The BMW Story

BMW have been making vehicles in one shape or another for 100 years. They’ve gone through many directions, but they’ve found their niche in creating sporty luxury cars. Yes, there have been the odd hiccup along the way, but it’s their relentless desire to be the best that has got them there - and I know from personal experience, I’ve worked for one of their many suppliers! For the customers this means a large range of dependable cars that keep getting better. So, just what were those bumps in the road to BMW's dominance, and how did they get to dominate the luxury market?
Steve Saxty's BMW design books: www.stevesaxty.com/
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Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
brandingstrategyinsider.com/t...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_328
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automob...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_340
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_501
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isetta
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_600
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_700
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M10
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_New...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_02_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glas_(c...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_New...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_E9
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_5_S...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_S...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_6_S...)
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_Turbo
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M1
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_S...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_5_S...)
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M70
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M60
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_5_S...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_Z3
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_S...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_Z8
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_X5_...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_X3
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hire
• 2002 BMW 7 Series 735i...
• BMW 1 Series review (2...
www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/ne...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_6_S...)
• BMW X1 SUV review - Ca...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_X6
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_X1_...)
• BMW i3 hatchback 2014 ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-R...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_C1
• BMW i8 coupe in-depth ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_2_S...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_2_S...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_4_S...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_X4
• BMW X2 SUV 2018 in-dep...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_X2
• BMW 8 Series 2020 in-d...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_8_S...)
www.economist.com/business/20...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_X7
• NEW BMW iX Review: Con...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Zi...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_XM
• I drove the most power...
#bigcar

[@BigCar2]

Check out Steve Saxty's BMW design books - www.stevesaxty.com Errata: The Russians were allied with the Allies. That could have been clearer. Also, the 2002ti didn't have fuel injection.

[@Markyboyplaysgames]

Your videos are fire bro! Keep it up! (Please make VW Transporter story lol)

[@tobias_k01]

I got the book set this week, and they are a must have for everyone deeply interested in the brand. The way they describe the thoughts and processes in their design team is just amazing and really makes you feel like you re-visit the moments of creation yourself. Worth every penny!

[@ghost21501]

You're still playing word salad. The Russians WERE the Allieds. If it wasn't for the bravery and sacrifice of the Russian army and its people, you'd be speaking Deutsche and saluting Hitler at the start of your videos.

[@apocalipsticka]

I love your channel, you do a great job of research and, as a result, the narrative is compelling.

[@jsnsk101]

@@ghost21501 yeah,very strange choice to separate out one of the allies from the others, but i think england is suffering from government empowered RDS at the moment

[@a-dino]

There's something so endearing about BMW giving Citroen the permission to use the C1 name that they'd previously used on their obscure scooter-car hybrid concept, and Citroen later returning the favour when BMW was looking for a name for their new super-SUV

[@VioletBagpipeSack-xf3ke]

The BMUU XM, modern corporate narcissm in a three ton blob.

[@basshead.]

GM used "C1" before BMW.

[@user-nb5dp9fl2c]

Oh God, don't remind me of that monster! I don't mean the C1 or the Citroen XM, to be clear.

[@zaphodbeeblebrox9109]

​@@basshead.Yeh but in America. No one in Europe cares.

[@basshead.]

@@zaphodbeeblebrox9109 It still shows that BMW is a scummy company.

[@bobhill3941]

Fantastic history videos as always, to coincide with your video, I just wanted to say that the designer Marcello Gandini (1938-2024) passed away at 85 yesterday. He designed the E12 generation 5 series. "Can form and function be separated, I believe you cannot" He asserted. I loved the M1 and the E36 and E46 wagon, and M3. Black coupe.

[@BigCar2]

I heard from someone else. A sad loss.

[@bobhill3941]

@@BigCar2 It was, I was shocked I read it yesterday on roadandtrack. The announcement just seemed appropriate on a video like this.

[@mikegan73]

RIP 🙏

[@bobhill3941]

@@mikegan73 Agreed, he was a great and accomplished man, I was shocked and saddened when I read his passing😢

[@BigCar2]

I'm working on another video that talks about a car he did the interior for, so I've put a mention of his passing in there.

[@uncipaws7643]

BMW didn't just start with motorcycles, they're nowadays the only remaining company producing powerful motorcycles in Germany and play an important role in the German/EU motorbike market. (Not really worldwide, seems like Asia is dominated by Honda ...) But "The BMW motorbike story" is probably something for another channel because this one is primarily dealing with 4-wheelers.

[@teslawizardvvv3]

Fortnine could do the BMW motorcycle story.

[@Snocone333]

or @bartmotorcycle

[@iHelpSolveIt]

BMW and Mercedes in South Africa had and have a long running spat😂😂😂 so much so that Nandoes ran a series of adverts that took a few pot shots at them both😂😂😂

[@martinmuller2809]

"The BMW motorbike story"? Let's not start another discussion on how much influence Douglas Motors had on BMW's development ;-)

[@Chapps1941]

I love their bikes. The R Series are magnificent bikes.

[@ahmadahmal2942]

BMW Story: - Plastic termostat housing - Plastic Intake manifold - Plastic valve covers - Plastic water pumps - Plastic everything.

[@baronvonjo1929]

Yet they will certainly charge you premium prices for cheap plastic lol

[@markstanton5882]

That's how they dominated the plastic market

[@LearnAboutFlow]

Don't forget that made-in-Mexico quality found in NA 3 series.

[@phillipnoetzel7637]

Then don’t buy one.

[@TheEwanMC]

The last well made German cars were the pre water cooled Porsches. It's only going to get worse, after the Ukraine conflict, with skyrocketing energy prices cutting margins even further. Actually there are only two car companies on the entire planet that I trust with quality nowadays: Toyota & Honda.

[@AlLuiPigus]

Best ever BMW in the thumbnail - E34

[@chucky2316]

Rusty hulks

[@shifty1927]

The best color.. calypso 🔥 same color as my 97 328i

[@BobischEBM]

Not a single picture of one of the very best BMWs the e39 5-Series!?

[@BigCar2]

Too much BMW to fit in.

[@WieDrDerJonge]

To bad you didn't mentioned the E38 which is the best what BMW has made. Great quality and great design. Shut a door on one of these and you can hear the build quality.

[@dot7107]

Also most beautiful among e39

[@WieDrDerJonge]

@@dot7107 indeed. Those 2 are the best what BMW has made.

[@ii7317]

@@WieDrDerJonge As the owner of both - yes. Two most beautiful BMW cars ever.

[@MrArolav]

Love your content! A small correction: the 2002 ti was dual carburetor and the 2002 tii was the one with Kügelfischer mechanical fuel injection.

[@larstragl146]

Noticed that as well, but if I may do another small correction: It's Kugelfischer, pronounced something like cooglefisher

[@danmayberry1185]

My mechanic gave me hell when I replaced the original single carb (base '72 2002) with a Weber. He claimed the original just needed an hour or two on the bench - it was a much better carb.

[@freddykrueger79]

yeah.. my father had one of these 2002ti.. the carburetors were a pain to tune but for a 5 year old kid, the car was just stunning and had great sound... looked like a race car ❤

[@mem7562]

@@larstragl146 does that come from "sphere fisher"?

[@BigCar2]

Thanks - I've posted a correction as a pinned comment.

[@carlrobson5745]

owned a e30,e36,e60, currently a f22 great cars and yes the indicators worked on all of them

[@Peanutdenver]

I love them as well having owned a E92 M3, F82 M4C and currently a 6 month old G82 M4C...and yes I love the beaver toothed front end despite all of the hate it gets via the inter-webs.

[@fishbert17]

The only thing they dominate these days is highly questionable design decisions

[@chucky2316]

And rubbish cars

[@magoid]

Indeed. Those cars are ugly as hell.

[@damirbajic4579]

​@chucky2316 Sooo, you don't have money to buy one and/or never had one....

[@zerocool5395]

They're really trying to unseat the Pontiac Aztek as world's ugliest car.

[@phillipnoetzel7637]

Then don’t buy one.

[@sinovelo]

The Isetta had 4 wheels. Only for the British market they were fitted with only 3 wheels.

[@MirkoC407]

The rear ones so close together that this unlucky arrangement of two very different tracks earnt it the nickname "pothole detecting device"

[@wernerdanler2742]

If I remember right, that had to do with them being classified as a motorbike as opposed to a car for road tax purposes in Britain.

[@sinovelo]

@@wernerdanler2742 for sure! Isetta, Peel, Morgan, Reliant, Bond and probably others a result of tax regulations.

[@wobblybobengland]

@@wernerdanler2742 For the Deutsche Markt. Look up the Ellenator, same trick goes on today.

[@Lightw81]

@@wernerdanler2742 and you could "ride" one on a motorbike licence. Back in those days many people started motoring life on a bike, maybe with a sidecar for the wife. Then when you had more money you could just buy a three-wheeler including a Reliant Regal.

[@robfrith103]

Great content again. One of the reasons I don't watch much TV anymore is youtubers like yourself. Only just noticed the LEGO DeLorean in the background. Got one for my birthday last month. Great model but Great Scot what a long build!

[@philiprodney7884]

Andy. This is a real tour de force. The whole story in 40 mins. Your best yet!

[@oml352]

I was a loyal BMW customer for 30 years from 1990 on. My first BMW was a E34 M5 in 1990, I had 2 E38 750i V12, a 335i and an F10 550i. Today, I can't stand the actual design language anymore, most of the cars are simply ugly.

[@user-jf8gd3lv7q]

Goodbye dude! You're irrelevant !

[@pervertt]

Back then the M badge stood for something. If you wanted an M3 or M5, for example, it would come only with a manual transmission. Nowadays, even pedestrian BMWs can carry an M badge. BMW has sacrificed its soul in order to sell more cars.

[@SomeOne_86]

Modern BMW's are soulless. Imo the E34 and E30 are the best cars the company has made.

[@user-jf8gd3lv7q]

@@SomeOne_86 Yeah yeah...grandpa. Sorry, but your ideologically dumb kind of pseudo criticising BMW ist nothing but annoying.

[@tonymontana897]

I agree. The new age of cars have an ugly insectoid design. Some look too aggressive. I really hate the new models. They have really lost the plot when it comes to design. Who are these idiots designing these ?

[@smorris12]

I've got an E46 320d with 278,000 miles on the clock and it makes granite look tricky and unstable. It's still on its original clutch, turbo and injectors and it's a joy to work on compared to anything FWD, particularly modern cars where the bonnet was spec'd by a keyhole surgery specialist.

[@Flaggyt]

I had i e46 330ci, but it was a sorry excuse for a bmw compared to my 525i E34 before.

[@MissingLinkGTRS]

Never thought I’d hear someone genuinely refer to BMW as dependable 💀

[@Lightw81]

Dependable just means you know what to expect!

[@kendimen.c]

BMW's built in Germany have indeed been considered dependable. It's know that even some specifications vary on different markets worldwide.

[@Rich.Aardvark]

Always love Bigcar story's!

[@PeterYeadon-js7ou]

Often better than television. These videos are made by enthusiasts and doesn't the quality plus depth of knowledge show through.

[@ecyfoto]

You missed an opportunity to mention the construction of the new corporate HQ/Museum in time for the ‘72 games that could be seen from the Olympic venue. Still a stunning design.

[@MirkoC407]

And while no advertising was allowed on the grounds of the Olympic games of course, the conveniently located high rise office building pretty much opposite the undergrund station, with its large BMW logo on top was basically the most dominant piece of brand advertising at the Olympics.

[@fortune300]

E34 3,8 340hp. The best of the beasts.

[@rexjames0015]

The E34 540 V8 6 speed manual was far better

[@BITTYBOY121]

The 2001+ BMW e39 with the Angel eye headlamps was one of the nicest looking BMW's ever made.

[@Jeffrey_M]

No mention of the E30 or E39? Two seminal models in the history of BMW.

[@M_MTsc]

Yes! The first M3 changed the face of performance motoring. One of the most important BMW ever. It deserved more attention.

[@michaelho4014]

The E30 and E36 3 series and E28 and E34 5 series was probably the BMW models that near single handedly killed off the mainstream branded executive car - things like the Ford Scorpio, the entire SAAB brand, Citroen XM, Renault Safrane, and the entire Oldsmobile brand. The Honda/Acura Legend and Lexus LS were just the killing blows. The only survivors from this time period I could think of being the Volvo 900 series, Toyota Crown, Ford Taurus. Simply put when BMW moved downmarket as well as expanded in their existing markets the customer base in Europe who used to buy the EU Ford Granada suddenly started gravitating to BMWs because for just slightly higher prices they got the BMW brand, sporty looks and feel, and same levels of luxury features. Meanwhile in the US BMW successfully tapped into a nascent part of the customer base that was begging for sporty sedans with good built quality and reliability compared to what was being built by GM, Ford and Chrysler at the time. None of the big three offered anything like what BMW had - BMW attracted yuppies with the 5 series and 7 series and attracted young executives with the 3 series. And the M cars became instant classics even at the time.

[@Jeffrey_M]

@@michaelho4014 I would say the E46 was the biggest killer of the mainstream. During the 2000s sales of it rocketed in the UK particularly and the Ford Mondeo was left limping along.

