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Month: March 2015

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1988 BMW 320i Touring

The E30 Touring I wrote up last week was a fine example but not for me as it was a.) Red and b.) a RHD model. I quickly moved on from that vehicle and wasn’t really giving the E30 Touring much thought, that is until I came across this beauty on eBay.

Certain cars just catch my eye and immediately I feel a connection to them. Such is the case with this 1988 320i Touring that currently resides in New Jersey. The overall condition of the car looks to be quite good for its age and living in a state that still thinks it’s ok to use road salt. Most people think silver is a boring exterior choice but here, I think it works splendidly. The blacked out kidneys are a nice touch, something I would have wanted to do myself. It’s such a minor detail but one that really makes the car pop given that the window trim is also black, not of that chrome garbage. The 15″ BBS mesh wheels also look to be in good condition, some scratches and curbage are present but not so much that I’d take issue with their condition.

The interior of this car is what really sells me on it, no tears, cracking on the dash or droopy headliner. The grey cloth seats are wonderfully simple and the grey door cards only add to the clean, elegant vibe of the car. It’s getting harder and harder to find BMWs with appealing interiors, whether it’s the condition or the color choices, that makes this car even more of a rarity in today’s market. I’d go so far as to say this is the most lust inducing classic BMW I’ve come across in over a year of carefully watching the used market, that includes M variants as well.

Click for details: 1988 BMW 320i Touring on eBay

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1984 Volkswagen GTi – REVISIT

Back in January, this GTi popped up in strong, mostly original condition but with an even stronger asking price. I suggested it was unlikely to sell at $9,500 – and it appears I was correct, as it’s back up for sale with a substantial 20% price drop to $8,000. While that price is getting more realistic, it still strikes me as a bit strong considering the similar cars we’ve seen sell recently. Still, what other legendary classic car could you purchase for under $10,000 and enjoy at 10/10ths? Finding original examples of the hot hatch will continue to be difficult and always make me smile!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1984 Volkswagen GTi on eBay

The below post originally appeared on our site January 3, 2015:

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Tuner Tuesday: 1991 Alpina RLE

$_4 (1)

The first of the BMW Z1s to roll off the production line are now eligible for legal importation to the US, given they’ve crossed the 25 year old mark. None of the 8,000 produced over three years made their way stateside, but these roadsters with their funky downward retracting doors do have a cult following. Famed BMW tuner Alpina tried their hand at modifying the Z1, the result being the vehicle you see here: the RLE, or Roadster Limited Edition. Only 66 of these special Z1s were ever made, half going to Japan and half allocated for Europe.

Amongst the modifications was an inline-6 enlarged to 2.7 liters that bumped power to around 200 bhp, shorter front springs and trademark 17″ Alpina wheels. Along with the original 66 produced, a handful were also converted to Alpina spec from original Z1s. This RLE for sale at 4Star Classics is one of the original 66 and produced. It’s hard to imagine a Z1 being thought of as common, but this RLE takes exclusivity to another level.

Click for details: 1991 Alpina RLE at 4Star Classics

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1977 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0

Porsche has produced quite a few special 911 variants that never made it to US shores (at least without being imported later) and perhaps no group of them should be as missed as the 911 Carrera produced from 1974-1977. The Carrera finally would return to the US in 1984 when Porsche revived the name after a five-year hiatus and gave the world the 3.2 Carrera, but the Carreras produced in the mid-70s were a distinct animal from the emissions-restricted cars the North American market received and it’s always a treat to see one come up for sale. These Carreras began as a 2.7 liter model that was mechanically quite similar to the ’73 Carrera RS Touring. Then in 1976 Porsche released the Carrera 3.0, utilizing the 3.0 liter flat-six engine from the 930, but without the turbocharger. Performance remained on par with its earlier Carrera counterparts and while it shared the same displacement as the 911SC that would be its successor the Carrera combines more power and lighter weight to be a much better performer. As they were never for sale in the US, we do not come across these very often, but here we have one: a Blue Minerva 1977 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0. located in New Jersey. The seller has not stated the mileage on the car, but the overall condition looks quite good inside and out.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1977 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 on eBay

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Tuner Tuesday: 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Brabus K8

I don’t think many people would consider Brabus to be a particularly conservative tuner. However, something interesting has occurred since AMG was brought in-house by Mercedes-Benz; Brabus has rather turned into what AMG was in the 1980s. Just like AMG used to offer, Brabus turns up the Benz models to the next level with power increases, suspension and brake modifications and plenty of special details to help set their cars apart. And while at times they may have been garish compared to some of the more sedate AMG cars were, they’ve even become attractive – with just enough flare to make their modifications stand apart without being outrageous. Of course, there’s one major difference; AMG started with stock Mercedes-Benz models, while Brabus is standing on the shoulders of the already turned-up AMG models. The result is supercar performance from an unexpected package, such as this R230 SL55 K8:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2004 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Brabus K8 on eBay

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