- BMW has a new site recording all its car models made between 1928 and 2008.
- The site is similar to previous historical projects done for Mini and BMW’s motorcycles.
- Everything’s here from rare oddballs to the brand’s greatest hits.
Heritage is a value every automaker has been known to brag about, but not too many put in the legwork to actually honor it. Not so BMW, which has just launched a public site that catalogs some 80 years of the company’s history, from 1928 through to 2008. If you’re a BMW fan, then yes, your favorite pick is in here, complete with photos and a short breakdown as to model features. And we do mean everything: for the E28 5-series, for instance, BMW has every trim level listed from the Euro-only, carburetor-equipped 518 to the mighty M5.
The historic model overview represents a tremendous amount of research, but it’s not unprecedented. BMW already has two similar historic catalogs, one for its Mini sub-brand, and one for its motorcycle division. Both of those are great fun to browse through, whether you want to look up the original price of pickup-truck Minis from the 1960s (about $550) or dig into the then-radical aerodynamics of the 1988 BMW K1.
BMW’s car history is broader than even its motorcycle past, and the new digital catalog has plenty of gems. For instance, were you aware than most models of the adorable three-wheeler Isetta were actually built in the U.K. as knock-down kits, which is why you might see one at your local British car show? Or you can scroll through every iteration of the E30 wagon (BMW calls this spec “Touring”), including the all-wheel-drive 325iX aimed at the skiing set.
This is a worldwide catalog, so there’s plenty of forbidden fruit to pore over, especially for the M fans in the audience. Dream about the last of the blister-fendered E30 M3s, the Evolution III, with its 2.5-liter four-cylinder screaming to 238 horsepower at 7000 rpm. Or check out the rarest-of-the-rare E34 M5 Touring Elekta, of which only 20 were built especially for the Italian market.
In addition to diving in on specific favorites, the catalog charts BMWs history from the Dixi cars of the late 1920s, based on the Austin 7, right through to the E46 M3 and E39 M5. Both those last are considered perhaps the best of their breeds, but it’s interesting to see lesser-known BMW models from the 1950s and late 1960s, before the Neue Klasse models arrived to herald the future of the brand.
Whether you’re a fan of BMW specifically, or just interested in automotive history generally, the new site is well worth a visit. Check it out: you might find a Bimmer you’ve never heard of before, or see where the roots of your current modern favorite first took hold.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
