Max Reisböck was a simple man with a simple dream. The BMW engineer wanted to take his family on vacation, but back in the 1980s, his car — a 3-Series sedan — was too small for their luggage. So he set out to fix this problem himself.
This, my friends, is the Legend of Reisböck, the man who single-handedly created the 3-Series Touring wagon that continues to this day. Reisböck bought a wrecked 3-Series and began working on it in a friend's garage, and though he lacked construction blueprints, he knew what he wanted in his head.
Six months of welding and $13,000 later, the wagon was done. He showed the Touring to his friends, and understandably, they loved it, as did his BMW colleagues and their bosses.
Three years later in 1987, the E30 Touring went into production with minimal changes, except for the shape of the rear tail section. We Americans sadly never got that car, but we would get its descendants.
So let's all thank Max Reisböck for his ingenuity that helped spread wagon love across the globe. And let's thank BMW for being open to crazy skunkworks projects like this one or the original M Coupe. The best cars are the ones that come from enthusiasts, not committees.