The greatest BMWs of the last 100 years

No, we can't and won't overlook the E30 M3. It's all kinds of greatness in a tidy package, with an engine that has to be worked, tons of tricks and tweaks that let it utterly dominate as a touring car, and a purpose for everything that went into the homologated road cars. It's what M once was and should strive to be once again.

But I have a special place for the more simple E30s, the ones that are still attainable. My 325i was a little rough around the edges, but it had held up pretty well and the engine was still going strong deep into triple-digit mileage. You feel like you're wearing an old pair of worn-in jeans when you're driving one – it's familiar, imperfect in ways you have known about for years, yours. They have acres of glass and you can actually see out of them in every direction (novel!). And then there's the way the car talks back; not so much through the wheel, because the steering isn't great, but you know what's going on around you at all times and why. Aside from the oddly placed wheel, the controls feel right and are placed deliberately. They're just plain friendly, and there's a reason the 3 Series, and this one in particular, was the benchmark for so long. Why did I sell mine again? 

I'm a sucker for roadsters from the '50s and '60s. The 507 ranks among the best for its style, which still echoes on BMWs today. The car itself was a commercial disaster, which is why few were produced. That only makes the survivors more collectable and valuable.

I've driven an Alfa Romeo Spider and a Mercedes SL convertible – slightly later eras than the 507 – and that means the BMW is now at the top of my wish list. I'm totally taken in by the curves and the vents, plus those simple circular headlights are a cue I'd like to see return on a number of cars. The 507 is a timeless design masterpiece, which Is why it's my favorite BMW.

My all-time favorite BMW is probably the least BMW of them all: the legendary M1. It was the model that launched the Bavarian automaker's legendary M division, and benefited not only from the talented pen of Giorgetto Giugiaro, but also the supercar expertise of Lamborghini – combined with Munich's own engineering know-how.

When the rug was pulled from underneath their feet and the M1 couldn't race under the FIA's Group 5 regulations, the manufacturer launched its own spec racing series instead – and got all the top talents in F1 to compete. It was the first time and (with apologies to the i8 hybrid) the last time BMW would produce a mid-engined sports car. It was a shining example of the wedge-shaped, straight-edged supercars of the 1970s, but it wasn't very BMW – and that could be what I like about it the most.

The annals of history are filled with excellent automobiles designed and built by BMW. My coworkers have done an outstanding job highlighting a few of them – I'm especially fond of Greg's gorgeous 507.

But, an argument can be made that none of them are particularly relevant to the future in the way that the current i8 manages. Its carbon fiber construction and brilliant hybrid powertrain are headliners. It's slinky and futuristic shape is trendsetting, and its entertaining personality and credible performance make it desirable.

Granted, at nearly $140,000, the i8 is too expensive and therefore too limited to make much of a dent in global emissions. I'm also a fan of the i3, which is more attainable. But the BMW i8 a great halo car, and it stands out as proof that the future can be just as exciting as the past.