Good morning everyone, hope you enjoy the video! I'm only here to offer a couple of corrections. Well, one is, the other's a clarification: In the video, I mentioned 2023, and I promise I'm not going mad - I just recorded this video late last year. Secondly, I remarked that the E30 and E36 Tourings lacked a Hofmeister kink, and in the case of the E36, I am indeed correct, but the E30, on the other hand, does have a Hofmeister kink.
Hate to say but "Fluff" and not "substance" comes to mind when I think of BMW today. The heyday for BMW reliability is at least 25 years in the past and styling has lost it way. Another great from Twin Cam.
I came out of a disappointing XR4i to my first E28 535i and was absolutely smitten, you couldn't pry me out of the thing. 25 years and many cars later, 80s BMWs are still my favourite thing ever. 😊
Great video. The BMWs of the 1980s were far more superior than other cars on the road. The sheer quality and style. I had the chance to drive the E12 (M535i), E21, E23, E28 and E30. The Ultimate Driving Machine.....
As a serial BMW owner, from E12 up to E46 (19 cars since 2001) I have to say that the 80's were BMW's Golden era. Yes, I adore their 70's cars and the ones from the 90's, but as a kid growing up in the 80's, wanting to have BMW was an aspiration, a life goal achievement. Great video as always Ed, replete of knowledge and captivating
Often people say the beginning of the end at Triumph was how dated the styling of the Dolomite was by the mid 70s. However for me the E30 proves that the Dolomite could have subtly been modernised and evolved into the 80s with a relatively modest amount of investment. Some (but not all) of the TR7/8 facelift prototypes would have had legs in the 80s too. Of course other models would have been required to make Triumph a sustainable brand, but it still seems yet another missed opportunity. Indeed Michelotti prototypes for an updated Dolomite form around '72 or '73 showed a modernised glass house and tail that would have been a great start.
I drove a m635csi (m88 engine) for a few weeks. That was (for me) the best car in the whole world! Had the chance 5 years ago and it was a dream come true. It was a hero car for me when I was a kid, and this one DID NOT dissapoint! 🎉
Claus Luthe is one of the most underrated car designers. The E30 was also produced in BMW's South African plant in Rosslyn Pretoria from 1983 to 1992, specifically the saloon. Since the E30 M3 wasn't sold here, BMW's South African division made there own performance E30s like the 333i and 325is (nicknamed Gusheshe) which were homologation specials in the Group N touring car championship.
Thanks once again for your clear and comprehansive video. Really a must for people who are not familiar with BMW's history. Is it coincidence I own a E30 318is, a E28 525i and a E32 740iL? All cars you discussed in this video ... Wish many more videos to create. Many regards from a Belgian fan.
Couldn't agree more & couldn't have put it better myself. I've had several BMWs over the years, but my 1988 (E reg) 520i & 1989 (F reg) 320! we're exceptional in every way, from their crystal clear dials and ergonomic cabins, beautiful smooth engines, and even the gauge of the metal used for the panels, they were just a cut above the rest. Perhaps it was because until then - in my 20's - I'd only owned Fords, Vauxhalls & BLs, but I'll never forget them. Gotta say, though: my current company 330e X Drive saloon is pretty good too!
I remember the 1980s. Another big reason why we started buying fancier cars like BMWs was because this was the time of the great credit boom. We were brainwashed into taking out more and more debt to big up our status and be like a 'yuppie.'
Lovely car. I had one a 325i sport. BMW now going out of business producing hideously ugly electric buggies no one wants. To trash it all from a base like it had is masterful stupidity.
I always liked the styling of the E12 5 series and thought it looked remarkably like the Fiat 132. Only later did I find out that Marcello Gandini had a hand in both car designs. I also liked the 6 series but that was about it when it came to BMWs. The 70s cars were nice with their big glass houses but everything after, apart from those I mentioned, just tlooked too conservative and straight laced. I know they drove well but I've always liked interesting industrial design. BMWs today look too fussy and have reliability issues to boot despite the perceived quality, they have lost their USP and are just another mass produced run of the mill car with a few performance exceptions. When electric cars become dominant there will be nothing left to recommend them.
