BMW launches comprehensive 424-car online archive

    Patrick Jackson 2 March, 2025

    BMW Group Classic product catalogue

    BMW has opened up 80 years' worth of its classic car archives to the general public via a new online tool (Image: BMW Group Classic)

    Looking to brush up on your automotive history, or simply in need of a way to kill some time? BMW has the answer, as it has finally launched a comprehensive 424-car online archive containing images and details of each historic model the Bavarians have built.

    Covering 80 years' worth of cars from the brand's very first 3/15 through to the E46 3 Series of the 2000s, each classic vehicle is accompanied by a short and informative text on each model series, body variants, and engine options, along with current imagery from the BMW Group Classic vehicle collection and the historic BMW media archive.

    In order to assemble this database, 614 data sets and 524 images were processed. During the design stage, emphasis was placed on the future viability of this tool to ensure these historic model overviews can be extended with future vehicle generations.

    For those wanting even more detail, BMW has also revised its complete online archive website which includes even greater levels of detail such as brochures, workshop literature, and specialist books.

    While the new BMW historic model overview tool has only just launched, the company has had similar tools for the history of the iconic Mini brand and the BMW motorcycle range since back in 2021.

    Check it all out for yourself via the links below:

    Patrick Jackson

    Writer & Sub Editor

    Patrick is an automotive journalist with more than eight years of experience across a range of online, print, and broadcast media. His focus is primarily on automotive content, having launched the car review website Drive Section in 2019 and the automotive adventure site Essential Drives in 2024. He is a passionate car enthusiast with a particular interest in classic cars. His past credits include DriveTribe, Vehicle History, Finder, ForceGT, The Weekender Herald, Supercar Blondie, Exhaust Notes, and WhichCar.​

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