01 · Overview
Before the catalog: one-off cars
Before official M models existed, the young BMW Motorsport GmbH offered the Motorsport 533i as a special-order build starting in 1974: the E12 fitted with the 3.2-litre six-cylinder from the 633 CSi, along with suspension and equipment to customer specification.
These cars were built in very small numbers and without their own catalog presence — reliable production figures and exact performance data are correspondingly sparsely documented. We list what the primary source provides and will add to it once more can be corroborated.
02 · History
Einordnung
- 1974 Motorsport GmbH begins offering the E12 with a large engine as a special order.
- 1980 With the M535i, the special order becomes a catalog model.
03 · In Detail
In Detail
Sedan
No uniform appearance — each car built to customer specification. Authenticity can only be verified through documentation.
04 · Buying guide
Marktlage
Cars that surface are individual cases for specialists — without a complete history, authenticity cannot be presumed.
05 · Sources