A tribute to BMW Tourings, Part 3. The Naughty Nighties.

As we head towards the new era our present day BMW-styling, we take a step back to the days before someone with the last name "Bangle" started Bangling up the BMWs we love. The last pages of a chapter on classic BMW design.


The E39 5 series is still regarded as one of the best generation of 5's. Classic BMW looks and a great lineup of purring engines made it a cult favourite today.







BMW never officially released a Touring M5 for this generation, but there is a lone still-born prototype sitting in the depths of the M-factory.


Even the fuzz liked it.

Rounding off the 90s, the E46 represents what many consider, one of the most everlasting designs ever to leave the factory.




Take an E36, round of the edges and give it a sprinkling of 90s modernity and flair, you'll end up with the E46.

It even looks good in relatively stock form. This one wearing some tasty M-sport bits but otherwise, all original BMW.





Another hot favourite amongst the aftermarket crowd, any style you like, you'll be able to spot it on an E46.


Similarly with the E39 Touring, BMW never made an M3 version. With another lonely single prototype sharing space with her bigger E39 M Touring sibling. And with the end of the E46s, also came the end of the evergreen BMW styling we have come to appreciate. In Part 4, i'll bring us up to date with our present day Ultimate Touring Machines.

A tribute to BMW Tourings, Part 2. Rocking the 80s & early 90s.

Moving on towards more modern machinery, we find ourselves towards to tailend of the 80s. Well, mostly 90s anyway. But to start off, the magnificent E34 (magnificent because i have one, though in sedan form). Again, these images are not mine.

What better way to represent the E34 Tourings then with a bonafide ///M-Wagon. Yessir, ladies and gentlemen, a station wagon with a 3.8litre M-division S38 engine that'll power you, your family and the dogs up to 100km/h in just below 6 seconds. Back in the early 90s, this was plenty of quick.


If you'd prefer Alpina, here's a lovely white specimen from Bangkok.

Even in non-M form, it still looks good.

The E36 generation of the 3 series has plenty of fans and with so many aftermarket parts available, customized examples can be found easily.




From cleaner OEM+ or Alpina styling...




...to more "dedicated" builds.

This next "Wagon" needs no introduction.

Although never officially christened a "Touring" or "Wagon", the awkward rear hatch design shouted "Shooting Brake" to car-enthusiasts around the World.


With an M3 engine under the bonnet producing awesome firepower, twitchy tail-happy handling, massive flared wheelarches AND a wagon-esqe rear hatch. Cult classic status was imminent.

Some call it the clown shoe, but if just those looks alone are not enough to convince you of it's badassery, watch the video below.



I go to bed at night dreaming one day of owning my very own Z3 M-Coupe.

And with dreams of a Z3 M-Coupe, i shall end Part 2. In part 3, i'll be bringing up the "tail-end" (Geddit?) of the 90s.

Random shots: Down by the street again

Random shots down by the street again. This time, spotted an all blacked out AMG63. Love the gangsta grille.

A tribute to BMW Tourings, Part 1. All them wagons.

No lying here, i'm a huge fan of wagons. I've always wanted to do a compilation of some cool BMW wagons (stock? lol!), so here goes. But before i begin, let me state for the record that i do not own any of these images. I just hope it is okay to share them. First up, above, in a lovely shade of tangerine, is a 2002 Alpina Touring. The 2002 Touring was probably the first ever BMW Touring but it wasn't a full on station wagon, rather it was a 3door hatch.


If your taste is more OEM+, all the way from Bangkok, is a Touring all decked out, "Turbo" style.

Some oddities appeared along the way, like this E23 Kombi. It wasn't called a "Touring", but it sure was a station wagon.

Alpina even had a go at it. Although i have no other information on this big blue load lugger. Most likely, as with all Alpinas, a bigger engine, oodles of torque and lots of leather inside.

Moving up the cool scale, we have the E28 Tourings, still not as common as the E30 Tourings but some owners have taken the initiative to liven things up abit.

Like this E28 sitting low and slow on fat AC Schnitzer wheels.

Finally, we have the E30 Touring, probably one of the best looking Tourings ever. Looking swell on it's own or if you prefer, slap on a set of Alpina or BBS alloys, drop the ride height a tad and you are set to go.




There was even an odd looking 2-door touring. But again, information on this is hard to come by, so just some pictures.

Funny looking no? It even had the rear hatch off a Mk1 Golf.

Looks good even on E36 Sunflower wheels.




BMW never made an E30 M3 Touring, but that didn't stop talented owners from trying and creating their own. Awesome.




Dori-dori action on a touring. End of Part 1.
In the next part, i'll put together more modern machinery.