The Bavarian car manufacturer has one of the richest histories of any brand in the automotive industry. BMW started its operations as an aircraft manufacturer that built jet fighters during the Second World War and over the years the company has evolved into one of the most renowned premium sports car manufacturers of all time.
With each generation, BMW strives to build the ultimate performance machine which also happens to be the company’s core USP. This distinguishes BMW from fellow carmakers like Mercedes that prioritizes luxury and aims to pioneer technical advancements. It is also for this reason that BMW sports cars have some of the weirdest stories to tell.
10 BMW Built A Batmobile
The BMW E9 3.0CSL Batmobile is one of the coolest Bimmers of all time. The BMW E9 CSL was built as a result of the homologation prerequisites and was one of the Bavarian carmaker's earliest attempts at a road-legal sports coupe which soon became a sports car legend.
It was because of its design and aero kit the car was dubbed the Batmobile by fans. The original 2986 cc engine was re-tuned to be eligible for the 3-liter racing category and therefore the peak power was increased to 197 BHP.
9 BMW Z1 Is The Quirkiest Roadster Ever
Even with its quirky features, the Z1 polarized BMW enthusiasts around the world. Some fans couldn’t stop admiring the radical design of the roadster whereas others dubbed it as one of the ugliest cars from the 90s.
The original Z1 roadster was designed as a vision for the company's future and featured vertically retracting electric doors. Customers could also drive the car with the doors lowered down into the bed of the car at cruising speeds. The original Z1 featured one of the most responsive chassis to have ever graced a Z Series car.
8 Elvis Drove A BMW
‘The King’ was a gearhead and even rocked a BMW 507 back in his prime years. The BMW 507 is one of the rarest cars on the planet and its stomping grounds are exclusively limited to high-end car auction circuits.
At the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed, a 1957 example of the BMW 507 convertible raked in a hammer price of 5 million. The original BMW 507 was sold both as a convertible and a hardtop coupe. The roadster was ahead of its time and featured a V8 motor under the hood.
7 Paul Walker Had A Soft Spot For BMW M3 Lightweight
The Fast and The Furious star was the proud owner of one of the most well-curated car collection in Hollywood. One of his most prized possessions was the BMW E39 M3 lightweight. It is speculated that only 125 examples of the Lightweight E39 M3 models were ever built and prices for these models are estimated to start around the $100,000 mark.
BMW M3 Lightweight was 200 lbs lighter than a standard M3 and was powered by a naturally aspirated 3-liter engine that produced 240 BHP of maximum power and 225 lb-ft of peak torque.
6 NAZCA C2 Is A Futuristic BMW Lost In Obscurity
With NAZCA C2, BMW managed to assemble a concept that was ahead of its time. BMW NAZCA C2 premiered at the 1991 Tokyo motor show and was styled by famous Italian design studio Italdesign which drew inspiration from the Bugatti ID90 concept.
The car’s shape was engineered to be highly aerodynamics and the company reported a drag coefficient of 0.26. Underneath the beautiful and slippery body, BMW NAZCA C2 featured a 5-liter V12 unit which was borrowed from BMW 850i coupe. The motor produced 300 BHP of peak power output.
5 BMW M8 Is The Ultimate Bimmer
With the BMW M8, the German car manufacturer has managed to build the ultimate performance machine, one that could give the Nissan GT-R and Ferrari GTC Lusso a run for their exorbitant price tags.
The 2020 M8 is one of the most excellent driving machines money can buy and features one of the finest BMW powertrains in existence. The 4.4-liter, V8 produces 617 BHP of peak power and maximum torque of 553 lb-ft. The V8 motor comes mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox which sends power to all four wheels.
4 M3 E92 Is The Craziest BMW
BMW purists consider the M3 E92 to be the last of the true M cars ever produced. The BMW E92 is one of the very few M3 in existence which features a huge V8 under the hood. The motor in question is a 4-liter V8 which can produce 415 BHP of maximum power.
The customers had the option of selecting between a standard 6-speed manual transmission and a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. BMW also offered Competition models of the E92 M3 which received additional performance upgrades.
3 I8 Is The Most Versatile BMW Of All Time
When the car manufacturer first introduced its futuristic offering, the BMW i8 the sports car managed to take the automotive industry by storm because of its futuristic design. It was only when one took a closer look at what the i8 had to offer that they discovered the true potential of this plug-in hybrid sports car.
BMW i8 is one of the most versatile and practical offerings in the segment. This electrified sports car uses its 369 BHP plug-in hybrid powertrain to take performance into the future as 0 to 60 MPH only takes 4.1 seconds
2 The Ultimate Performance Machine Is Also A Toyota
When Toyota decided to reboot the legendary Supra nameplate, it enlisted the German sports car manufacturer’s help to co-develop the ultimate front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car. The 2020 Supra and BMW Z4 are badge-engineered examples and the prices for the German roadster start at around $50,000.
There are many 2-door convertible alternatives to the BMW Z4 but the German sports car manages to capitalize on its legacy quite well. The car gets a 50:50 weight distribution and is powered by a 255 BHP, 2.0-liter motor as standard.
1 Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 Is Powered By BMW
Aston Martin has partnered with Mercedes and so the British luxury GT car manufacturer will use drivetrains built by the tri-star brand to power its future offerings. This is why it was surprising to find out that the DB5 reproduction driven by Daniel Craig in the upcoming Bond flick No Time To Die features a BMW-sourced six-cylinder engine.
The James Bond-star let the secret slip during a visit from Prince of Wales who enquired about the powerplant. Drivetribe also hinted at the German origins of the motor.