Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2024 i TOTAL BMW

When it comes to project cars, there are, broadly speaking, two groups of owners. There are those for whom the thrill is in the build–they will fully commit themselves to a project for however long, throwing everything they have at it in terms of time, money, passion and commitment. Once it's done, they'll take it to some shows, enjoy it, and then move on to the next project because the completed car no longer offers the same sort of thrill as building it did. Then you've got those owners who have kept their project for years, building it slowly over time, enjoying it at each stage of the journey, and for whom the joy comes from having the car. Whether it's finished, whether they have major plans for the future…

The eight-generation 5 Series Saloon is on sale now, with five models to choose from, offering petrol, hybrid, and all-electric propulsion, and three exceptionally well-specified trim levels in the UK–MSport, M Sport Pro and the exclusive i5 M60 xDrive. The eighth generation vehicle has grown in length by 97mm to 5060mm, in width by 32mm to 1900mm and in height by 36mm to 1515mm. The wheelbase has been increased by 20mm to 2995mm for improved seating comfort, especially in the rear. Up front, the Adaptive LED Headlights incorporate both the cornering light and the Matrix High Beam, including the glare-free High Beam Assist BMW Selective Beam. M Shadow Line lights with black trim for the inside of the headlight housings are standard on M Sport Pro models. M Sport Pro…

Considering how iconic, rare (when's the last time you saw one out in the wild?), and special the E30 M3 is, it's amazing just how many modified examples we've come across, and how many we've featured in just the past 12 months of the magazine being on sale. We're not complaining, because we love E30 M3s at least as much as anyone else, and we love to see people enjoying them. And what's great about the E30 M3 is that it's virtually impossible to ruin it. We're not saying it's totally impossible, but we don't think we've ever seen a truly badly modified example. The reason for that, we'd say, is that they're not casual purchases, and they're bought by real enthusiasts who have real taste. If they didn't, they…

Whether you're planning to spend a little or a lot, every car buyer wants value for money. And if you're thinking of splashing out as much as £25,000 on a BMW coupé, then choosing the right model at the right price becomes even more important. Fortunately, we have scoured the used market to guide you towards three of the most worthy and appealing choices, with each one offering a slightly different take on the coupé theme. And with M car, diesel and classic BMW contenders all on offer, we're sure there will be at least one coupé that appeals. So which one should you buy? F13 640d Sport Coupé (2011-2017) Rapid, luxurious and economical, BMW's F13 640d M Sport Coupé is also good value for money. Even if you've never…

E85 Z4 3.0si Aleisurely hike won't win you the title of an Alpinist. These are the serious mountain climbers with all the gear and, in this particular instance, an inspired idea. 53-year-old businessman Arno has been both driving and climbing for longer than he cares to remember, starting his automotive journey with a Sovietbuilt Moskvich 2141 in 1992. The ascent to BMW ownership was first realised in 1998 with an E39 523i in the fetching hue of British Racing Green. He recalled that he wanted an E38 740i, but his budget at the time meant that his comfortable saloon box was ticked with the stylish 5 Series. The E39 was enjoyed in standard form, but it established a love of the Bavarian brand. Arno's first E85 Z4 was sold in…

E36 M3 TOURING BMW is very good at not giving people what they want and, then, leaving them to do things themselves, or giving people what they want but not really committing to it. This is especially prevalent in M cars. So, for example, the M3 Saloon. E30 – no four-door for you. E36 – yay, a saloon! E46 – where's my saloon gone…? M5 Touring? Well, you can have one, said BMW when the E34 came out, but only in LHD. But then you're not allowed an E39 estate. Then it came back in E61 form before disappearing for two generations. Will it stay on after it reappears next year? Who knows – in fact, we doubt even BMW knows… And as for an M3 Touring? Nope, you can't…

F80 M3 I wanted to maintain the aggressive lines ofthe car but enhance them with my own flair Ever since the F80 M3 Saloon appeared, with its narrow body and wide-arch combo, it was clear that BMW M's four doors were bringing some serious flair to the party. Those muscular looks are irresistible, serving up some serious aggression and road presence. And when you start tweaking the styling, throwing some enhancements into the mix, and getting it sitting low over the right wheels, well, the results are simply breathtaking, and Andrew Kahrimanian's (@bmdoubledru) example is exactly that. We've seen a lot of modded F80 M3s over the years, but a perfectly executed build still has the power to make us go weak at the knees, and this is that kind…

