Minivansomeren
Well-Known Member
As I’ve been reading about BMW history, I’ve been amazed by how many important things that we associate with BMW started with the E3 and E9. Here are the ones I have noticed. Is there anything else that these cars did first, either for BMW or all cars in general?
- First modern BMWs with I6 engine. The last BMW straight 6 was in the “baroque angel” 501 that stopped production a decade before the E3 and E9. The new M30 would power new BMWs for 27 years and help make BMW famous for their straight sixes.
- First car to be modified and raced by the M division. M cars became famous both on the road and in racing. These M cars are also associated with the tricolor stripes, and the CSL was the first car to wear them.
- First art cars. In 1975 the French race driver Herve Poulain commissioned his friend Alexander Calder to design his CSL race car livery for Le Mans. BMW has commissioned 19 more “art cars,” many of which have raced and/or been exhibited in art museums.
- First cars to be called “the ultimate driving machine”. This might be the most famous automotive advertising slogan ever, and the first ad to use it was in 1975 featuring a CSL race car. I think the first ad to feature the slogan in large font showed an E3 sedan.
- First production car to wear Alpina 20-spoke wheels. After Alpina’s racing success and input on the CSL project, BMW commissioned them to be the official wheel supplier, then adopted the design for later E9s and other models. The wheels have been associated with generations of Alpina-tuned cars.
- First BMW police cars outside Germany. Although the small Isettas and “baroque angel” 501 and 502 had been used for police duty in Bavaria in the 50s, the first police use outside Germany were some English police forces that bought E3 sedans. BMWs have been used extensively as British police vehicles since then, and have also been adopted by other European police forces.
What else is there? Any interesting technology or features? I think they were the first bimmers with the drop-down trunk tool tray, and that continued until at least the 2000s, but I can’t find a source for this.
- First modern BMWs with I6 engine. The last BMW straight 6 was in the “baroque angel” 501 that stopped production a decade before the E3 and E9. The new M30 would power new BMWs for 27 years and help make BMW famous for their straight sixes.
- First car to be modified and raced by the M division. M cars became famous both on the road and in racing. These M cars are also associated with the tricolor stripes, and the CSL was the first car to wear them.
- First art cars. In 1975 the French race driver Herve Poulain commissioned his friend Alexander Calder to design his CSL race car livery for Le Mans. BMW has commissioned 19 more “art cars,” many of which have raced and/or been exhibited in art museums.
- First cars to be called “the ultimate driving machine”. This might be the most famous automotive advertising slogan ever, and the first ad to use it was in 1975 featuring a CSL race car. I think the first ad to feature the slogan in large font showed an E3 sedan.
- First production car to wear Alpina 20-spoke wheels. After Alpina’s racing success and input on the CSL project, BMW commissioned them to be the official wheel supplier, then adopted the design for later E9s and other models. The wheels have been associated with generations of Alpina-tuned cars.
- First BMW police cars outside Germany. Although the small Isettas and “baroque angel” 501 and 502 had been used for police duty in Bavaria in the 50s, the first police use outside Germany were some English police forces that bought E3 sedans. BMWs have been used extensively as British police vehicles since then, and have also been adopted by other European police forces.
What else is there? Any interesting technology or features? I think they were the first bimmers with the drop-down trunk tool tray, and that continued until at least the 2000s, but I can’t find a source for this.
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