in part due to the soft springing and hard damping combination. In comparison to the Jaguar XJ6 and Peugeot 604, the car was viewed as narrow and cramped in the rear and prone to wind noise. Production Production of the E12 occurred from June 1972 to 1981, with a total of 699,094 cars produced. Initially, the cars were produced in Munich, Germany. Following the opening of the new BMW Group Plant Dingolfing in September 1973, production was phased over to the Dingolfing plant. Complete knock-down assembly of German-produced kits took place in Rosslyn, South Africa; Jakarta, Indonesia (by Gaya Motor); and Thailand. References 5 Series (E12) Cars introduced in 1972 1980s cars