The BMW 3 series is a darling of the tuner set, especially when it comes to the E30s. Perhaps it’s the car’s pure driving experience or it could be those looking to relive a part of their childhood, coming of age when these cars were in showrooms. The first 3 series, the E21, tends to get a bit of a cold shoulder when it comes to enthusiasts, perhaps because it was only offered here with the 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine. Competent a car as it might have been, we were deprived the tasty 2.3 liter inline-6 that we see here in this 323i for sale in California. Looking sharp in black, this car has just enough flair to give it that period 1980s Beverly Hills look without going too overboard.
Month: October 2014
The Bitter SC is, to me, a very interesting car. Born from the relatively pedestrian Opel Senator platform, the slinky 2-door coupe seemed to borrow a fair amount of its character from the much more exclusive Ferrari lineup outside. Underneath, though, the looks were not backed up by a sonorous V12, but rather the 3 liter inline-6 (later bumped to 3.9 liters) from the Opel lineup. This was mated to a GM-derived 3-speed automatic. Though the power output was respectable for the day at 180 horsepower, the heavy automatic Bitter was much more a cruiser than a backroad bandit. That was reinforced by the interior, which has a definite bias towards luxury instead of sport. This was not a sports car but instead a grand tourer, and the appointments inside were made to the highest standards of the day. The competition was not the Porsche 911, but rather cars like the Maserati Kyalami and the Ferrari 400i. The SC was an exclusive car, with only around 400 examples produced; but today, they’re a great value in the classic car market.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1982 Bitter SC on eBay
3 CommentsThe manual-transmission Grand Prix White 928S4 we featured back in September is back up for sale, this time as a reserve auction. Last time it was listed with a Buy It Now of $39,900 and failed to sell, which should give us some insight regarding where a possible reserve for this auction may lie. Bidding sits currently at $17,600 so we’ll have to see whether it can reach its reserve.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Porsche 928S4 on eBay
The below post originally appeared on our site September 23, 2014:
1 CommentHaving now written up my fair share of cars on this site, I’m asked from time to time “what’s the next E30 M3?” Certainly the trend that created demand on the M3 would have been hard to predict; while it’s a desirable package for certain and has an illustrious race career, I’ve also outlined how very similar cars haven’t achieved such notoriety. The Audi Quattro and 190E 2.3-16V, for example, though noted for their importance and with strong fan followings just don’t command the premiums of the M3. The Volkswagen world has been similarly fickle; the original GTi has certainly taken off in value, with prime examples now pushing well past $10,000 in today’s market, while other models that are arguably better cars don’t command the values of the GTi. Perhaps part of that appeal lies in the few that remain in good, original condition – especially with lower miles. But if you ask me what I think the next big thing in the Volkswagen market will be, I’d have to answer that the Corrado SLC has to be up there. A popular car to modify, there aren’t many that are left with low miles in pristine original shape. Couple the dwindling good examples with what is acknowledged as one of the best driving platforms Volkswagen has made and good looks, and the Corrado is sure to be a hot item for years to come. They don’t get much hotter than this example, either – with perhaps the lowest mileage Corrado we’ve seen on the market in the past few years, this Flash Red example is stunning: