Press "Enter" to skip to content

Category: BMW

This site contains Ebay partner affiliate links, which may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.

2001 BMW M3 Coupe

2001 BMW M3 Coupe

Published July 24, 2021 by Carter

When I was looking for an E46 M3 back in 2014, it wasn’t particularly hard to find one. However, if you wanted one of the launch colors of the M3 – Phoenix Yellow Metallic, which I wanted, or Laguna Seca Blue – pickings were much more slim. We’ve recently looked at a string of PYM cars, so I thought it was worth checking out a nice blue example. Like PYM, finding a stock, lower-mile one in good condition is now less difficult thanks to specialty sites like Bring a Trailer, but it’s not as if they roll by every minute now that they’re 20 years old. And when they do, hang on…pricing is usually quite high. Case in point – a 34,000 mile 2004 example sold late last year for $53,333.

Well, today’s car is an early model – a 2001 – which in theory is a little less desirable than the post-LCI cars. But it’s stock, it’s in great shape, it’s a manual, and it’s got less than half the mileage of the example I just linked. The price? Well, let’s just say put the coffee down.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2001 BMW M3 Coupe on eBay

Read Our Post2001 BMW M3 Coupe
4 Comments
1957 BMW 502

1957 BMW 502

Published July 8, 2021 by Carter

Recently I looked at a post-War oddity, the EMW 327.

1953 EMW 327

Although it was the BMW that wasn’t a BMW, the company itself was busy with its first post-War offering – and it was an unusual one in many ways. In 1952, the company launched the large 501 models. Under the hood was the 326’s inline-6 powerplant, but the new bodywork, ornate details, and large scale gained it the nickname “Baroque Angel”. In 1954, BMW introduced an all-new 2.6-liter V8, which increased horsepower to nearly 100; about a 40% increase over the initial 501 offering. The alloy V8 would be the first of the company’s history, but wouldn’t last long – BMW used it in the 50X series cars, but reverted to four and six cylinder engines until the M60 was introduced in the 1990s. At the same time as the new motor was rolled out the company introduced the 502, which was essentially an upscale version of the 501 with additional chrome and equipment. Improvements continued to stream in; a 3.2-liter V8, disc brakes, and even a late run ‘505’ upscale limousine carried the model into the early 1960s. The V8-powered versions were also claimed to be the fastest German production sedans in period. 501s and 502s were also built in multiple configurations, including sedans, coupes, and convertibles. Today’s sedan example comes from the middle of the run, and these are rare enough to see that it’s worth a look:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1957 BMW 502 on eBay

Read Our Post1957 BMW 502
3 Comments

1979 Alpina B6 2.8

Published July 5, 2021 by Carter

Launched in 1978, Alpina’s B6 model took the 2.8L inline-six out of the big brother E12 528i and stuck it into the chassis of the E21 323i. Revisions from Alpina yielded 200 horsepower; pretty impressive for the period – but more was to come, as a new induction system in 1981 cranked it up to nearly 220 horsepower. For some perspective, the ‘high-performance’ L82 Corvette cranked out 220 horsepower at the same time. Coupled with Alpina’s aerodynamic revisions, improved suspension, and awesome turbine wheels – not to mention some fantastic interiors – it’s no surprise that these were popular; at least, by Alpina standards. The company sold over 500 of the model, though they’re relatively hard to find today. Today’s beautiful ’79 is number 66 of the run, and for good measure it’s been turned up more than a few notches.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1979 Alpina B6 2.8 on eBay

Read Our Post1979 Alpina B6 2.8
7 Comments
1993 BMW 850CSi Individual

1993 BMW 850CSi Individual

Published July 4, 2021 by Carter

I came of driving age during the reign of the E31, and I still remember magazines taunting that the M8 would soon be with us. Of course, it never came – at least, not until today. But we still did get an E31 breathed upon by the Motorsports division in the spectacular 850CSi. The heart of the CSi was a special ‘S’ motor. In this case, BMW Motorsport GmbH took the M70 and beefed it up seriously. Bored out to 5.6 liters and with compression bumped up and revised electronic programing, the resulting S70 took BMW’s V12 from 296 horsepower to 372 with 420 lb.ft of torque on tap. Macht schnell, indeed! But there were a host of other changes; offered only with a manual 6-speed gearbox, the CSi also got a quicker steering rack, Euro M5 brakes, shorter and stiffer springs, and M System II ‘Throwing Star’ 17″ staggered wheels. A new body kit made the elegant E31 look much more menacing, too. Europeans even had the option of 18″ M Parallels and, amazingly, 4-wheel steering.

In 1993, this car cost almost $110,000. Today that’s nothing, as you can spec a special-order M3 up to that amount. But back then? That was nearly the price of three M3s. These super coupes have never really come down in price, as like their contemporary the 928GTS, they have maintained an aura of unobtainium and sacredness to a generation of motoring enthusiasts. Today’s example is one of the more special ones out there, as inside and out it was finished by BMW’s Individual department – and boy, is it stunning.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 BMW 850CSi Individual at Auto Leitner

Read Our Post1993 BMW 850CSi Individual
2 Comments
1998 BMW M3 Sedan

1998 BMW M3 Sedan

Published July 3, 2021 by Carter

While the E30 320is was the defacto M3 Sedan of the first generation, it was not until the E36 generation that fans finally received a full-fat four-door small M. The sedan was then skipped on the E46 generation (I can hear ZHP fans shouting that their car is a real M right now), returned for the E90 generation, and then became the only body style thereafter as BMW introduced the new 4-Series nomenclature. Since its launch in the US for the ’97 model year, the M3 Sedan has been a niche model within a niche lineup on performance cars; practical and good-looking in a way that the long-door coupe sometimes lacks proper proportion in. Indeed, to me the most recent three generations of M3 Sedans look better than their two-door counterpart. While I’m not sure I feel the same way about the E36 generation, it’s nonetheless great to see one surface in a nice color with lower mileage, as many were loved well and driven hard. This Estoril Blue Metallic example I’m looking at today sure looks the part; but I’m not sure the juice is worth the squeeze:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1998 BMW M3 Sedan on eBay

Read Our Post1998 BMW M3 Sedan
2 Comments