Inside BMW's Top Secret Car Collection: V16 7-Series, V12 Z3 And Astonishing Movie Cars

Because this video’s in German, we’ve picked out 12 of the highlights - with time stamps and info - for you to drool over:

1. Mr. Bean's Mini - 01:12

Anyone with a passing interest in British humour will recognise this Mini as Mr. Bean’s ride. It’s only been in BMW’s extensive collection for a matter of weeks.

2. V16 7-series - 03:29

Yup, that’s right. In 1987, BMW lengthened a V12 engine and slotted it into the engine bay of a 7-series. From its 6.7 litres, the V16 produced 408hp.
As you can see, the engine takes up all of the engine bay, which is why the cooling system had to be placed in the back of the car. The V16 7-series was never planned to be a production car.

3. E36 M3 GT - 04:50

If you’ve never heard of the E36 M3 GT, rest assured you are not alone. Only 356 examples of the GT were made in 1995 and features include a more powerful engine (295hp instead of 286hp), unique green colour and enhanced aero tech. If you want one of these cars in good condition, then expect to pay around £28,000.

4. 3.0 CSL 'Batmobile' - 06:15

The CSL - meaning Coupe Sport Leichtbau - is based on the E9 coupe and was developed by Alpina. It weighs around 200kg less than the base car and is today an extremely rare piece of BMW history. It’ll hit 60mph from standing in under seven seconds thanks to a 3.0-litre straight six engine and will cost any potential buyer around £190,000 to purchase.

5. Tom Cruise's 6-series from Mission Impossible - 09:30

This is the very 650i that Tom Cruise drove and crashed in the latest Mission Impossible movie. The car was filmed in the deserts of Dubai and returned with serious crash damage.

6. Le Mans-engined X5 - 10:45

Thanks to a 700hp V12 engine taken straight out of a 1999 Le Mans race car, this is the definition of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The reason for the super-SUV’s creation was to see just how extreme a car like this could be made; think of this X5 as a test bed for the X5/X6 M variants we have on our roads today.

7. 1999 V12 Le Mans race car - 12:18

This is the race car whose engine was used to create the Uber-X5. The 1999 car sounds pretty sweet as you’ll hear at 13:50.

8. BMW Turbo - 14:48

Only two of these 280hp supercars were ever made, and they were first shown to the world in 1972. The cars featured innovative safety tech, such as only being able to be started when the driver had his or her seatbelt on and a radar warning system if you got too close to the car in front.

9. V12-powered Z3 roadster - 15:48

If you thought that an M3-engined Z3 was mad, wait until you see this insane V12-powered roadster. The engine was taken from a 750i and crammed under the bonnet by the company’s M division. From 5.4 litres, the V12 produces 326hp. Unfortunately, it’s a one-off.

10. James Bond's 750i - 16:48

Of the four cars that were used for the making of Tomorrow Never Dies, only two survived. The car here features a special sunroof with in-built rockets, a working chain cutter that pops out of the car’s BMW badge and a rear bumper that can drop metal spikes to puncture a bad guy’s tyres.

The most interesting thing, however, is that the car can be driven from the rear seat, thanks to a pedal box, gearbox and racing steering wheel! The driver also has a third pedal (despite this being an auto) that controls a brake on the rear axle for extreme driving. The driver sees the road ahead via cameras that are mounted in the wing mirrors and windscreen.

11. E1 electric car - 24:15

Before the i3 and i8, BMW created the E1 electric car. It’s a four-seater, weighs under 1000kg and only six were ever made.

12. BMW M1 - 25:18

A BMW that needs no introduction, the M1 is a bona fide sports car. Only 460 cars were ever built and power came from a 3.5-litre straight six with 277hp. Thanks to a 1300kg dry weight, the M1 would hit 162mph flat out.