BMW History: The E34 5-Series
BMW Takes Us on a Trip Down Memory Lane With Everyone’s Favorite Middle Child, the E34 5-Series
We live in a world where the hype of the Next Big Thing overshadows almost everything else. So it’s nice to see a manufacturer embrace its heritage as wholeheartedly as BMW. A great example is their recent retrospective series showing off historical models from the company’s history. It also features interviews with the people involved in the design process.
This installment focuses on the E34 5-Series model. The E34 falls between the legendary E28 and the ever-popular E39. The E34 sometimes gets lost in the shuffle, though. That seems pretty unfair, because the E34 is a perfect blend of what made ’80s and ’90s BMWs so great.
Upon release, the E34 held on to many classic BMW design traits. It features separate round headlights, a forward-hinged hood, and blocky styling. But with subtle aerodynamic touches that moved the 5-Series into the ’90s and beyond.
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The E34 was also the first time that the 5-Series was offered as a Touring (station wagon) model. And it was the first to offer a V8. BMW’s mid-level executive car was growing up, turning into a sophisticated, muscle-bound, do-anything car. One that perfectly suited the needs of just about anyone, without sacrificing what makes BMWs special. In Europe, even an all-wheel-drive variant was offered.
Additional refinement came thanks to the E34’s development, which was shared with the E32 7-Series. This also created a strong family resemblance, with the 5-Series slotting in nicely between the E30 (later E36) and E32 models. The interior was still driver-focused, but larger. And with more luxurious features than had ever been offered in a 5-Series before.
History shows us that the E34 was a benchmark car in terms of styling, aerodynamics, performance, driving dynamics, and features. Do you agree?
