Re: Bronco II this time ...

[thelews]

Nice work!

I had a 1979 BMW 330i bought new and kept for ten years.

1st year of the E30.  I still have the last year, 1991, 318is. 188K miles

[mdsalemi]

1st year of the E30.  I still have the last year, 1991, 318is. 188K miles

Well…Not exactly. The 1979 was the E21. This was it’s third year of availability in the USA as the 320i. The engine was downsized  to a 1.8 L and sold through 1983. The 1979 in the USA was the last model that did not have a catalytic converter and thus could still use the then less costly and widely available leaded gas… not that I could get any gas in my first summer of ownership!

[thelews]

I just looked at the pic of it and thought it was a 30.  Great cars.  I drove an E46 for 11 years, loved it.  Just got a 2011 328xi E90 now for winter/rain driving, replaced my 2008 E350 4Matic.  I forgot how nicely and enjoyably they drive.  The ultimate driving mashine. My E350 felt like a MB version of a Buick to me.  Good car, ran it over 7 years and sold it for $5K (14 vs. 9) less than I paid for it in 2014, served me well in bad weather.

[mdsalemi]

Of course, everyone should know that the first BMW 3 series, the E21, Like the first six series and the first five series of the early 70s were all styled by Paul Bracq.

Those three series of cars basically put BMW on the map, taking them from a small boutique manufacturer of funny looking cars to a world-class manufacturer of highly desirable performance cars and luxury cars.

[thelews]

Well, the 1966-1974 (1502 ran to '77) BMW 02 Series really put them on the map.  Sports sedan, new concept.  Fun to drive, functional, a blast, German quality and engineering.  I bought one new in college in 1972, what a fun car to have in Colorado.  When I'd drive between WI and CO, 1130 miles, the car just sang, love, love, loved it at 90 mph for hours on end.  Only 4 speeds, revving like our 113s.  They love it.  The 2002 is prized today with the best examples selling at $100K+  I paid $4200.

[66andBlue]

....taking them from a small boutique manufacturer of funny looking cars ....

A company that produced 155 cars per day in 1960 - or 188K in five years - is a "boutique"?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_700

I wouldn't call Michelotti's BMW 700 "funny looking", perhaps the base Saloon looked simple, but the Cabrio is still nice today, and the RS version simply rocks: