The 10 Most Beautiful BMWs of All Time

Firstly, it has to be said that this is my own personal opinion. I am no BMW expert, and there are a great many passionate BMW fans. So, if I have not included a BMW you think needs to be included, let me know why in the comments section at the end of the article. I’d love to hear your top 10.

So what is my opinion on the 10 most beautiful BMWs of all time? In order (the first car being the most beautiful or desired by me), here we go:

BMW 507

A very rare car. A total of 252 units of the BMW 507 were built between 1956 and 1959. Moreover, the 1958 BMW 507 Series II Roadster is an ultra-rare, hand-built German sports car produced between 1957 and 1959, with improved interior and luggage space over the first series.

Why I like it?

I just think the shape and look of this car are very cool. A car rarely seen. I have never seen one on the road, only stationary at car shows. A car I’d very much like to drive.

Statistics

• Engine: 3.2-litre V8
• Power: 150 horsepower at 5,000 rpm
• Transmission: 4-speed manual
• 0–60 mph: Approximately 8.8 to 11.0 seconds
• Top speed: 127 mph (205 km/h)
• Weight: Approximately 1,280 kg to 1,330 kg
• Number of cars produced: 252

Check out more BMW 507 featured posts.

BMW i8 (I12)

The BMW i8 was a groundbreaking plug-in hybrid sports car produced by BMW from 2014 to 2020. It has a carbon and aluminium construction, flying buttresses, butterfly doors – all the drama of a V12 Lamborghini, but with the CO2 emissions of a Mini Cooper.

Why I like it?

I just think, as stated above and in many reviews, that it is an iconic, dramatic and beautiful-looking car. Very cool. Lovely lines and design. Although many were made (20,465), it is rare to see one on the road. I have owned 2 BMWs in my lifetime, and in 2026 I bought an i8 to add to my collection of cars. A very cool, beautiful and practical car that is great value at the time of writing and may appreciate and become a classic in time.

Statistics

• Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine paired with an electric motor for a hybrid setup.
• Power: 369 horsepower (374 hp / 275 kW) in later models and 357 hp in early models
• Transmission: Dual-transmission hybrid setup with a 6-speed automatic gearbox in the rear for the petrol engine and a 2-speed automatic gearbox up front for the electric motor.
• 0–60 mph: 4.2 to 4.4 seconds
• Top speed: Electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h)
• Weight: Approximately 1,535 kg for the coupé and 1,595 kg for the Roadster
• Number of cars produced: 20,465 (coupé: 16,581 units, produced from March 2014 to June 2020; Roadster: 3,884 units, introduced in 2018 and produced until June 2020)

Check out more BMW i8 featured posts.

BMW M1 (E26)

The BMW M1 is a rare, mid-engined sports car produced from 1978 to 1981 by BMW Motorsport. Furthermore, it was developed in collaboration with Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and Italdesign.

Why I like it?

A rare, good-looking car that is just so cool. Again, I have never seen one of these cars on the road, only static at a car show, and that’s a great shame in my opinion.

Statistics

• Engine: 3.5-litre M88/1 inline-6 petrol engine with mechanical fuel injection
• Power: 273–277 hp (road version), up to 470 hp in Procar spec
• Transmission: 5-speed manual ZF transmission
• 0–60 mph: About 5.4 to 5.5 seconds
• Top speed: 165 mph (265 km/h) for the road car
• Weight: 1,300 kg
• Number of cars produced: 453 units (around 399 road-going versions and 54 motorsport/race versions)

Check out more BMW M1 featured posts.

BMW E9 CSL Batmobile (E9)

The BMW 3.0 CSL “Batmobile” (E9) is one of the most famous and highly collectible cars in automotive history. In the early 1970s, the newly formed BMW Motorsport GmbH division developed the car. As a result, it served as a homologation special designed to conquer the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC). The car earned its iconic moniker (Batmobile) due to a radical, highly aggressive aerodynamic package designed to keep the car stable at high speeds on circuits like the Nürburgring.

Why I like it?

So cool. I love the look and rarity.

Statistics

• Engine: M30 3,153 cc (3.2-litre) inline-six-cylinder
• Power: 206 bhp at 5,600 rpm
• Transmission: Getrag 4-speed manual gearbox
• 0-60 mph: 6.4 seconds (or ~6.0-7.2 seconds, depending on spec variation)
• Top speed: 146 mph (220 km/h)
• Weight: 1,270 kg (2,800 lbs)
• Number of cars produced: 167 left-hand-drive road replicas built in two batches (110 units in late 1973 and 57 units in 1974-1975)

Check out more BMW E9 CSL Batmobile featured posts.

BMW 635 CSi (E24)

The BMW 635 CSi (E24) is one of the most celebrated grand tourers in automotive history, best known for its striking “shark nose” styling and, equally, its silky-smooth straight-six performance. Produced between 1978 and 1989, it therefore became the definitive driver’s coupé of the E24 6 Series lineup, successfully balancing Autobahn-cruising luxury with high-performance engineering.

Why I like it?

I like the look, design and styling. I just think it is a very cool car.

Statistics

• Engine: 3.5-litre (3,453 cc / 3,430 cc) M30 / M90 inline-six
• Power: 218 PS (215 bhp) (early models); 211 hp (later catalyst models); ~182 hp (US market)
• Transmission: 5-speed manual (including close-ratio dogleg options) or 3/4-speed automatic
• 0-60 mph: 7.3 seconds
• Top speed: 138–140 mph
• Weight: 1,430 kg to 1,560 kg
• Number of cars produced: 58,453 units

Check out more BMW 635 CSi (E24) featured posts.

