The BMW 635CSi is an awesome car. And its story begins with one man. A guy that was the mastermind behind BMW’s legendary E21 3-series, E24 6-series, and their E23 7-Series cars. His name is Paul Bracq. And it's thanks to Paul, and his amazing talent (as Chief Designer at BMW), that we have the iconic 635CSi gracing us with its presence.
The E24 6-Series cars were BMW’s flagship range of grand touring cars in the late '70s. And they pretty much had it all; elegant looks, refined cabins, robust 6-cylinder engines, rear-wheel drive, great performance, and a truly engaging driving experience.
BMW produced 86,000 of the ‘Sixes’ between 1976 and 1989, which makes them the carmaker’s longest-running production car, spanning a whopping thirteen years. The gorgeous 635CSi (Coupe Sport Injection) was launched in 1978, and soon after it was released, BMW unleashed a thoroughbred motorsport version, the mighty M635CSi.
Because of its long, deep sloping bonnet, inward-slanting nose panel, kidney-shaped grille, and round headlights, it was nicknamed ‘Sharknose’ or ‘Shark’ by its fans. This was particularly apt at the time, during the ‘yuppie’ era of the 1980s, when the financial sector was a stormy sea full of its own sharks. Corporate sharks that, at the time, favored this rather intimidating, but ever so charismatic, 6-series sports coupe.
What Makes The BMW 635CSi So Popular
The Shark is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful seventies GT cars to come out of the Bavarian factories. There are certain cars that just have the absolute right mix of straight lines and curves, and this is one of them. Its silhouette is a work of art, and the 635CSi exudes a classy grandeur, that is both majestic and sporty at the same time.
And like a piece of stunning art, it’s the car’s powerful, but elegant presence that captivates you. Its low waistline, shark-nosed looking front and stretched coupe styling make this car so desirable, even today. And if you can get hold of one with the cross-spoke BBS alloy wheels, then you’ve hit the jackpot.
So it's quite understandable that the 635's looks were unrivalled back in the day, there was simply no other prestige coupe like it on the UK market. And when you take time to drink in this car’s absolutely sublime appearance you can see why it was, and still is, so popular. The only very minor thing we would change about it, is the rubber rear spoiler, which many of them carried. In our humble opinion, the colour-coded version tops the car off much better.
But that’s enough about its appearance, because this car doesn’t only look good, its pretty quick too!
Under the hood the 635 is loaded with a bullet-proof 3.4-liter, single over head cam, 6-cylinder engine. Over the years BMW tweaked the unit from 182 to 217 bhp, which have enabled it to return some very respectable performance figures. According to Fastestlaps, the 635 can reach sixty mph in just over 7 seconds, and climb up to a top speed of 143 mph. So the standard 635 is no slow coach.
The M635CSi also has a 3.4 liter, inline 6-cylinder engine under its hood, but it comes with a double overhead cam unit that produces (dependent on model) between 256 and 282 bhp. And according to Carinfo and Zeperfs, this racy motorsport version can hit sixty in 6.4 secs, and reach a dizzy 158 mph at the top end. Placing it up there with some of the fastest rides of the time.
BMW engineers gave this car the latest tech: ABS brakes, airbags, limited slip differential, reinforced stabilisers and firmer shock absorbers. Which all served to reward this long distance cruiser with state-of-the-art safety, a smooth ride and sharp handling.
Owning one of these iconic cars however, is not an easy task. Some of them are now reaching 35 years old, so they do require a lot of tender loving car. Many Sixes suffered engine over-heat problems, due to poor cooling system maintenance. So you will need to make sure that all of the cooling system components are kept in check, if you don’t want a cracked cylinder head.
Another Achilles Heel of the Six is rust. Like most classic cars, their iron parts react with oxygen and water causing the dreaded corrosion. So check all of the obvious places, wheel arches, floor pan, shock towers, etc etc, to make sure it doesn’t require some major welding and replacement metalwork.
The 6-series is probably at its happiest when its cruising on a long stretch of quiet motorway, where it will happily burble along at high speed for hours on end, rewarding its occupants with a smooth, comfortable and composed driving experience.
But let's be real, this is an old-school car that lacks all of the luxuries and driver aids that you find in executive saloons in the showrooms today. It has a heavy clutch, a low-tech four or five speed manual transmission (or three/four speed auto), no traction control, and an independent trailing arm suspension system. So, please don't expect it to feel like a modern car when you get behind the wheel.
The BMW 635CSi is a sleek looking piece of '80s nostalgia, its an old grand tourer that doesn't provide all of the bells and whistles which make today's cars so easy to drive. However, it does provide an authentic rawness, that is seriously fun to experience.
Fans of the 6-series will also be aware of its success on the race circuits, with the numerous Touring Car Championships and 24 hour race wins that it has under its belt. All of which add to the charm and drama, of this car, and its immense desirability.
So, today, this powerful front-engined, rear-wheel drive, supercoupe is a very popular classic car choice. One that has a huge following, with car clubs and social media groups spread all over the globe. 6-series enthusiasts hold large events which they refer to as ‘Sharkfest’ gatherings, to show their support for this awesome car, that really defines everything about the eighties era.
What You Can Expect To Pay For A 635CSi Right Now
The BMW 635CSi car is rapidly becoming a hugely sought after collector's item, and values of these extremely desirable classics continue to go in just one direction, up, as they get older and more rare.
In the past five years these amazing German barnstormers have experienced a twenty to thirty percent price increase. With some M-series cars even achieving more.
Looking at recent UK prices, you can currently expect to pay anywhere between $20,000 and $70,000 for one, which is a huge differential, that is completely dependent upon the vehicle’s condition, mileage, year, specification, location and history.
Obviously, M-series models tend to fetch bigger money. But if you do happen to pick one up for less than $20,000, Congratulations! However, please keep your wallet handy once its safely back on your drive, good luck!