There are many legends from the 1980s tuning scene, and probably if you were to single out one single car as the most famous it would be the Ruf CTR “Yellowbird” that stunned magazines with its 200+ m.p.h. top speed and created one of the first internet sensations with its slithering sideways lap of the ‘Ring. But near equal to the yellow 911 is the widebody bad boys from Affalterbach. With their four cam V8s churning supercar power levels and their widened flanks, they were a favorite poster subjects and still draw adoring crowds today. A steady stream of AMGs from Japan have been making their way across the ocean to the U.S., and this one is reported to be one of the original 6 widebody 560SECs made for the Japanese market:
Month: March 2016
The Porsche 911 has been around for so long that there are numerous special editions attached to its history. One which we’ll highlight today is a 911 that the US market never saw, the 964 based 30 Jahre. These turbo look 911s were built in honor of the car’s 30th anniversary. While 911 of these “Jubi” editions were supposed to be built, only 896 have been proven to have been produced. In addition to the turbo look body, a few features help one distinguish a Jubi, including the titanium inlay on the shift knob, woven 911 lettering on the backs of the rear backrests and a titanium plaque on the rear shelf with the car’s production number. Only a few colors were offered, with Viola Metallic being the most popular. Other hues included Amethyst Metallic, Arctic Silver Metallic and a handful of Black Metallic and Guards Red cars. This Viola Metallic example for sale in the United Kingdom has just crossed the 20,000 mile mark and comes with a hefty price tag.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1994 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 30 Jahre Edition on Classic Driver
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All of the 325is I’ve featured recently are in good shape for the mileage, which ranged from well-traveled to marathoner. Today’s a special day, with a low-mileage example of the E30 that is in (a distant) second place for most desirable behind the M3 unicorn. This bronzitbeige coupe with a 5-speed has 71k miles, a good half or third of the other recent 325is auctions. It wears the 1987-specific cowcatcher front spoiler, one of the more aggressive stock valences in this generation of BMWs, and while the aftermarket Fittipaldi 5-spokes aren’t anachronous or awful, they’re not more attractive than the stock rims. The crack-prone black interior looks solid and serviceable and the seats aren’t ripped, but I expected it to be a little more pristine considering the mileage. Just based on how many years it could have left in it compared to the high-mile examples, it could be enjoyed for years and still sold (likely at a premium) as a lower-mileage example. The seller knows that, and is asking at the top end of the non-M3 market to this point.
Click for details: 1987 BMW 325is on eBay
1 CommentJust like we saw with yesterday’s 928S4, there are specific dealers that have made a go of importation of vehicles from Europe that have passed the magical “25 year” rule. Most of what we have seen from this particular seller is of the BMW variety, and we’ve featured quite a few of their E30 Tourings as well as a wayward Volkswagen. While the photography is never as slick as the 928s looks, the photos are a bit more honest and the descriptions usually show the drawbacks. What you get is a good look at a model infrequently seen in the U.S.. However, in this case it’s one that will probably leave most people scratching their heads, as it’s a right-hooker 1.0 liter base Polo wagon. At least it’s a manual?
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Volkswagen Polo C on eBay
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Here’s a fun market check as the E28 M5’s ascent follows the E30 M3 north. There isn’t a ton of history listed on this M5 other than it was owned by a BMW dealer who spared no expense keeping it nice. After just 93k miles, that care shows. Every electrical item is said to work perfectly, while the few aftermarket choices appear well-chosen. The suspension has been redone with Koni, while an interesting brake upgrade helps slow the fastest sedan in the world (in 1988). E34 brakes appear in the back, which is a common choice, but the owner has managed to get Porsche units up front with drilled rotors. There aren’t any big power upgrades, choosing to let the S38 do its best while making it an overall better-handling car. All of this adds up to an E28 M5 that is very nice but not perfect or all-original.