[@MuscleBandit]

No you're not being harsh on BMW with reference to your comment toward the end. They used to be built to last and had earned their rep for german reliability but for the last 25/30yrs they have been mostly built to break. Any company that encompasses planned obsolescence deserve all the wrap they can possibly get. Hats off to the BMW of the 20th century.

[@_M_O_E_]

"dependable cars that keep getting better".... not even a minute in and i'm already in tears laughing

[@_M_O_E_]

​@@musouiwatched it all the way through, hoping it might get a bit interesting, but it was exactly as expected, and maybe a little bit biased. No mention of how terrible they have actually become

[@kendimen.c]

Actually, in Europe BMW has indeed been considered dependable, mostly the "made in Germany". It's known that even some specifications vary on different markets worldwide.

[@SeeFlow-bo1dl]

the b58 is dependable... it's been top 10 in reliability, and their drivetrains top 5, even top 3 in reliability only behind toyota.

[@_M_O_E_]

@@kendimen.c European here, BMW is a joke. Trading on a reputation that they haven't loved up to in at least 20 years, or closer to 30. The only people I know who thinks BMW is a good car are either German or don't know anything about cars (as well as probably don't have to pay for it themselves)

[@elijahcarr4137]

BMW is the most reliable performance car brand in the world apart from japan with Lexus but the driving experience is not the same as BMW

[@jbrown7403]

I’ve had 3 BMWs over the years and I currently drive a 2016 F82 M4. I still get a chill and a grin every time the garage door goes up. It has been great for all 5 years of ownership. Oh, and the BMW 507 is one of the most beautiful and elegant cars ever! 😊🏁🍻

[@kozmaz87]

BMW very much lost my purchase for the foreseeable future until they give the knobs back for the climate control and forget the touch screens.

[@MrDuncl]

So what are you buying ? Genuine question from someone who chose a late model VW Golf MK7 rather than the touchscreen controlled MK8.

[@SeeFlow-bo1dl]

@@MrDuncl hes buying air because every car has this nowadays... But they still have knobs for climate controls on some cars. Not for long.

[@PhilEntertainmentOne]

@@SeeFlow-bo1dl check ineos grenadier, it has all the buttons, haha

[@EustaH]

Well, I have a very last BMW 3 series that doesn't have a touch screen but has analog gauges - and guess what? It was heavily criticised for not having those features, while everybody else, including "cheap" Volkswagen offered them. So much so, that this was added as an option to the facelift version, even though the car wasn't designed for it so the touchscreen was hard to reach and digital gauges offered 0 config options, but at least people were happy. So that's disproves a bit the popular claim that this is pushed by manufacturers against the people - no it isn't :)

[@SeeFlow-bo1dl]

@@EustaH I don't think 1% of these people realize that 99% of people buying these cars don't want 4 wheels, a directly connected rack and pinion steering wheel, and just gauges. They want comfort, refinement, engineering, luxury & performance. There's a reason mazdas, mk4 supras, gtrs, etc, don't sell as well as what cars that are more disconnected and more luxurious sell as. 99% of the M3 customers would immediately stop purchasing it if they went for full analog gauges and went for the best steering feel ever in a BMW. I know for a fact I wouldn't place an order for one when the 2025 ordering guide comes out if they didn't have that big touch screen and whatever else. I'm the one buying the car too... Not whoever is complaining on their ass I know for a fact a billion dollar company could definitely over-engineer these things, and I also know for a fact that nobody would want it like that.

[@christianhentschel8628]

Mein cousin arbeitet für einen der zulieferer von BMW. Er ist deshalb regelmäßig in deren produktionshallen. Er hat erzählt das der i3 dort nur FilzEi genannt wird. Das cockpit ist mit filz gedämmt. Wenn es klappert wird das Cockpit wieder ausgebaut und noch eine lage filz eingeklebt. Solange bis es nicht mehr klappert. Ausserdem behält BMW das kleinere Batteriepack wenn man sich nachträglich ein größeres einbauen läßt. Man bezahlt aber trotzdem den vollen preis für das größere pack ohne daß das kleinere angerechnet wird. Über geschmack lässt sich ja bekanntlich nicht streiten. Es gibt scheinbar genug denen das aktuelle design gefällt. Aber meiner meinung nach waren die BMW die auf dem design des e36 basierten die letzten wirklich schönen.

