BMW has been around since 1916. From then it has made some iconic vehicles that have been incredibly powerful and performance-based. As such, BMW has been a staple of car enthusiasts interest in cars for a very long time and they can't really be blamed for loving them so much as BMW has released cars like the BMW 2002 and the BMW M6 which will forever go down as being some of the best classic cars produced by the brand, and for some, these cars are some of the best vehicles in the world.
BMW vehicles released in the 1980s were no different, and its production of iconic vehicles continued. As such, there were some very cool cars to come out of BMW during the decade, some of which were more performance-based than others, especially with the 'M' cars and 'CSi' vehicles coming with a nice amount of power and sporty features that made them fantastic. Indeed, plenty of 'M' cars were fantastic on the track and made great motorsport vehicles. With this in mind, we bring you the coolest BMW models of the 1980s, ranked by their horsepower rating.
9 BMW Z1 (168 HP)
The BMW Z1 was launched right at the end of the 1980s in 1989. It is a very unique-looking car with its plastic body panels and vertically sliding doors that drop into the door sills being iconic features in the car. Coming with a 2.5-liter straight-six engine producing 168 hp, it wasn't the most powerful BMW to be put on the roads but it did feature some awesome handling characteristics. The Z1 was one of the first BMW cars to come with a multi-link rear suspension and it was a great feature for the futuristic Z1.
The aerodynamics of the Z1 also made it an incredible car to drive, especially with the flat plastic undertray and rear bumper allowing it to make the most of its meager power. As such, the Z1 is a fantastic BMW vehicle and it saw the brand go on to launch the Z3, and the same suspension setup was used in the BMW E36 3 Series.
8 BMW E30 325iX (192 HP)
The BMW 3 Series E30 was launched in 1982. It replaced the E21 3 Series and it came with a wide range of models in its lineup. Within the lineup was the 325iX model which was the first BMW car to have the AWD set up. This model came with a 2.3-liter S14 I4 engine that produced 192 hp. This was a great engine for the car and its power was great with the AWD setup.
Despite not being the most well-known vehicle on the list, the 325iX was very impressive and it came with many of the same features as the standard models. As BMWs first car with AWD, it certainly set a precedent for the future and it meant that BMW could go on to produce some outstanding AWD cars later as an evolution of this.
7 BMW E30 M3 (200 HP)
The BMW E30 M3 launched in 1986 and was an instant hit among enthusiasts. It performed fantastically in motorsports, winning multiple championships - including the 1988 European Touring Car Championship. It was brilliant because of its 2.3-liter in-line four-cylinder engine that produced 200 hp with an advanced four-valve head. Indeed, the engine was very refined, and combining this with the low weight of the car made sure that it was a great motorsport vehicle.
Being developed so well from the standard 3 Series, the car received some outstanding upgrades to making it extra sporty. The front and rear bumpers we made out of plastic and its aerodynamics were improved overall. The aerodynamics of the car made it quicker and the wider wheel arches made it all the more sporty. As such, the E30 M3 is an outstanding car that definitely needs to be remembered as one of the coolest BMW cars from the 1980s.
6 BMW E28 M5 (210 HP)
The E28 M5 launched in 1984 and it was a luxurious high-performance vehicle. Indeed, performance was the main selling point of the car, with the 3.5-liter I6 engine producing 210 hp. Also, the car can accelerate 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds, which for a car of its time, is fantastic and the car was one of the fastest road-legal vehicles of the 1980s.
Its design was classic too with its understated looks making the vehicle less known as a high-performance vehicle. For enthusiasts, however, its looks are instantly recognizable as being a part of one of the best BMW vehicles of the 1980s. It came with beautifully luxurious interior features and its exclusivity was boosted by the fact that only around 2241 E28 M5 cars were ever made.
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4 BMW E12 M35i (215 HP)
The BMW E12 generation was launched in 1972, but the M35i started production in 1980. It is a special model of the E12 and it comes with a 3.5-liter M90 straight-six engine. The engine produces 215 hp while the car also comes with front and rear spoilers which are optional and sports suspension. Indeed, its sporty appeal is enhanced by the racing seats and optional M-striping too.
BMW produced 1650 M35i cars, making it quite exclusive for enthusiasts. Its nice sporty feel makes it a great contender as one of the coolest BMWs of the 1980s and it is often considered to be the predecessor to the BMW M5 model, another outstanding vehicle that has long been a BMW fan favorite.
3 BMW E24 635CSi (208 HP)
The BMW E24 is the first generation in the BMW 6 Series and it brought a range of grand tourers to the lineup. The car was only sold as a coupe and it came with multiple changes and models during its production. In 1985 BMW launched the 635CSi in the North American market. It comes with an M30B34 engine that produces 182 hp and the engine was upgraded in 1988 to an M30B35 engine and it produced 208 hp, bringing a nice power boost to the vehicle.
Upgrades to the car included a catalytic converter, allowing for power to be similar to that of the European editions of the 635CSi. As such, the BMW 635CSi is a very cool car and it had a nice amount of power and performance to it. Also with a luxury model available in 1987, BMW produced a great lineup of injection-based vehicles.
2 BMW E32 750i (296 HP)
The BMW E32 generation was launched in 1986 and it replaced the E23 lineup. When it was launched, the E32 was one of the most technologically advanced series of cars and it came with several engines, including a V8 and V12. The 750i was launched too, and it was the first car that catered to the "gentleman's agreement" among German car manufacturers requiring speed to be limited to 155 mph.
The 750i car came with a V12 engine that produced 296 hp so it was definitely powerful enough to keep up with many other sports cars. There was also a 750iL and a 750iL Highline model released which added luxury and it was the top-of-the-line model but this came in the '90s.
1 BMW E34 M5 (340 HP)
The BMW E34 M5 is a very rare car. Launched in 1988, there were less than 1000 models of the E34 M5 made, making it very desirable among enthusiasts nowadays. The E34 M5 had to live u to the E28 predecessor and it definitely did just that, if not exceeding expectations of enthusiasts. The car came with a six-cylinder engine that had been used in the BMW M1 but this engine was tuned in the E34 M5 to produce 315 hp at its lowest and 340 hp at its highest.
The car could go 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds which was very impressive at the launch of the vehicle. It went onto be lowered in the 1990s to going 0-60 mph in 5.9 seconds which was the first time that the BMW M5 had gone 0-60 mph in under 6 seconds. Indeed, the E34 M5 was an outstanding vehicle and it is very much still the icon today as it was in the 1980s.