BMW's “New Class” sedans started production in 1962 and helped bring the brand back to profitability after nearly a decade of dire financial straits. These small, fun-to-drive sedans and coupes built the backbone that BMW has continued to develop and improve on over the last 60 years. The early 1970s saw the end of the “New Class” and the formation of the naming scheme we are all familiar with, starting with the E12 5-Series in 1972. Although the ethos of the “New Class” continued into these cars, they featured a much more modern design, more powerful engines and improved cabin refinement. With a shape penned by legendary BMW designer Paul Bracq and assistance from Marcello Gandini of Bertone, the E12 spent considerable time in the wind tunnel before going into production to make it both faster and more efficient with fuel.

This 1980 528i is a beautiful example of the ultimate sports sedan available at the time and has been exceptionally well kept from new. Finished in one of BMW's best colors- Alpine White, this is an original US delivery car, that has benefited from several subtle modifications over the years to bring it closer to a European specification example. The first of these modifications was the addition of Euro bumpers- at this point, the US mandated huge 5 mph impact bumpers be placed on all cars. These could be fine if a manufacturer designed around them but since Europe didn't have the same laws, they ended up getting tacked on to imported cars and always detracted from the shape of the car. The more svelt European units on this car make it look how the designers intended originally and in front, are complemented by a large, body-color front air dam that was optional on the cars in Europe. Additionally, a set of BBS-Mahle wheels were added- the precursor to the BBS basketweaves we have come to know and love from BMW. These wheels were a single-piece design, created out of a light alloy and produced in partnership with the automotive parts supplier Mahle, who had access to the necessary forges and machining tools to produce wheels of the quality BBS desired.

Moving inside, you can see that this car was truly a transition model between the earlier “New Class” and all future BMWs. The dashboard and gauge pod are an evolution of what is found in the previous Bavaria sedan, but show the beginnings of the now classic BMW dash, with white writing on black dials, sitting plainly in front of the driver. With small swathes of wood trim on the dash and doors, the car has a luxurious feel inside but the Nardi wheel points to the car's more sporting nature. As with many BMWs, the E12s came to the US loaded with a number of features that would be options elsewhere, meaning this 528i sports a tan leather interior, paired with high quality tan carpeting, common in German cars of the day.

Under the hood sits a 2.8-liter version of BMW's famous M30 inline-6, an engine that was so good, the company fitted it to many of its high end cars for 27 years running. Running off a Bosch L-Jetronic electronic fuel injection system, this M30 produces 168 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque and is connected to a 3-speed automatic gearbox. Disc brakes at all four wheels help slow the car down and MacPherson struts in front, paired with semi-trailing arms with coil springs in the rear keep the car planted on the road.

As a piece of BMW history, the E12 5-Series can't be ignored. Representing the beginning of the “Series” naming convention we know today, the E12 was the start of something special. At the time, the design was so widely loved that with just a few minor tweaks, it became the E28 that followed starting in 1981. This nicely preserved example is presented in a great color scheme and with all the right modifications to make it look truly stunning.