Profusely illustrated throughout, a worthy addition to the Veloce Pictorial History series. Each BMW model (1945-2013) has been painstakingly researched detailing body derivatives, production changes, technical information and hundreds of period photos and diagrams, plus how the ever-changing advertising was used to promote each model.
A comprehensive pictorial history of BMW cars covering the postwar models right through to 2013, when electric and hybrid models started to make an appearance.
The detailed text covers all model ranges, and includes full specs, colour variations and styling details. Illustrations include original line drawings, black & white plus colour period photos, and interior detail. Sports derivatives, limited editions, vans, estates and coupes are included, along with a section on motorsport achievements and TV/Movie appearances. Contemporary factory advertising slogans are also featured throughout. Complementing the historical content, technical specifications, ongoing production changes and build figures are included for completeness, making this the ideal reference work for model identification and authenticity.
This title is one of several that Trevor has written for Veloce's hugely successful A Pictorial History series, and is a bookshelf-must for anyone interested in a slice of BMW motoring heritage.
Table of Contents:
- Contents
- Introduction
- Early beginnings: Pre-war cars
- Post war saloons 1945-1955: 321, 326, 327 & 340
- 1952-1959 501, 503 & 507
- 1950s/60s Microcars and 700
- New Class from 1962, saloons, coupes & 3200 CS (incl. 2000)
- 1966-1977 02-Series (1502, 1602 & 2002)
- 1968-1977 2500 & 2800 (E3 & E9) Saloon & Coupes
- 1972-1988 5-Series (E12 & E28)
- 1975-1994 3-Series (E21 & E30)
- 1976-1999 6-, 7- & 8-Series (E24, E23, E32 & E31)
- The 1978-1981 mid-engined M1 (E26)
- The later 1987-2003 5-Series (E34 & E39)
- Z1, Z3, Z4 & Z8 (1989-2008) roadster and coupes
- 1990-2006 3-Series (E36 & E46)
- 1994-2015 7-Series (E38 & E65/6, then F01/02)
- New century SUVs: X5, X3, X6 & X1 (E53, E83, E70, E71 & E84)
- 2003-2010 5-Series & 6-Series (E60/61 & E63/64)
- The 2004-2013 Compacts: 1- & 3-series
- The future's electric (i3 & i8)
- Appendix 1. E-Series model designations
- Appendix 2. Key achievements in motor sport
- Appendix 3. Main BMW TV & movie appearances
- Index
This book tells the complete BMW 5 series story, in the pre-Bangle classic era, covering e12, e28, e34 and e39 models, the enthusiast cars that invented the modern sports sedan and created BMW’s ultimate driving machine image.
Follow the evolution of BMW’s middle child through the decades in all major markets. Marvel at the mystique of BMW’s motorsport and exotic tuner cars reaching the 180mph milestone on V8 power.
Consider BMW’s phoenix-like rise from the ashes of WWII, regaining its sports, luxury reputation, and powering on to become the ultimate business machine under chairman Eberhard von Kuenheim.
This new paperback edition features 22 new images, and new information about the genesis of BMW Motorsport GmbH and its early cars. Marc Cranswick has been writing on the subject of classic high performance German cars for many years. He has been involved with BMW since the e12 and e21 were current models.
