It was the slogan that acquired me first. “The Final Driving Machine.” I don’t know if it was the arrogance, the readability, or the truth that it simply sounded cool, however one thing about that line caught. It planted the seed lengthy earlier than I ever drove a BMW. And after I lastly did? It wasn’t some M automotive or Autobahn monster.
It was a 318i E30—my little panda. It didn’t have a ton of energy. Actually, it didn’t even have that a lot reliability. But it surely was uncooked, it was enjoyable, and it was cool as hell. It had this sincere mechanical really feel, this direct connection between driver and machine that I hadn’t felt in the rest. That was it. I used to be in.
The Aha Second
Then got here the second that sealed it: BMW European Supply.
In case you ever did one, you realize precisely what I’m speaking about. In case you didn’t? I’m sorry you missed the golden age. I ended up doing it thrice—each higher than the final. First was the E46 325i, then the twin-turbo thrill of the E90 335iand eventually the unforgettable 1m minimize. Selecting up a brand-new BMW in Munich, touring the Alps, blasting down the Autobahn earlier than reaching the Nurburgring—it wasn’t simply in regards to the automotive. It was the expertise. And man, BMW nailed that.
The BMW Neighborhood. Interval.
But it surely didn’t cease there. After the vehicles got here the group.
And actually, that was the shock twist. I wasn’t anticipating to search out such a loyal, tight-knit, and genuinely useful group of homeowners and followers. Whether or not it was recommendation on a discussion board, somebody serving to out with coding a automotive, or only a fast thumbs-up at a gasoline station—BMW individuals present up. In some methods, it jogged my memory of Porsche’s crowd. Simply fewer ducktail spoilers and extra E90s with correct wheels.
Then there was the innovation. By 2009, BMW was already deep into electrification tasks—lengthy earlier than Tesla was cool, and even actually on anybody’s radar. The i Division, Challenge iall that loopy idea work—it confirmed me that BMW was enjoying the lengthy recreation. They weren’t simply making quick sedans. They had been imagining what got here subsequent.
Masters of Storytelling
And, after all, there’s the storytelling.
BMW is aware of learn how to inform a narrative by way of a automotive. The 2002. The E39 M5. The i8. Even one thing just like the G87 M2—you may really feel the lineage, the intent, the angle. It’s baked in. That’s what I preserve coming again to. It’s not simply efficiency stats or design particulars—it’s the sensation every automotive offers you. The best way it turns into a chapter in your life.
I might go on. And actually, I in all probability will in some unspecified time in the future. However now I need to flip the query again to you:
What introduced you to BMW? What was your second? Your “little panda” or your Autobahn blast or that first turn-in that instructed you this was one thing totally different? Inform me. I’d love to listen to it.