[@u7j47fr]

Danke für den Lacher, der mir beim Lesen entfleucht ist 😂😂, so ein Filzei hahaa😅

[@nikdel3151]

Great content as always. 👍

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

"DON'T MENTION THE WAR!!!" actually, we're kinda gonna have to mention the war.

[@applejuice5272]

I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

@@applejuice5272 lol they do not appreciate it being mentioned when you're in Germany... They do not find it amusing at all.

[@nadeemchaudhry6585]

Another amazing video, thanks again for the effort 👌

[@rturner4205]

I was talking with a customer while taking them to the dealership I work at. The official car of Microsoft employees used to be the BMW 3 series, now it's the Tesla Model 3. Also, the E30 3-Series is the darling of young car enthusiasts like me, Although I have a soft spot for the E39 5-Series.

[@BigCar2]

Nah. I worked at Microsoft for years, and it wasn't the BMW 3 series. There were all kinds of cars, and that wasn't particularly prevalent. But Tesla Model 3's are EVERYWHERE in the Redmond area now, so that might be right.

[@rturner4205]

@@BigCar2 I know, I live in downtown Redmond, I've seen so many Model 3 or Y's that they just blend in everywhere.

[@BigCar2]

I still can't get the hang of going the wrong way down those roads that used to be one way. It's just wrong.

[@jsun3117]

"Dependable cars that keep getting better?"😂

[@thewaldfe9763]

Best joke of the whole video

[@louisboshoff9142]

Thanks for the history, I really enjoy your work. Only, with BMW you omitted to mention the Glass BMWs manufactured in South Africa and Zimbawe in the early 1970's. In South Africa they were known as the BMW 1800 (1800cc) and 2000 (2000cc) fitted to the last handsome Gass bodies. In Zimbawe the ckd kits were assembled and branded thw BMW Cheetah. BMW have been manufacturing cars, NOT ckd, in South Africa since the late 60's. Fully manyfactured. For at least 12 years most 3 series RHD 3 series cars in the world were produced here. Since I think 2021 they chenged to manufacturing the RHD X3s. Most RHD X3's sold worldwide are manufactured in South Afirca today. I owned 4 three series prior to 2002. They were great. Family members have not been so lucky with post 2010 BMWs. Surprise, I now drive a Chinese Chery with a 1500 turbo engine and packed with up to date luxury features in a soft padded interior with genuine stiching on the soft dashboard. It has not needef to return to the dealer for any issues in 2 years of ownership. Other owners report the same. Absolute stressless motoring with the latest full TFT dahboard screens and great performance. After owning 7 German cars, with regular issues to be sorted sometimes at great expense, I will never buy another German car. Engineering quality after the mid 1990s went to the dogs in favour of FLASH. Must say though, that the Chery's engine is apparently designed by a reputable Austrian company known for sound engine desigm 😂 Best of both worlds?

[@thomasp.4649]

My first car was an BMW 3 Series . I learned something new , the Austin connection at the beginning of BMW car production . Thanks for the Story . Greetings from Germany. 🍺

[@chucky2316]

And the rover connection for all youre x drive and 4x4 tech you stole when you pillaged rover

[@jfv65]

The Austin copy was named BMW 3/15 Dixi

[@chucky2316]

@jfv65 who cares what that junk was called.

[@ericcarabetta1161]

The new BMWs are absolutely grotesque. More specifically, the 7 series and the XM. Just hideous.

[@juppzmuda9725]

Nearly every new car is grotesque. Just take a look at the illuminated grills, Disneyland-Blinkers and similar BS

[@Kampfmesser89]

1st gen 3 series mentioned! I love my 79, such a wonderful little car.

[@VinDieselS70]

Great video of fantastic cars of which I myself owned the hatchback version of the 02 series, an Orange 1972 2000 Touring. A car way ahead of the Golf as it had split foldable rear seats. The engine was a 2 liter 100 hp solex single carb. The Ti had double Weber 45s and the Tii had a fuel injected engine at 130 hp. All three engine were avaibale on the Touring model. I had mine between 1982 until 2007. Wish i kept it as these are extremely rare car now. Thank you for the video.

[@RussellSmithOmegaW]

What a grand tour (see what I did there?) of the BMW legacy. Really enjoyed that! For the record, I don't think you're being to hard on them; not that I've been anywhere near in the market for one lately but I've not seen a model in a while I've felt needs to go on the wish list. Though I appreciate my needs are not the same as the demand they are happily filling just now. It's all good.

