The E24 M635CSi and E28 T M5-both brawny, built-to-order products of BMW's Motorsport GmbH arm are prime candidates for 'peak BMW' status, in my book anyway. In a world that is becoming ever more sanitised, these cars look, smell and feel like the real deal.
BMW could have come up with a pair of freakish hot rods as a way of promoting the talents of its Motorsport division, but that would not have been its style. On the other hand, to call the M5 and M635CSi subtle tends to underplay their capabilities. Perhaps they are more than just 'peak BMW', but somehow represent the height of achievement in the wider realm of analogue, rear-drive, usable performance cars.
Now fast alighting on their 40th birthdays, neither car was a young design even in the early 1980s. Weight-paring and aerodynamics were not exactly at the top of their designers' priorities, either. But behind those shark-like masks lurks the key to the charm of this M-car duo - and, arguably, something no truly great BMW should be without: a straight-six engine.
From a company that always took more than average pride in even its most humble power units, a semi-productionised version of its Paul Rosche-designed competition 'six' - battle-hardened in the works CSLs since 1974 as the M49- was always going to be special.
With shimmed bucket-tappets and single-row chain-drive for its double overhead camshafts, the 24-valve, 3.5-litre M88/3 was a hand-assembled, civilianised version of the engine found in the mid-engined M1, the car developed by the 180-strong Motorsport division (with a little help from Lamborghini) to take on Porsche in Group 5 racing. The dry-sump M1 had Kugelfischer butterfly-control mechanical fuel injection; in the wet-sumped M635 CSi, the spark plugs, fuel injection and timing were electronically managed by Bosch for an even meatier 286bhp at 6500rpm, along with a more road-friendly torque curve.
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Esta historia es de la edición October 2022 de Classic & Sports Car.
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RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison
