The BMW E12 BMW 5-Series was made between 1972 and 1981. The E12 was the first series to bear the 5 Series name: the '5' denoting BMW's fifth 'New Class' platform. Designed as a replacement for the popular BMW New Class

BMW New Class

The BMW New Class was a line of compact sedans and coupes produced by German automaker BMW starting with the 1962 1500 and continuing through the last 2002s in 1977....

 mid-size sedan, the E12 5-Series models were smaller than the large BMW E3 sedan but larger than the two-door 2002

BMW New Class

The BMW New Class was a line of compact sedans and coupes produced by German automaker BMW starting with the 1962 1500 and continuing through the last 2002s in 1977....

 models. The E12 was replaced by the BMW E28

BMW E28

The BMW E28 BMW 5-Series was made between 1981 and 1988. It replaced the BMW E12 in 1981 and was replaced by the BMW E34 in 1989.E28 Production started in July 1981 and ended in December 1987...

 5 Series in 1981, although production continued until 1984 in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

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The 1970 BMW 2200ti Garmisch show car designed by the Bertone Design Centre led by Marcello Gandini

Marcello Gandini

Marcello Gandini is an Italian car designer, widely known for his work with the automotive design house Gruppo Bertone, notably his design of the Lamborghini Countach. Together with Giorgetto Giugiaro and Leonardo Fioravanti, Gandini forms a noted triumvirate of Italian car designers, all born in...

 set the style for the E12 5-series.