[@kjlim3743]

Hail to the E24 and E36. My personal favourite BMW platforms. Not to mention the original supercar M1. The BMWs (and mercs) of the 70s-90s were truly something else, boxy yet beautiful in all their glory.

[@chucky2316]

90s mercs and bmws were rusty trash

[@williammorris1384]

Absolutely superb video . Thank you. So well edited and very informative. Learned a lot actually and whilst I personally wished he’d have touched lightly upon the E39- 5 Series,( perhaps the greatest mass production car in almost 30 years!), this was top notch ! Thank you 👍

[@jrushen4235]

That was super interesting and well put together. Loved it.

[@donaldmackay4837]

Always look forward to these videos.

[@ravenouself4181]

02:40 That grill suits the car. Modern grills do not suit the cars.

[@ShapeShifterMinizen1]

Great video man, this needs more views for sure.

[@rfriday9532]

Nice work. I enjoyed that. Looking forward to the next vid already. Please let it be a car/company with exciting design..

[@josephkelly4893]

Amazing video, so comprehensive, can see this getting millions of views over the years, well done sir

[@joshb7415]

Brilliant video, There is just something about the look and driving experience of bmw coupes that I love. A mixture of sport and luxury.

[@RivieraByBuick]

just arrived from garage working on my 1993 740i, with adaptive suspension indeed 😁Thanks for the video.

[@khaichunsiow]

Great video as always. I hope you could make a Gandini special as a tribute.

[@alancraven7667]

Thank you for a very condensed history of BMW, some of them i did not know about(i'm72) but you seem to have missed the very important models that have made BMW one of the best manufacturers of "the drivers car" ,2002i, 328i, 635csl, all MS's, M4's M5's, some of the cars that make BMW the performance vehicles for driving and motor racing today. I have not forgotten about the struggles you have emphasised, but the current results of both car , and moto must be also be praised as great achievements by the amazing team at BMW.

[@miguelangelsimonfernandez5498]

Your final comments are spot on. Thanks for the video

[@MAHERGRITLI]

Great episode good job👍🏻👍🏻

[@jasonbungard7484]

16:16 McLaren didn't 'choose' the BMW V12 exactly. McLaren contracted BMW to build a proprietary engine for them. The S70/2 V12 used in the F1 shared nothing at all with the S70B56 used by BMW in their own cars. Only the bore spacing was shared.

[@texanfournow]

Great video. Graciously omits the Bangle debacle. Good--better it be forgotten.

[@gwick358]

BMW stands for break my wallet in the automotive technician world. Great cars. You have to keep up on the maintenance though. When I was working as a tech it was lack of maintenance most of the time BMWs came in. Parts are really expensive too.

[@kuchenblechmafiagmbh1381]

Fun fact: Their model naming scheme 3-5-7 inspired IBM for their ThinkPads, the 7 Series were their flagship/highend models, the 5 Series their midrange and the 3 Series were their budget models. The 2 Series Active/Gran Tourer also moved to transversal mounted engines in combination with FWD what most manufacturers do on their smaller models, Mercedes A- and B-Class, Audi from A1-A3/TT and Q3, Volkswagen in most of their models (except Touareg and Amarok in their recent product range).

[@jarletronerud]

Excellent video as always! If you have not been to BMW Welt in Munich, I highly recommend it.

[@pdsnpsnldlqnop3330]

I think you missed a few parts of the story such as what went on in the China market and how this affected design choices. Also, the factories in North America, I would like to know what happened to the i3 factory and if all the low quality blocky SAVs come from there.

[@RobinPalmerTV]

The parents of a friend in secondary school had a C reg M3 (her dad was a mechanic actually) and I think that was one of the best cars they ever made. That car sounded incredible and was comfy as hell. Looked absolutely beautiful.

[@YaishAAziz]

Nk tegur ustaz.... alhamdulillah ilmu ustaz sampaikan mmg smackdown.....suka cara pyampaian ustaz n beri kesan

[@phrayzar]

My dad had both the 2CSL and the 528i. I was very fond of both of them. I did and still do love the old six series, what an elegant car.

[@clayp.e30_v86]

Peak bmw between the e28 and e30 up to the e46 and e39 . Absolutely the golden years 😎 Ive been an e30 owner for 20 some years now and still have one. For me, the best car they ever made (which im sure some will chime in to disagree such is the internet)😊

[@derekstocker6661]

Thanks so much for this! What a great story of certainly one of my favourite makes, owned BMWs since the early eighties and still running one now. What did upset a lot of BMW owners was the addition of "M" badges to cars that did not deserve the accolade, and fairly basic cars had the badges added presumably for sales. Another issue that you mentioned, are the ludicrously large grilles added to recent models and that did put a lot of owners off of the marque.