E28 M535i It's probably a little unfair to label the E28 M535i as the forgotten M car, but for many years it did suffer by way of comparison to its M-powered stablemate, the E28 M5. Some might go as far as to claim that the M535i isn't really a bonafide M car, lacking an ‘S’-designated power unit, but that hasn't stopped the E12 version from achieving cult status, has it? And we think it's high time the E28 M535i received its moment under the spotlight – it really is a cracking example of BMW's ‘Sharknose’ styling and drives as well as it looks. And when you come across an example that looks as fine as this one it's not hard to see the appeal. It's owned by Kav Bhamra (@oldskoolzimmers),…

If you're lucky enough to have owned an F90 M5, an M550i or an Alpina B5 Saloon, then you'll know that it's not that easy to keep a low profile. And that's great if you appreciate the attention, but if you prefer to go about your business in a slightly more discreet way, then the G30 540i xDrive M Sport could be the saloon for you. With all the power and grip you'll ever need, the 540i xDrive is far better value than its more extrovert siblings – and can be readily tuned to M550i levels of performance with a simple remap. Better still, you could return 40mpg-plus on the motorway, and you can pick a great example for not much more than £23,000. And, when it comes to buying…

Well, the past couple of years have been a struggle, and all things automotive had to take a back seat, unfortunately. A brief period saw me scratch a 911-shaped itch in the form of a 996 Carrera 2, but soon after, I became unwell, and it was sold. I won't dwell on my health issues but suffice to say things have improved to a point where I'm able to indulge in a project to take my mind off matters. That said, while I've been fortunate enough to own some of BMW's finest M cars, my budget meant looking for something at the other end of the spectrum. Initially, I had sought to get back into an E30, but personal circumstances halved my budget overnight. I needed something that could be…

FIRST DRIVE These days, it feels as though BMW's M division is a bit muddled. With all these M60i and M50i models kicking about, what does it really mean to be a modern M car? Especially at a time when electric cars are becoming mainstream, emissions laws are tightening, and soon manufacturers will be forced out of using big and powerful petrol engines to differentiate their most potent models. It's all a bit of a poser for BMW, but the company seems to be going about things in the right way. Last year, for example, the i4 M50 xDrive was the bestselling single M model in the manufacturer's global range. And now that car's big brother is here. Based on the new G60 5 Series, it's called the i5 M60…

F22 M240i The eagle-eyed enthusiast will no doubt have noticed the distinctly M-like footprint that the M240i now enjoys, and that's down to the fact that it's been treated to the full-on M2 Competition-spec wide-body conversion Picture the laboratory that must have spawned this beast. The bubbling beakers, the jets of flame, the creeping clouds of noxious green vapour, the occasional crackle of maniacal laughter. This M240i is nowhere near what its Bavarian masterminds intended, it's been deconstructed and reformulated by a team of mad scientis with malevolent intent and the sort of relentlessly inquisitive minds that are always asking questions like: What happens if we make that bit bigger? Can that part be lighter? Which of these bits shall we just throw in the bin? Is it all noisy…

E46 M3 RACER While this racing machine might look like an E46 M3 on the outside, in reality, there is not much beneath the bonnet that belongs to the famed Munich car manufacturer – but the car runs with a BMW badge and, as such, wows the crowds on tracks around Australia. And it is all down to Shane Woodman, the M3's owner and driver, and Liam Hill and his team at Riverside Racing, the creators of the car. Put all these elements together, and you have a package that is rarely absent from the podium in Sports Sedan racing, a series unique to Australia and which grips fans for its sheer ferocity of power, speed and never-say-die competition. Shane Woodman had already proven himself on the race track and…

Max Faulkner's E46 330Ci Sport Max's E46 started life with him as a barn find in Oxfordshire four years ago. It was originally a Sytner Sheffield car with 2 previous owners. “Under the dust and straw, I could see it was dent- and rust-free. It also came with a comprehensive service history and maintenance record,” he says, and it's clear this was an E46 worth investing some time in. “Over the next three and a half years, I went through the car replacing brakes, suspension and engine parts, all using OEM or quality parts. The car was in mint condition, and the mileage went from 67,000 to 107,000 during my ownership. Every drive was an event, and it always received many complimentary remarks. I think the Imola red paint had…