BMW 850 CSi (E31)

The BMW 850 CSi (E31) is the absolute flagship iteration of the original BMW 8 Series grand tourer. Moreover, produced in highly limited numbers between 1992 and 1996, it serves as the spiritual and closest production equivalent to the legendary, stillborn “M8” prototype. It is highly coveted today due to its motorsport-derived V12 engine and incredibly low production numbers.

Why I like it?

I like the look, design and styling. I just think it is a very cool car.

Statistics

• Engine: 5.6-litre “S70” V12 (5,576 cc)
• Power: 380 hp (280 kW) at 5,300 rpm
• Transmission: 6-speed Getrag manual exclusively
• 0-60 mph: 6.0 seconds
• Top speed: 155 mph (250 km/h), electronically limited
• Weight: 1,855 kg and 1,975 kg
• Number of cars produced: 1,510 units worldwide (only 160 right-hand drive)

Check out more BMW 850 CSi (E31) featured posts.

BMW 2002 Turbo (E20)

The BMW 2002 Turbo is widely celebrated as Europe’s first turbocharged production road car. Launched in September 1973 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, it served as the high-performance pinnacle of BMW’s iconic “02 Series”. Furthermore, it is widely regarded as a direct spiritual precursor to BMW M Division road cars. Despite its legendary status today, the 2002 Turbo was notoriously the right car at the wrong time. Arriving exactly as the 1973 OPEC oil crisis struck, its aggressive look and high fuel consumption made it a controversial vehicle for its era, leading to a brief production run of just 1,672 units between 1973 and 1975.

Why I like it?

Just look at it. So cool. Small by today’s standards, but a driver’s car that packs a punch.

Statistics

• Engine: 1,990 cc (2.0-litre) M10 inline-4
• Power: 170 bhp at 5,800 rpm
• Transmission: 4-speed or optional 5-speed manual (dogleg)
• 0-60 mph: 7.0 seconds
• Top speed: 131 mph (211 km/h)
• Weight: 1,080 kg
• Number of cars produced: 1,672 units

Check out more BMW 2002 Turbo featured posts.

BMW Z8 (E52)

The BMW Z8 (E52) is a limited-production, retro-futuristic roadster built by BMW between 1998 and 2003. Originally conceptualised as a modern homage to the legendary 1956 BMW 507, the Z8 evolved from the 1997 Z07 concept car into a celebrated modern classic. As a result, BMW produced just 5,703 units in total, split roughly evenly between North America and Europe. Today, it remains highly sought after by collectors.

Why I like it?

I think it’s very cool. Not a car that you often see on the road, if ever. It also appeared in the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough (1999).

Statistics

• Engine: 4.9-litre naturally aspirated “S62” V8 (shared with the iconic E39 M5)
• Power: 394 hp (400 PS) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque
• Transmission: 6-speed Getrag manual, routing power strictly to the rear wheels
• 0-60 mph: 4.3 seconds
• Top speed: Electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h)
• Weight: 1,585 kg to 1,660 kg
• Number of cars produced: 5,703 units

Check out more BMW Z8 (E52) featured posts.

BMW 328 Roadster

The BMW 328 Roadster is widely celebrated as one of the most significant and successful sports cars of the 1930s, laying the foundational “driver’s car” philosophy for BMW that still exists today. Built in Eisenach, Germany, between 1936 and 1940, only 464 units of this iconic pre-war roadster were produced.

Why I like it?

Quaint compared with today’s cars. Love the styling and design. Very cool and rare.

Statistics

• Engine: 1,971 cc M328 straight-six OHV
• Power: 80 PS (79 hp) at 5,000 rpm (racing versions reached 130+ hp)
• Transmission: 4-speed manual
• 0-60 mph: About 8.8 to 10.5 seconds
• Top speed: 93–96 mph (150–155 km/h)
• Weight: 780–830 kg
• Number of cars produced: 464 units

Check out more BMW 328 Roadster featured posts.

2023 BMW 3.0 CSL

The 2023 BMW 3.0 CSL is an ultra-exclusive, hand-built sports coupé produced in a strictly limited run of just 50 numbered units worldwide. Furthermore, it was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of BMW’s M division, while also being heavily inspired by the legendary 1973 “Batmobile” (see above).

Why I like it?

Ultra-rare. A cool, ultra-fast (and expensive) modern BMW driver’s car.

Statistics

• Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged inline-6 engine
• Power: 560 hp (552–560 hp depending on rating) – BMW’s most powerful straight-six engine ever built for a production car at launch
• Transmission: 6-speed manual gearbox with a retro white gearshift knob and rev-matching capability (rear-wheel drive)
• 0-60 mph: About the low 3-second range to 3.5–3.6 seconds (estimate)
• Top speed: 186+ mph (over 300 km/h)
• Weight: 1,624 kg
• Number of cars produced: 50 units

Check out more 2023 BMW 3.0 CSL featured posts.

So there is my top 10 BMWs of all time. If you love BMWs, I am sure you will have a different opinion. What would you remove and include? I’d love to hear your opinion.

More BMW news, reviews and content here.

Please do make sure you sign up to our newsletter and follow us on our social channels: X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Until next time, stay safe, stay respectful and, most of all, enjoy life.

Please follow and like us: