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Tag: 1989

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Party Like It’s 1989 Week: ’89 BMW Z1

Published January 6, 2014 by Paul

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What was the first BMW Z car? Ask any American on the street and they’ll probably tell you the Z3, otherwise known as the car from the James Bond flick, Goldeneye. That answer would be incorrect. The first Z was the Z1, built between 1989 and 1991 with 8,000 copies produced. Noted mainly for its doors that retracted into the side of the vehicle, this roadster was based on E30 3 series mechanicals and featured new technology that would trickle down into the rest of the BMW range. The Z axle rear suspension would go on to be used in the E36 3 series and high intensity discharge lights would appear on many future BMW models. Curiously, no Z1 came fitted with air conditioning, as there was limited room in the interior for both heating elements and the cooling unit. This particular Z1 is for sale in just north of Hamburg, Germany.

Click for more details: 1989 BMW Z1 at Autodrom Cannes

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Party Like It’s 1989 Week: 1989 Audi Coupe

Published January 5, 2014 by Carter

While we’re still a year away from importing the first 1990 Audi S2s, in 1989 Audi released the new Coupe. The car the United States got started coming in late 1989, and while the world received several engine and drivetrain options, the U.S. only got the quattro variant with the 2.3 20V “7A” powerplant for two years before the Coupe was pulled from these shores. That hasn’t stopped plenty of people from making S2 replicas while we wait until 2015 to start importing real S2s. However, for something a little bit different, the first 1989 coupes are now importable. This particular variant is a front wheel drive replacement for the aging Coupe GT model, though it effectively picked up the same 2.3 10V “NG” drivetrain that the United States saw in the 1987.5 Coupe GT “Special Build” models. Not often thought of as an option, one of these handsome front drivers is for sale today on Ebay.de:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Audi Coupe on eBay.de

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Party Like It’s 1989 Week: ’89 Mercedes-Benz 300SL 5-speed

Published January 4, 2014 by Paul

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The day has finally arrived. It is now the year where R107s of all kinds are legal for entry into the US, no matter where they came from. For me, this has my eyes set squarely on one very specific model: the 1989 300SL with the 5-speed manual gearbox. The final years of the R107 SL saw but one model in the US market, the 560SL with the 5.6 liter V8 engine. Those that have driven them know these are competent cruisers but aren’t the most all out sporting of machines. For 1986, Mercedes revived a storied name when it dropped the M103 inline-6 under the hood: 300SL. For those not in need of the power (or fuel economy) of a V8, this was an attractive option and was offered with another feature not available on US-bound R107s: a 5-speed manual gearbox.

As a preview to our week of celebrating 1989 vehicles eligible for importation stateside, here is a very low mileage 1989 300SL for sale just south of Cologne, Germany that is equipped with a 5-speed manual. It also has a few other options like heated front seats and the rear Kinder seat that you don’t normally see on the US market 560SL model.

Click for more details: 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300SL 5-speed on Mobile.de

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1989 BMW 635CSi

Published January 1, 2014 by Paul

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When you are basing it on a style level, the BMW E24 6 series is my favorite car to wear the Roundel badge of all time. Whether it’s an early 633CSi or M6, these coupes always drew me in. Their aggressive snout and perfect proportions still look good to this day. M6 prices have been creeping up in recent years, but it’s still possible to get one of the lesser versions for a decent bargain. This 635CSi for sale in Washington state has yet to break 70,000 miles. Coupled with the switchable automatic transmission, this is a good coupe for someone seeking more of a cruiser than an outright perfomer.

Click for more details: 1989 BMW 635CSi on AutoTrader

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1989 Porsche 930 Turbo Slantnose Cabriolet

Published December 30, 2013 by Paul

The eighties were a time of experimentation in outrageousness when it came to automotive styling. From the flared gills of the Ferrari Testarossa to wide fendered hot rods from the Mercedes-Benz tuning firm, AMG, the sky was the limit. There was one styling modification that I was never too particularly fond of, and it came by way of the number 505, otherwise known as the factory option code for Flachbau (slantnose). This option eviscerated the classic front end profile of the 911 for a decidedly eighties appearance by way of a wedge shape front end with pop-up headlamps. Who ever would go to the lengths of modifying a classic design like the 911 was beyond me. But, only a limited run of these were manufactured, much to the joy of purists everywhere. Perhaps this spoke to how popular this option was amongst 911 buyers? Whatever the case may be, this Slantnose Cabriolet for sale in New Jersey is but a handful that were produced in the 3.2 Carrera’s final year.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Porsche 930 Turbo Slantnose Cabriolet on eBay

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