While we have every last bit of information at our fingertips these days - and pub arguments have become much less interesting as a result - it isn’t possible to trust every source on the internet. To put it lightly. For the last word in automotive facts and figures, you’ll want to consult manufacturer archives, which tend to be a little more involved than the average Google search. However, those who want to know about classic BMWs have now had their job made much easier, thanks to the launch of the BMW Group Classic Product Catalogue.
Publicly accessible and now online, it documents 424 BMW models from 1928 to 2008, plus all the classic Minis from 1959. The first BMW included is the 3/15hp; the last, the original Z4 and Z4 Coupe. More than just a sentence or two on each, as well, the new catalogue features images and information on every derivative - precisely the kind of detail that is usually missing. So if you need to know how long the 2002 was in production (January 1968 to October ‘75), how many Deutschmarks an M635CSi cost (89,500) or the top speed of the E36 323ti (143mph), then now all that information is not just easily available, but also (we hope) 100 per cent accurate. And wouldn’t want to know those sorts of tidbits?
Even the most dedicated BMW fan will surely learn something from the catalogue, like the existence of the four-door 3 Series Baur Topcabriolet or the 324d (a naturally aspirated six-cylinder diesel with 86hp). It’s nothing if not an interesting way to spend 20(0) minutes on the internet when you should be doing something else; browsing the catalogue is time spent online that doesn’t leave you sad or angry, either, so that’s something.
The new archive should prove an especially useful resource for those folk with old Bimmers, as each model entry also links to the BMW Group Classic parts available for that model. While the selection for most is fairly limited at the moment - the only Z4 bit is the aluminum bonnet from the M car - the parts selection will surely grow over time as the desire to keep combustion-engined BMWs going increases. And just like consulting the product catalogue for stats, sometimes factory is the only way to go...
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