brought up the subject of driving or have indicated some interest in cars or driving.

[shoptb]

Originally Posted by GT500R

X3 M40i

I just leave it at that and if anyone has any more interest or really wanted to know they ask what’s a M40i

Same here.

[Nesemem]

I would normally say just X3 unless I am talking to a car person and then I make sure I add in the M40i.