Owned two E30s. An original & the facelift. Also owned the E28. Strong car. Survived an accident (not my fault) in one of those unharmed. Also owned an E23. Don't like the term "slab sided ugly thing" at 12:40. Nice to drive & had the early, more prominent "sharknose" of that, & that's what made BMWs stand out back then.
Very enjoyable video. You are absolutely right about the E28, it has a late sixties, early seventies vibe about it with design elements like the large windows, short doors, chrome bumpers, the swoop backwards the bodywork makes at the rear of each wheel, and that made it look outdated at the end of the eighties, but adds to why it is so charming today. When I bought mine in 2017, I would never have guessed to get so many positive reactions to a boxy salmon silver metallic sedan as I did in the past 7 years, ranging from school boys to old pensioners. A truly marvellous car to behold, drive and own. You should try one if you get the chance..😀
The BMW " Neue Klasse" range from the 1960s were beautifully built cars. You didn't get many standard luxuries compared with a Ford for example but what you did get was amazing build quality. And they were expensive (but worth every penny.) Shame that BMW today have lost the plot when it comes to build quality and engine reliability.
They just made the 3 series and were fortunate enough for it to be adopted as the must-have by chavs and poseurs at the same time as credit control was relaxed. Council house to "BM" in 1 or 2 generations.
I am not sure some people think the trailing arm does not equal independent (apologies I deleted my post before noticed a reply, I thought my post was a bit to long)TwinCam replied: "The E30 has semi-trailing arm rear suspension. Both trailing and semi-trailing arm suspension systems are independent. One side has no impact on the other. That is the definition of
Before car manufacturers started making 'world cars' to sell everywhere. Cars had the styling and equipment necessary for a certain part of the world. Which made American cars exotic in Europe. And European cars exotic in the States. And so on. I absolutely love the styling of British, European, Australian and Japanese cars of the 70s and 80s. Everything was so different from what I saw driving through my small home town in the States. Once they started making cars to sell everywhere. They all got boring. Very few cars were interesting. Just all bland, boring and similarly shaped and equipped. This is one of the many reasons I prefer cars from the 60s to 80s. Because everything else is just boring
Strange how, in a brochure dated 2/87 (February 1987) all vehicles are showing the E Suffix that didn't come in till 1/8/87! I know as I took delivery of a 318i on that day from my local BMW Dealership.
To my mind this was peak BMW - "Car" Magazine acknowledged that on a regular basis back then. The range just seemed much more focused instead of trying to cater to every price point and marketing niche and losing its way, similar in fact to what Mercedes has done over the past 25 years. But I love looking back at these older Bimmers, which to me were really special. BTW, what is the latest with your E46? Haven't seen it on the channel lately.
I have driven BMWs since 2009 and my dads e34 is what got me interested, I currently have a 635d at the moment and love it however I feel the brand is suffering at the minute with some of the stuff there chucking out at the minute, the 80s was a great era for bmw
In the 80s there was the best BMW of forever, 1975 and 1982 3 Series (and 1990...) the 1981 5 Series and the 6 and 7 Series. At the time the designers was Klaus Luthe and Ercole Spada : top!
Driving the Autobarns in the 90s led me to the conclusion the wider grille was there to help clear the fast lane for the fastest model. Seeing that grill in the rear view made one immediately shift to the right when safe to do so.
Yes - but that was the time when BMW drivers had a bad reputation of being super aggressive and making full use of their "overtaking prestige". With the 1990s and 2000s "efficient dynamics" they also targeted more normal drivers while Audi and Merc started competing with BMW for the accelerator Neanderthals. The driver profiles of the three brands are much closer to each other than they used to be.
Back in 2010 did a marketing campaign for BMW of NA... nothing important, just a part of a broad rewards program they were implementing. At a corporate level, I found them to be full cliches and doublespeak. I had hoped they would be more focused on quality, but sadly they seemed to have completely bought into the whole American marketing experience. 😢
Many references are actually incorrect. The e24 was originally an e12 under the skin however when the e28 came out the revised e24 was actually an e28 under the skin. I can think of no other car in history where the chassis was a total redesign and the bodywork was unchanged in a facelift..
