For a car enthusiast, a trip to Munich is unconceivable without a stop at the BMW Museum. Its permanent exhibition hosts more than 120 automobiles, motorcycles and engines spanning nine decades of BMW brand history.
For €9, which is equal to US$11.75, I had the chance to travel back in time and see how the BMW legend was born and developed into what is now the world’s largest premium car manufacturer. This is not going to be an exhaustive presentation of my trip, however, as visiting an automobile museum is mostly a subjective experience, so I will only talk about the cars that impressed me the most.
The first car that made my heart beat faster was the 328 Mille Miglia, which won the 1940 thousand-mile race. I love old cars, especially racing cars, so seeing this legendary coupe with improved aerodynamics and its related memorabilia was really like going back in time.
The next room where I spent some time was dedicated to the 3 Series, the backbone of the BMW brand. Although not a 3 Series by name, the 1600 is displayed next to the first generation 3 Series, as it is considered the forefather of this successful nameplate. Of all the generations displayed, the E30 is the one that ticks all the boxes for me. I still think it is the best looking 3 Series ever, and my pick from the room would definitely be the E30 325ix Touring.
Moving on to the convertible section, the 507 is a breathtaking car, arguably the most beautiful BMW ever made. It’s the first time I saw one live and I have to say it makes its modern alter ego, the Z8, look a little bit awkward. Once again, the 328, this time in roadster form, made me daydream of how it would be like to drive it on the open road.
Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how it’s like, because a museum employee kept standing next to the car as if he was guarding it. Who knows, maybe he was, since a pristine 328 Roadster costs around half a million euros ($652,150). My suffering was eased, though, when I entered the most powerful room of the museum – the one dedicated to BMW M models. An E46 M3 CSL in mint condition – one of BMW M’s best cars ever made – guards the entrance, next to the iconic 1989 E30 M3 Coupe. On the same floor, there’s also the first M5, the M 635 CSi, the legendary M1 and the M Roadster. I wonder if 10 years from now, the X6 M will find its way into this room. I certainly hope not…
Next up was the motorsport room, where the 2004 M3 GTR stood next to the 1989 M3 DTM and the mad 1974 BMW 3.0 CSL “Batmobile”. This was definitely the most adrenaline-filled room of the museum. Finally, I spent some time contemplating the stunning and complicated 2009 Vision Efficient Dynamics concept that previews the upcoming i8 and I waved goodbye to the BMW museum looking at the GINA Concept, a symbol of the Chris Bangle era and his flame surfacing design.
The times they are a changin’ indeed…
By Dan Mihalascu
Photos Copyright: Dan Mihalascu / CarScoopS
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