Old BMW's are defined as those no longer in production. Best BMW design (in order of preference) 1. E32 7-series (1988-1994 - don't act so surprised!) 2. E24 6-series (1977-1988 - especially the M6, arguably one of the most beautiful BMW coupes ever made) 3. E21 3-series (1977-1983 - again, personal prejudice, this was my previous BMW) 4. E30 3-series (1984-1991 - the E30 M3 is still one of the most desireable BMW's ever made, especially the Evo's) 5. E34 5-series (1989-1995) 6. Z3 series (1995-2001) 7. E39 5-series (1996-2003) (E39 M5 one of the best performance sedans ever made, 400 hp V8) 8. E38 7-series (1995-2001) (I liked it until you get past the rear doors and see that tiny trunklid -- sorry my E38 friends!) 9. E36 318ti hatchback -- such a pity BMW only outfitted these cars with the woefully underpowered E42 4-cylinder; designwise these cars had interesting body lines) 10. E9 CS Coupe (a truly classic BMW coupe)
No longer in production? 1. E30 2. E30 3. E30 4. E30 5. E30 6. E30 7. E30 8. E30 9. E30 10. E30 Amendments 05/14/10 - #2. Changed from E46 ZHP to E30
in no particular order, there's a few more that I want but I limited it to 10 1. E36 318ti 2. E36 touring 3. E30 touring 4. Z3 coupe 5. Isetta 6. E34 touring 7. E38 long-wheelbase 8. E90 502 9. 2002 touring 10. 700 kinda oddball cars other than 6, 7 and 8, something about odd cars that I like
700 is very cool; the swoopy and very cool looking 327's & 328's of the 1930's, and that super aerodynamic racing 328 that was either a world speed record car or mille miglia racer, whatever it was. 507's... Z8's.... convertible Baroque Angels are quite classic as well. BMW 2002 Turbo... 2002 convertible. E30 M3 in its variety of iterations. The Batmobiles and be-fendered, be-spoilered racing 320i's of the mid-late 70's. 3.0csi. M1. McLaren F1 (Ok I know.. but....) E36 and E46 never-U.S.-imported M3 GTR's,,, most vintage Alpina's, Hartge's and Schnitzer's...and just for the hell of it, the M3F...is that 10?? (and that does't even get into ohh... airplanes and motorcycles going back to the early 1900's..)
That's a very interesting 2002! I haven't seen one of those before I'm not surprised to see all the love for the E30 though! I think EVERYONE loved those cars.
E9 CSL E23 745i E24 M635CSi E26 M1 E28 M5 E30 325is E30 M3 E31 850CSi E32 750iL E34 M5 Bonus E36/7 M Coupe
I must admit I have a soft spot in my head for the 327 (http://bmwcca.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=961&size=big&cat=&ppuser=147). The idea of driving across the country in an old jalopy like this has a certain demented appeal. Maybe the thing I really crave is having enough time to actually try something that crazy.
I noticed that eam3's list has been brought to you by the letter "M" ...as in mmmmm mmmmm MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!! LOL Cheers.
Look on the bright side At least you won't be seeing yourself in traffic amid all the other copycat jellybean automobiles.
This is where you separate the Men© from the Boys ... or at least the Old Farts from the Kids. No list composed entirely of 'E-nummer' models will satisfy me or any of the rest of the Men© here. Here's why: 2002 (Typ 114) ** 328 (1936-39; 'stolen' production tooling later used to produce an English version) 507 * 315 (Dixi - BMW's first automobile, built under Austin Seven license) Isetta (another license, bought just in time to rescue BMW from financial ruin) So I have half a list of ten before even mentioning any post-Neue Klasse cars. This is a lot like the time I was working tech at a Road America historics event. A then-new 'Fly Yellow' C5 'Vette rolled into the tech barn for 'touring tech' and almost everyone ran or walked (or, in my case, kinda' strolled) over to it. A moment later, though, in came a 1927 Bugatti Type 35 - in that classic blue they all seem to be painted. Instantly, everybody over the age of thirty swarmed around it to marvel over the almost innumerable technological wonders it contained. Cable-operated 'dual circuit' (foot for front; hand for rear) brakes; the belt-driven supercharger pulling mixture from an updraft carburetor located somewhere down around sump level; bodywork held together by exquisite brass posts and wire; cast one-piece wheel/brake assemblies; a one-piece block & head machine turned on the outside surface, just like the firewall; mechanical tach drive off the rear of the cam along with manually-adjustable ignition timing on the same shaft; jaw-dropping casting and machine work everywhere. But the 'kids' didn't care. They were thrilled over a car you could go to any Chevy dealer to see a week later. Oh; the rest of my list? Here ya go. Subject to change at any time. Ask Michael Izor. E28 535is (it just 'fits' me - and I'm on my fourth one) ** E9 3.0 CSL * E24 635 CSi * E30 M3 * M1 * Have driven one or more of 'em. ** Have owned more than one of 'em.
Bulleted rather than numbered since I could never rank them: 507 - 'Nuff said. Isetta - So weird it's wonderful. M5 (E39) - The one that got away (Well, at least I got to drive one.) M1 - 'Nuff said, redux. Z8 - The most beautiful BMW ever produced. Do not bother to argue since I will simply stick my fingers in my ears and make "LALALALALALA" noises until you go away. 325iX (E30) - The only truly distinctive E30 after the M3. 8 Series, 840Ci/850CSi (I'm not fussy) - Almost bought one a few years back from a local private seller. I might yet, someday, if I take leave of my senses. 740i Sport (E38) - THE badass limousine (in both the American and European senses). If Al Capone were alive in 2001 he'd have rolled in a 750iL Protection. (Yeah, I know that's not what I listed. I'm not Al Capone. ) Dinan M6 (E24) - Gimmegimmegimmegimmegimme. M Coupe (E36) - So ugly it's gorgeous. Doesn't hurt that it goes like stink. Honorable mentions: Z1 (weird/wonderful revisited) and the E46 3er (disqualified because I own one). Oh, and whoever listed E90: FAIL, the category is "old" BMWs no longer in production.
A question for NotTheStig about one of his selections An E30 M3 offers a number of visual clues that it's not a regular E30: unique front and rear spoilers not shared with any other E30 model, a unique rear window, as well as the fender blisters. Even with no badging on the car, an E30 M3 would be instantly recognizable from other E30 cars by any one of the above visual clues. However if one encountered an E30 ix model, if the badging were to be removed, how could one spot one of these cars, visually distinct from any other E30, without crawling under it to spot the front differential? By the way, it was Tifreak that "broke" the list by listing a disqualified E90. Tifreak, we're talking about old BMW's - defined as any BMW no longer produced by BMW. The E90 3-series sedan is still currently in production.
Right. But I was asking if there was a way to identify one without badging.... ...or without crawling under it. Owning one isn't a disqualification. I listed the E32 and I own one of those.