Hi there. Quick heads up: this guy is using your footage uncredited in this video. ua-cam.com/video/hvx8RjCI2gA/v-deo.html he uses quite a lot I haven't checked any other of his videos but thought you should know in case you want to pursue the matter. Best wishes and take care
Just to let you know, I reported it to UA-cam through the Studio. I've just had an update letting me know that UA-cam have decided it amounts to infringement, and the video has been automatically deleted. Their channel also now has a copyright strike. Thank you for letting me know. I'm careful on Twin-Cam to only use either original content or copyright-free content, usually that issued by the manufacturer for the use of press.
@@TwinCam No problem. Glad to be of help. I've virtually watched you grow up watching your videos. You do good work my friend. You take the time and effort to make interesting quality content and it grinds my gears to see that work ripped off. You're still wrong about why they're called Landcrabs though🤣🤣best wishes and take care
@jimmyviaductophilelawley5587 Hahaha! Thank you very much, that’s all tremendously kind of you to say. As for videos, Twin-Cam is back this weekend with consistent videos for the first time in a long time.
It’s kinda jarring to hear you list Rovers with Fords and Vauxhalls but that had become the sad reality. The brand that made pedigree cars like the P 4, P5 & 6 that sat comfortably among a fleet of Rolls Royce’s Bentleys and Daimlers (albeit not with them) had sunk to the bottom to the level of the mini cab. That’s what the BL boffins will go down in history as having achieved. BMW merely built the coffin
The 2002 and later 3-series up to the early 90's (?) was very nice (ignoring the Turbo's 😅). BMW hit the wall. The one recent cool BMW was cancelled (i3 Rex).
Good morning everyone, hope you enjoy the video!
I'm only here to offer a couple of corrections. Well, one is, the other's a clarification:
In the video, I mentioned 2023, and I promise I'm not going mad - I just recorded this video late last year. Secondly, I remarked that the E30 and E36 Tourings lacked a Hofmeister kink, and in the case of the E36, I am indeed correct, but the E30, on the other hand, does have a Hofmeister kink.
Outstanding video. More on classic BMW's please
Hate to say but "Fluff" and not "substance" comes to mind when I think of BMW today. The heyday for BMW reliability is at least 25 years in the past and styling has lost it way. Another great from Twin Cam.
Completely agree with you
I agree.
@@Pat_RickX Someday it would be nice to get a 1977 BMW M1, but at this time it's beyond my price point. LOL
100% agree with your sentiments regarding the status of BMW then vs now
I came out of a disappointing XR4i to my first E28 535i and was absolutely smitten, you couldn't pry me out of the thing. 25 years and many cars later, 80s BMWs are still my favourite thing ever. 😊
Great video. The BMWs of the 1980s were far more superior than other cars on the road. The sheer quality and style. I had the chance to drive the E12 (M535i), E21, E23, E28 and E30. The Ultimate Driving Machine.....
As a serial BMW owner, from E12 up to E46 (19 cars since 2001) I have to say that the 80's were BMW's Golden era. Yes, I adore their 70's cars and the ones from the 90's, but as a kid growing up in the 80's, wanting to have BMW was an aspiration, a life goal achievement.
Great video as always Ed, replete of knowledge and captivating
Often people say the beginning of the end at Triumph was how dated the styling of the Dolomite was by the mid 70s. However for me the E30 proves that the Dolomite could have subtly been modernised and evolved into the 80s with a relatively modest amount of investment. Some (but not all) of the TR7/8 facelift prototypes would have had legs in the 80s too. Of course other models would have been required to make Triumph a sustainable brand, but it still seems yet another missed opportunity. Indeed Michelotti prototypes for an updated Dolomite form around '72 or '73 showed a modernised glass house and tail that would have been a great start.
I drove a m635csi (m88 engine) for a few weeks. That was (for me) the best car in the whole world! Had the chance 5 years ago and it was a dream come true. It was a hero car for me when I was a kid, and this one DID NOT dissapoint! 🎉
Claus Luthe is one of the most underrated car designers. The E30 was also produced in BMW's South African plant in Rosslyn Pretoria from 1983 to 1992, specifically the saloon. Since the E30 M3 wasn't sold here, BMW's South African division made there own performance E30s like the 333i and 325is (nicknamed Gusheshe) which were homologation specials in the Group N touring car championship.
Great vid mate.
Thanks once again for your clear and comprehansive video. Really a must for people who are not familiar with BMW's history. Is it coincidence I own a E30 318is, a E28 525i and a E32 740iL? All cars you discussed in this video ... Wish many more videos to create. Many regards from a Belgian fan.
