Have BMW ever made good looking cars?

samsemtex

Just watching Fifth Gear and Quentin Wilson is yappin on about the old 6 series being the most beautiful BMW ever. Now its a nice car and all but if that is the best looking car they have ever made then thats a pretty shocking state of affairs. Even lookin at todays BMWs none of them are what you would call good looking and they are getting worse...much worse.

What are the nicest BMWs that have been around cause i cant think of many i would consider beautiful. I can think of dozens of Mercs, Alfas, Ferraris, Jaguars, Maseratis, etc but the Bimmers are a serious struggle.

edit: i mean beautiful cars!!!!

Owen

The 8 Series is one that springs to mind immediately, and possibly the Z8.

ronanc15

the old knight riderish 8series was mint.

e46 m3's are savage, no two ways about it

KTRIC

I have the say the old 6 Series, possibly the coolest car in the world. I'm surprised Carlsburg didn't make it

Mr.David

BMW 507 is in my opinion the most beautiful by far its stunning.

Also, the 2002 turbo, original M3 csl are great looking cars.

Mr.David

just look at it!!

Rowley Birkin QC

The E31 8-Series is a real looker in my opinion. I know a lot of people regard it as being an example of the crass attitudes and excess of the late 80's and early 90's but I really love it.





The E30 3 Series is a great looking car aswell I reckon. Never a big fan of the E36 despite it being lauded as one of the finest 3 Series.

I'm also extremely taken with the current E60 M5 or even a 5 Series with an M-Sport Kit. It's brutally honest in it's muscular and shouty appearance and I like it.


It's worth mentioning that pigs like the X3 and X6 really did little to boost my opinion of BMW. The X5 seems to do what it says on the tin but the other two are just plain horrible.

Anan1

I'd have to agree, BMW have made some great cars, some handsome ones, but nothing i'd call truly beautiful.

annie.t

Mr.David wrote: »

just look at it!!

She's a beauty!!!

peasant

this:


and this:


downhill ever since

partyguinness

Lets be fair...we are talking about a German car maker.

Henry Ford III

M1 was a very attractive car.

Hogzy

BMW is more of a beefy chunky muscular look than a slim sexy sleek car...

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!!!
I think BMW's are getting better if anything!

FKH

The old BMW M1 was a truely stunning car

milod

This is pretty nice...

Rowley Birkin QC

Anan1 wrote: »

I'd have to agree, BMW have made some great cars, some handsome ones, but nothing i'd call truly beautiful.

I think they can be regarded as beautiful considering their German heritage and the German aesthetic tradition.

Immanuel Kant's fourth definition of beauty; "Beauty is the form of purposiveness in an object, insofar as it is perceived without the representation of purpose".

Kant also argues that "it is certainly possible to argue about taste and the perception of beauty but that the argument can never be settled because neither party can give any universally valid reason for it's judgment".

So, in short, we are in for a huge and never ending circular argument!

peasant

BMW clangers:




(does it look like Adolf or like a Chinaman ...or both?)

Quandary

The new M3 is a great lookin car....

red_ice

samsemtex wrote: »

I can think of dozens of Mercs

Thats all i needed to solidify my theory that you have horrible taste in cars. No offence of course :pac:

Captain Slow IRL

What a ridiculous question:
E38

E39




Not to forget about the E36:p

Mr.David

Captain Slow IRL wrote: »

Not to forget about the E36:p

Ooh its got the "Bangle" bodykit. Tasty :P

Stevie Dakota

I don't think BMW have made many beautiful cars, if any. They have made some butch cars, handsome cars and some imposing cars. Cars that you really want, but beautiful???

You really have to go to Italy if you want classic beauty.

Nothing subjective about this thread is there? :pac:

Anan1

bigkev49 wrote: »

I think they can be regarded as beautiful considering their German heritage and the German aesthetic tradition.

Immanuel Kant's fourth definition of beauty; "Beauty is the form of purposiveness in an object, insofar as it is perceived without the representation of purpose".

Kant also argues that "it is certainly possible to argue about taste and the perception of beauty but that the argument can never be settled because neither party can give any universally valid reason for it's judgment".

So, in short, we are in for a huge and never ending circular argument!

Great post, but I don't think we'd be having this discussion about Mercedes.;)

Eoin

samsemtex wrote: »

Even lookin at todays BMWs none of them are what you would call good looking and they are getting worse...much worse.

None of them are what you would call good looking. If we all thought the same cars looked great, it would be pretty boring.

They might not be "beautiful", but that's not what your thread title said.

SoupyNorman

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

I don't think BMW have made many beautiful cars

Well the thread is about 'Good Looking' cars, and there are plenty. I really like BMW designs in general...like the Germans there is no BS about them.

I personally like the new 3series design and I hope to have my one this time next year.

Have BMW made good looking cars? - yes loads.
Have BMW made beautiful cars? - probably not (but thats not their bag IMO)

unkel

peasant wrote: »

(does it look like Adolf or like a Chinaman ...or both?)

It does look like Adolf :eek:

rebel.ranter

The 507 & the z8 were beautiful cars & the original CSL was also a nice looking car.




Read more about this one

ShadowHearth

bigkev49 wrote: »

The E31 8-Series is a real looker in my opinion. I know a lot of people regard it as being an example of the crass attitudes and excess of the late 80's and early 90's but I really love it.





The E30 3 Series is a great looking car aswell I reckon. Never a big fan of the E36 despite it being lauded as one of the finest 3 Series.

I'm also extremely taken with the current E60 M5 or even a 5 Series with an M-Sport Kit. It's brutally honest in it's muscular and shouty appearance and I like it.


It's worth mentioning that pigs like the X3 and X6 really did little to boost my opinion of BMW. The X5 seems to do what it says on the tin but the other two are just plain horrible.

Awesome m8. Just add a 6 series ( old shape) and 5 series ( 1989-1995) we will be on same bout about bmws

samsemtex

eoin wrote: »

None of them are what you would call good looking. If we all thought the same cars looked great, it would be pretty boring.

They might not be "beautiful", but that's not what your thread title said.

My apologies, i should have clarified that because BMW make some very smart cars.

red_ice wrote: »

Thats all i needed to solidify my theory that you have horrible taste in cars. No offence of course :pac:

Ugh...i think you should leave the motors forum if you dont think Mercedes have made some beautiful cars through the years. The 300sl is one of the best looking cars of all time.

Eoin

samsemtex wrote: »

My apologies, i should have clarified that because BMW make some very smart cars.

Yep, there's a world of difference between smart and beautiful. peasant's earlier post (not the Adolf-mobile post, the earlier one) shows some pretty beautiful cars though.

Then again, I couldn't believe some of the opinions on the boards cool wall thread though.

CianRyan

The E46 M3 is a stunning car. I can't find a picture to do it justice. There was one in Tallaght village yesterday... Beautiful car.


The Z4 M is lovely too.



Others like the 8 Series and the Z8, along with some of the classics.

Cañitas

My personal favourites...

The Z8





And the new M3 convertible

ahmed89

alot of people might disagree with me,but i think the most good looking bimmer is the e30 3 series,love that car

Top Dog

Desirable - yes (E30 M3 please!)
Good looking - yes again (E46 M3 this time)

Beautiful - really in the eye of the beholder.

Zube

BMW's designers don't get paid for beautiful: that would be too Italian.

red_ice

samsemtex wrote: »

Ugh...i think you should leave the motors forum if you dont think Mercedes have made some beautiful cars through the years. The 300sl is one of the best looking cars of all time.

Nope! Im here longer than you! My taste is more important than yours :pac:



^ That is horrid. Terrible lines, a very confused design. The arches look like they were designed by Stevie Wonder.

CianRyan wrote: »

The E46 M3 is a stunning car. I can't find a picture to do it justice. There was one in Tallaght village yesterday... Beautiful car.

I couldnt agree more. I think that is the best era of m3. My father was one of the first to get one in ireland in 01 and 03 and i fking loved that car. Excellent lines, well rounded, nothing out of place in it at all. To this day i still want that shape. The arches are fantastic on it. A hunk of love!

CianRyan

red_ice wrote: »

I couldnt agree more. I think that is the best era of m3. My father was one of the first to get one in ireland in 01 and 03 and i fking loved that car. Excellent lines, well rounded, nothing out of place in it at all. To this day i still want that shape. The arches are fantastic on it. A hunk of love!

I can just stare at it all day.
One of the best looking cars ever, imo.

