Bmw report

[Hawk]

I have to write a 10-15 page report on BMW history and such. I was wondering which of the BMW books were worth picking up. And what websites would be useful. Thanks

[Jand3rson]

The 3-Series Enthusisast's Companion is the SHIT. I would reccomend owning that book just on general principal.

[robert325is]

The 3-Series Enthusisast's Companion is the SHIT. I would reccomend owning that book just on general principal.

My friend got me that book today for my b-day. Already read the first half. Freakin badass. Everything you would ever need to know about any 3 series up to the E46.

[hamann318is]

Driven, Inside BMW, the Most Admired Car Company in the World
by David Kiley

[Schniddy]

Tell me how it goes, I've decided to stay away from E30 or any type of car topics for term papers, not enough good info as far as I no.

[uofom3]

The 3-Series Enthusisast's Companion is the SHIT. I would reccomend owning that book just on general principal.

yup

[peteM3power]

The 3-Series Enthusisast's Companion is the SHIT. I would reccomend owning that book just on general principal.

yup

Agreed. It's a great book to have!

Pete

[hamann318is]

I'm guessing no one has read Driven. ;)

[Sean]

I wrote a paper on this a while back - if I remember, I'll find the list of resources I used, and send you acopy of what I had if you want. ;)

[royalflush313]

what class is this for?

You are in highschool right?

[Den]

http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/bmw.html

Excellent web site.

Driven, Inside BMW, the Most Admired Car Company in the World
by David Kiley

Driven. Yeah. I don't have it, but it sounds like just the ticket for "history and such." Enthusiast's Companion is probably a bit technical for a paper.

http://www.bmwworld.com/books/driven_chapter2.htm

Chapter Two Excerpts

Only in 1963 and 1964 did BMW start to find solid footing as a brand, and the man most responsible for establishing the brand was Paul Hahnemann, an SS officer during the war, who had come to BMW from Auto Union in 1961. He told Der Spiegel, "Anyone transferring from a Mercedes-Benz to another make is taking a step down, while anyone going from a Mercedes-Benz to a BMW is taking a step across. Not a step up…"

Almost immediately, Hahnemann emphasized a niche strategy in both marketing and product development. Having the two functions march in lockstep would underpin BMW's success for decades hence. It sounds pretty basic, but most automakers actually go through vast stretches of time when marketing and product development and design remain strangers. Many designers and engineers won't try to fathom, based on sketchy research, consumers' taste five years down the lien, which is when a car now just a sketch on paper will hit the showrooms. But swinging his weight on the BMW management board, Hahnemann made sure that marketing and brand management were equal to product development and engineering-a balance of disciplines that wouldn't hit its stride in the United States until the 1990s!

[Den]

Amazon reviews of BMW 3 Series Enthusiast's Companion say that it's a bit sketchy, like it was rushed to printing without being edited. I can't believe Bentley would do that. Do those of you who have read it find it sketchy?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0837602203/ref=ase_bmwworld/102-8745731-3584165

I have the BMW Enthusiast's Companion(general, not 3 series), and it's pretty damn good.


BTW, Jordan, if you put Amazon links for BMW books on R3V, you can get, like, a dollar (5-10%) every time someone clicks through and purchases a book.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/browse.html/102-8745731-3584165?node=3435371

[silverblades181]

The 3-Series Enthusisast's Companion is a great source (as mentioned by many others)

I didn't find it sketchy...it's pretty detailed. I loved it. (It has a huge section about the E30 M3 :D)

[Kondour]

If you want to focus on a specific part of bmw such as the M Series, i recommend picking up "Original BMW M-Series" by James Taylor great book, and very very detailed.

[AdamF 88iS]

The 3-Series Enthusisast's Companion is the SHIT. I would reccomend owning that book just on general principal.

That book is OK. There is a lot of wrong info in there though. This is the book that claims that super etas have a knock sensor, which of course they don't. I've run into a lot of oddball info that's not right in there.