Couldn't agree more & couldn't have put it better myself.
I've had several BMWs over the years, but my 1988 (E reg) 520i & 1989 (F reg) 320! we're exceptional in every way, from their crystal clear dials and ergonomic cabins, beautiful smooth engines, and even the gauge of the metal used for the panels, they were just a cut above the rest.
Perhaps it was because until then - in my 20's - I'd only owned Fords, Vauxhalls & BLs, but I'll never forget them.
Gotta say, though: my current company 330e X Drive saloon is pretty good too!
In north America it was the ultimate driving machine.
I remember the 1980s. Another big reason why we started buying fancier cars like BMWs was because this was the time of the great credit boom. We were brainwashed into taking out more and more debt to big up our status and be like a 'yuppie.'
I had BMW trough the 1980’s into the mid 1990’s they were phenomenal. I would not thank you for one today, horrendous.
I agree. BMW still lives from the 80s. 1970 to 2010 - these are the Cars you think about when defining the image of BMW.
As well said and corrected for the pedants, Ed. Enjoyable, professional and engaging a always! Rob
Great video. As far as I'm concerned, everything went wrong after the E46 series. Peak BMW was from E12 to E39. With inline 6 of course.
Lovely car. I had one a 325i sport. BMW now going out of business producing hideously ugly electric buggies no one wants. To trash it all from a base like it had is masterful stupidity.
I always liked the styling of the E12 5 series and thought it looked remarkably like the Fiat 132. Only later did I find out that Marcello Gandini had a hand in both car designs.
I also liked the 6 series but that was about it when it came to BMWs. The 70s cars were nice with their big glass houses but everything after, apart from those I mentioned, just tlooked too conservative and straight laced. I know they drove well but I've always liked interesting industrial design.
BMWs today look too fussy and have reliability issues to boot despite the perceived quality, they have lost their USP and are just another mass produced run of the mill car with a few performance exceptions. When electric cars become dominant there will be nothing left to recommend them.
Owned two E30s. An original & the facelift. Also owned the E28. Strong car. Survived an accident (not my fault) in one of those unharmed. Also owned an E23. Don't like the term "slab sided ugly thing" at 12:40. Nice to drive & had the early, more prominent "sharknose" of that, & that's what made BMWs stand out back then.
Very enjoyable video.
You are absolutely right about the E28, it has a late sixties, early seventies vibe about it with design elements like the large windows, short doors, chrome bumpers, the swoop backwards the bodywork makes at the rear of each wheel, and that made it look outdated at the end of the eighties, but adds to why it is so charming today.
When I bought mine in 2017, I would never have guessed to get so many positive reactions to a boxy salmon silver metallic sedan as I did in the past 7 years, ranging from school boys to old pensioners.
A truly marvellous car to behold, drive and own.
You should try one if you get the chance..😀
The BMW " Neue Klasse" range from the 1960s were beautifully built cars. You didn't get many standard luxuries compared with a Ford for example but what you did get was amazing build quality. And they were expensive (but worth every penny.) Shame that BMW today have lost the plot when it comes to build quality and engine reliability.
I'd love to have an earlier era BMW, I have a 2011 E90 with the 3.0l non-turbo 6. Great road trip car just the same with that smooth i6.
They just made the 3 series and were fortunate enough for it to be adopted as the must-have by chavs and poseurs at the same time as credit control was relaxed.
Council house to "BM" in 1 or 2 generations.
I am not sure some people think the trailing arm does not equal independent (apologies I deleted my post before noticed a reply, I thought my post was a bit to long)TwinCam replied: "The E30 has semi-trailing arm rear suspension. Both trailing and semi-trailing arm suspension systems are independent. One side has no impact on the other. That is the definition of
Before car manufacturers started making 'world cars' to sell everywhere. Cars had the styling and equipment necessary for a certain part of the world. Which made American cars exotic in Europe. And European cars exotic in the States. And so on. I absolutely love the styling of British, European, Australian and Japanese cars of the 70s and 80s. Everything was so different from what I saw driving through my small home town in the States. Once they started making cars to sell everywhere. They all got boring. Very few cars were interesting. Just all bland, boring and similarly shaped and equipped. This is one of the many reasons I prefer cars from the 60s to 80s. Because everything else is just boring
Strange how, in a brochure dated 2/87 (February 1987) all vehicles are showing the E Suffix that didn't come in till 1/8/87! I know as I took delivery of a 318i on that day from my local BMW Dealership.
To my mind this was peak BMW - "Car" Magazine acknowledged that on a regular basis back then. The range just seemed much more focused instead of trying to cater to every price point and marketing niche and losing its way, similar in fact to what Mercedes has done over the past 25 years. But I love looking back at these older Bimmers, which to me were really special. BTW, what is the latest with your E46? Haven't seen it on the channel lately.
I have driven BMWs since 2009 and my dads e34 is what got me interested, I currently have a 635d at the moment and love it however I feel the brand is suffering at the minute with some of the stuff there chucking out at the minute, the 80s was a great era for bmw
Thats why the E30 has the nickname "Gods Chariot" its said for a reason.
In the 80s there was the best BMW of forever, 1975 and 1982 3 Series (and 1990...) the 1981 5 Series and the 6 and 7 Series. At the time the designers was Klaus Luthe and Ercole Spada : top!
Love my E46 325i 😊
Damn, 6 views in 40 seconds, boy am I early!
Used to be great.like many others before electric power steering and computers
Back when people could afford more than a Ford.
Driving the Autobarns in the 90s led me to the conclusion the wider grille was there to help clear the fast lane for the fastest model. Seeing that grill in the rear view made one immediately shift to the right when safe to do so.
Yes - but that was the time when BMW drivers had a bad reputation of being super aggressive and making full use of their "overtaking prestige".
With the 1990s and 2000s "efficient dynamics" they also targeted more normal drivers while Audi and Merc started competing with BMW for the accelerator Neanderthals.
The driver profiles of the three brands are much closer to each other than they used to be.
Ever come across an Austalian made Wolseley 48/80 6 cylinder the best ever made
Back in 2010 did a marketing campaign for BMW of NA... nothing important, just a part of a broad rewards program they were implementing.
At a corporate level, I found them to be full cliches and doublespeak. I had hoped they would be more focused on quality, but sadly they seemed to have completely bought into the whole American marketing experience. 😢
Many references are actually incorrect. The e24 was originally an e12 under the skin however when the e28 came out the revised e24 was actually an e28 under the skin. I can think of no other car in history where the chassis was a total redesign and the bodywork was unchanged in a facelift..
That’s pretty much exactly what I said.
Hi there. Quick heads up: this guy is using your footage uncredited in this video. ua-cam.com/video/hvx8RjCI2gA/v-deo.html he uses quite a lot I haven't checked any other of his videos but thought you should know in case you want to pursue the matter. Best wishes and take care
Thank you for letting me know. AI generated slop.
Just to let you know, I reported it to UA-cam through the Studio. I've just had an update letting me know that UA-cam have decided it amounts to infringement, and the video has been automatically deleted. Their channel also now has a copyright strike. Thank you for letting me know. I'm careful on Twin-Cam to only use either original content or copyright-free content, usually that issued by the manufacturer for the use of press.
@@TwinCam No problem. Glad to be of help. I've virtually watched you grow up watching your videos. You do good work my friend. You take the time and effort to make interesting quality content and it grinds my gears to see that work ripped off. You're still wrong about why they're called Landcrabs though🤣🤣best wishes and take care
@jimmyviaductophilelawley5587 Hahaha! Thank you very much, that’s all tremendously kind of you to say. As for videos, Twin-Cam is back this weekend with consistent videos for the first time in a long time.
It’s kinda jarring to hear you list Rovers with Fords and Vauxhalls but that had become the sad reality. The brand that made pedigree cars like the P 4, P5 & 6 that sat comfortably among a fleet of Rolls Royce’s Bentleys and Daimlers (albeit not with them) had sunk to the bottom to the level of the mini cab. That’s what the BL boffins will go down in history as having achieved. BMW merely built the coffin
Not what they were and deliberately destroyed like our British marques. Now the mantle is passing to Asia by complicity.
All the talented guys at BMW retired and the people running BMW today are idiots.
The 2002 and later 3-series up to the early 90's (?) was very nice (ignoring the Turbo's 😅). BMW hit the wall.
The one recent cool BMW was cancelled (i3 Rex).