The revitalization of BMW’s fortunes in the 1960s is one of the greatest comeback stories ever witnessed by the automotive industry. In the span of one model generation, the famed New Class sedans helped BMW rebound from near bankruptcy to become a manufacturer of sporty, desirable automobiles.
This was not merely a successful business turn around; BMW rise from the jaws of insolvency was also the propelled along by extremely successful marketing – the automotive world now looks firmly at Munich’s direction for benchmarks of dynamics.
As the New Class models aged and became ripe for replacement, the second phase of BMW’s revival kick-started in 1972 with the E12 5 Series eventually leading to the familiar 3-5-7 model hierarchy that continues till today.