And i like the 300sl, not the most flattering picture up above.

Mycroft H

I love the early 80s and the late 70s shark nose models, beautiful

pburns

SoupyNorman wrote: »

Have BMW made beautiful cars? - probably not (but thats not their bag IMO)

Yeah, kind of agree.

Having said that the 507 and M1 are gorgeous. Z8 as well in a retro way, even if it was unsuccessful.

landyman wrote: »

I love the early 80s and the late 70s shark nose models, beautiful

Yes, they have an understated elegance, bordering on beauty. I like the last gen 5-series a lot and even the current 5.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that but I have to seriously question the aesthetic sensibilities of those who say they love the 8-series. It was old fashioned, heavy handed and crass when launched in '89 - those flared arches and pop-ups were pretty passe by the '90s. The Porsche 928 is about 12 years older and looks way more elegant and relevant today.

HashSlinging

I've always thought the e34 was one of the nicest BMWs, dont like any of the new cars.

cjt156

The 507 and Z8 I'd call pretty, the M1 - manic, sharknose 6 series - cool and recent M3s - purposeful; none are beautiful.

But as for saloons; so BORING (aesthetically) you'd lose the will to live.



This good looking??? Dear God...

samsemtex

red_ice wrote: »

Nope! Im here longer than you! My taste is more important than yours :pac:



^ That is horrid. Terrible lines, a very confused design. The arches look like they were designed by Stevie Wonder.



I couldnt agree more. I think that is the best era of m3. My father was one of the first to get one in ireland in 01 and 03 and i fking loved that car. Excellent lines, well rounded, nothing out of place in it at all. To this day i still want that shape. The arches are fantastic on it. A hunk of love!

Ah no. You are just wrong. If you think that is an ugly car then it is very much you who has the taste issue.

And that M3 is a very nice car. That is all. It looks the same as any standard 3 series with a nice body kit and flared arches. Are you saying every bog standard 316 you see on the road is one of the most beautiful cars you've ever seen? Because if the M3 is capable of being one of the most beautiful then surely the model on which it is based must be well up there too.

Eoin

cjt156 wrote: »

But as for saloons; so BORING (aesthetically) you'd lose the will to live.

All of them are that boring? Including the M-tech e60 and e39 models posted earlier?

Mr Benevolent

Hmm, the 8 series is a touch overpriced for it's age:

1999 example

HashSlinging

cjt156 wrote: »

The 507 and Z8 I'd call pretty, the M1 - manic, sharknose 6 series - cool and recent M3s - purposeful; none are beautiful.

But as for saloons; so BORING (aesthetically) you'd lose the will to live.



This good looking??? Dear God...

True very true more of a personal fav rather than a "good looking" BMW in an aston martain way, which I dont think there has ever been, think you nailed it.

red_ice

samsemtex wrote: »

Ah no. You are just wrong. If you think that is an ugly car then it is very much you who has the taste issue.

And that M3 is a very nice car. That is all. It looks the same as any standard 3 series with a nice body kit and flared arches. Are you saying every bog standard 316 you see on the road is one of the most beautiful cars you've ever seen? Because if the M3 is capable of being one of the most beautiful then surely the model on which it is based must be well up there too.

Well, i believe good design appeals to everyone and beauty in cars comes from said principal. One of which we have just both agreed on!

I cant find a nice line on that merc - honestly i cant.

bucks

E30 3 series, in particular the M3 and a sport with the tech II kit

Also have a fondness for the E36 coupe and the Z4 coupe.

seanybiker

I loves the old 325 sport. I think thats what it was called anyways. Lovely car.

Alzar

This one does it for me - M635CSi - love the lines

Al.

shabbyalonso

BMW have produced some beauties - some not so nice too but can't get 'em right all the time. My personal favorite, the 8 series......so much so, I bought one last year!

S8000778.JPG

red_ice

samsemtex wrote: »

Are you saying every bog standard 316 you see on the road is one of the most beautiful cars you've ever seen?

I replied already to this, but for some reason this topic popped into my head on the drive home today when i passed a 3 series. To answer that question - yes i am saying that.

By that logic if the merc you like so much was as abundant as the 3 series in question, then it wouldn't be a nice car? you don't see ladas much these days do you? Because they are rare, doesn't mean they are nice