[@SaturnCanuck]

That was a great history. Thanks. But what you never mentioned, and is less well known, is that BMWs all come with standard signal indicators! Who knew?

[@LenPickering]

I had a couple of E28s back in the day. I liked the 'little six' engine and the old fashioned look of them. The first was a 528 automatic that handled like a Marina with bald tyres. It was worse in the wet. The second was a 520 manual that went like a Marina 1.3 towing a really heavy caravan. And it broke down very reliably between 12-15 miles away from home. Every time. *I had a Marina 1700HL once. It was fine. I didn't drive it much. It never broke down.

[@dralibeshara]

Excellent video, thank you

[@stephanvelines7006]

There was a 2002 ti and 2002 tii with the later being fuel injected. The 2002 ti had a twin carb setup. “ti” stood for “touring international” and the last “i” for “fuel” injection p, although don’t quote me on that. Great content.

[@BigCar2]

Thanks - I've posted a correction as a pinned comment.

[@onlyhuman7420]

The best era of BMW was 1995-2005.The 3 series E46,5 series E39 and 7 series E38 were unmatched in build quality and overall feel of their chassis,driving dynamics,reliable engines,ergonomics,interior materials and technology.

[@georgevavoulis4758]

Wonderful videos explaining BMW

[@seanhershey3390]

Nice work..this was a big one…

[@Taygetos16]

great video as always! can you do the Austin story one day?

[@toddbonin6926]

This episode is really interesting!!

[@LawerenceSchweitz]

Great retrospective of BMW!

[@BigCar2]

Many thanks Lawerence.

[@BOABModels]

There's a BMW Dixi (based on the Seven) at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon. It was given to Rover group after the BMW takeover in the mid '90s.

[@chucky2316]

A sweetener before they pillaged rover how good and kind of them

[@chefchaudard3580]

Haaaa! Inspectors Derrick and Klein, when they were cruising ‘in a hurry’ to the crime scene in their big BMW! The closing sound of the doors usually awoken me from my nap!

[@christophecamus3295]

Great video ❤❤❤❤❤

[@neilhaas]

Thats very interesting historical. I have models BMW of Siku & Kinsmart & a RC BMW i8 matte black that i bought myself from ToyTown was a nice big treat for myself. I compensated nicely for myself. Very nice cars i always see on the roads BMWs. That was for the last party retaliation. Besides that episode of Seinfeld The Smelly car was funny. I have a thermo mug 2 & two t-shirts. My RC BMW is battery operated 7 AA batteries.

[@matthewcochran3325]

It is interesting how excited I get when I see a new Big Car vid. I had a dinner date with my special lady friend tonight and I was tempted to cancel just so I could stay home in my pj's and watch the vid. I was tempted when she walked out to the car to get something to pull up the vid 😂 but I waited until I got home. It's the latest episode of my favorite show!

[@briand7381]

Good choice with the Williams LEGO. 👍

[@sorinmiliescu]

14:08 The convertible was a dealer option, and the modification of the 3 series sedan in to convertible was done by coach work company called Bauer.

[@hanstubben]

Shark nose BMWs are the best! I loved my 525 e12. I still find the 3.0 CSL e9 one of the most gracious designs for a car.

[@attackb5349]

I recently acquired a pre owned 2021 330e plug in hybrid and it is a phenomenal car. Greet design, high quality materials and tech. Great car and great brand.

[@chucky2316]

It's rubbish admit it

[@attackb5349]

@@chucky2316 wrong!

[@robbchastain3036]

I rode a BMW R100RS motorcycle in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1979--my Dad had returned from his work in West Germany with it--and I can honestly say that motorcycle got a lot of respect, even from the California Highway Patrol when a Kawasaki-mounted patrolman pulled me over, asked me why I was doing 85, heard my explanation that i was simply putting some distance between me and all the cars which had been on my tail, and said he would not be giving me a ticket and rode off. And so I wonder if there was any link between the introduction of BMW's space-age-looking sport motorcycles and the popularity of BMW automobiles among the upwardly mobile professionals in the States in the 1980s. BMW was the must-have among the Yuppies, it seemed. And another story about my Dad's BMW. As I was spray-washing it in a self-serve bay in San Rafael, a Porsche driver in the next bay walked over and offered me a can of nearly full foamy cleaner. That bike attracted attention and it was so much to ride that year, like a magic carpet.

[@neilwalsh4058]

The 1 series was a Rover designed car , straight from Longbridge, design code R30 , and it was supposed to be marketed as a Rover 35 before BMW gave up and gave the company to Phoenix Group.

[@thetechlibrarian]

Can you please do a documentary on Mazda next.

[@whatwelearned]

Current owner of a mk1 125i here, and very happy too

[@mcmillanvideos]

The X2 is for people with kids or empty nesters that want a fun practical car that's still sporty and fun to drive. It handles better than the X1. That's all there is to it. With younger kids, I picked the X1. Because a 2020 X1 was about the same size as my old 2010 X3. All the cars are getting bigger. An E30 is a lot smaller than an E90. That's what makes them fun to drive.. light, fun and nimble. Now they're huge. I drove an X5 for a week and was so happy to turn it in. I never figured out half the controls. All this tech is distracting from driving. Even the M3 is too complicated for me to enjoy the actual driving experience. This was a great history lesson and well-produced. Thank you for doing this. I've been driving BMW's for a long time and while they've lost their way as a driver's car, I'm still happy to own an E93.. not as great as the E46 (which I also owned) but I still like it more than the latest BMW's I've driven.

[@nathanstroud2223]

The pic of the X5 @ 29:09 was taken from the Georgia Tech Research Institute parking deck in Atlanta. I got confused because I thought that teal on the left-hand side was a swimming pool, but it's just a tinted window. The reason I took the time to track down the location was I thought at first it looked like my home city in the background, which is not far from where these are built, but I guess neither is Atlanta.

[@ebridgewater]

The BMW i8 is stunning in person.

[@joshb7415]

They are actually quite affordable now as well

[@ebridgewater]

@@joshb7415 Sure, but the insurance is not 🫣

[@tomshady3530]

Bmw perfection was crystallized by making the bracket that holds fuel lines in the middle of a hot engine made of plastic. WHEN it melts, it sprays gasoline all over the hot engine (not a little, a lot). Being bmw, from 1995 to 2010, they did this on EVERY engine!

[@6rimR3ap3r]

The BMW Isetta also had 4 wheels right away, only a narrow track, like the ISO. A version with 3 wheels was specific to Austria.

Three wheeled versions were sold in several countries apparently, most norably in the UK. There was also a version, where the rear wheels were right next to each other as in some markets this counted as one wheel.

[@Innocennto]

You Posted this on the day i got a ride in an E46 M3. I don't think its an coincidence!

[@BigCar2]

I knew!

[@stuartleckie]

Great video as always! I surprised myself, by just realizing I’ve never owned a BMW. Not sure why, they’ve made many good cars over the years, I do wonder if a big part of it is just that they have so many different models. Wouldn’t mind an Alpina though 😃

[@MrTheBlastGamer]

You jumped the most important cars in their whole line. E36, E39, E46

[@henrytucker3251]

Fantastic as usual, just wish there was a shout-out to BMW's operations in Spartanburg, South Carolina that manufactures almost all their "sport activity vehicles" and the Z3! (Of course they brought production to the US since our market provided most of the demand for said "SAVs".)

[@RachaelSA]

In South Africa we got a few unique BMWs, like the 333i, which was an E30 with 3.2L motor from the 533i that Alpina fettled a bit, and the 325is EVO's, and I seem to remember when they owned Land Rover they made versions of the Discovery with the bmw M5 engines. In the late 90s drove a friends e30 M3 AC Schnitzer and that thing was a lot of fun.

[@varsas10]

You could also get a SIII land rover with a 2.8 litre M52 engine (as seen in e36 328), which must have been terrifying with near 200bhp in a leaf sprung landie!

[@litehammer69]

I think that was a half hour well spent, bravo sir 👏

[@matthewnicholas6365]

I love the 507 and e9 csi. Absolute stunners. Have owned 2 e46s (330ci and m3) and an F25 x3 I can't see a time where I won't own 1 Next up is an f13 6er I think.

[@Dhime]

I was never a huge fan of bmw, had always loved the old m3/m5 but was ultimately a fan of Japanese brands. Early ‘23 I was shopping for a Nissan Z to no avail. They were either unavailable, not what I was looking for or upcharged like 20k. Started looking at Supra leading me to look at bmw then all the media about the new m2 started dropping and honestly, regardless of what everyone says I fell in love. Took delivery of mine in November. Absolutely no regrets. Worth every penny.