By the time the 1990s were coming to a close, the writing was on the wall for the BMW 8 series. This was never a volume seller for BMW and while it lasted until 1999 in some markets, the last year in the US market would be 1997. Available in its twilight with the 4.4 liter V8 or the 5.4 liter V12, this example, purchased by Tom Cruise for Nicole Kidman, carries the twelve cylinder lump under the hood. Under 200 850ci coupes made it stateside in its final year, making this one very special Bimmer.
Tag: 1997
There are a fair amount of people who don’t get the “stance” scene, and there are many others who don’t understand modifying a car to go to the track. There are those who don’t understand Concours shows, those who don’t understand not putting miles on a car, and an equal number who don’t understand daily driving a high-performance machine. There are diesel fans, turbo fans, V8 fans and even fans of the supercharger. There are people who love modifications and those who prefer their cars stock. For the most part, I “get” all of these camps; I don’t necessarily agree or favor any one in particular, but each has its own merits. There is one that still leaves me a bit mystified though – drag racing. I understand it takes tremendous skill to get a car dialed in; I appreciate the engineering that goes into overcoming physics. I am awed by the raw speed that these vehicles can produce – ballets of explosive violence, a concoction of sound, smells and disappearing cars. But I’ve never really understood the attraction of drag racing, though an unusual suspect can sure make me smile:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 BMW 318ti 454 Twin Turbo on eBay
1 CommentNext in my continuing series of “Why buy an E30 M3 right now?” comes…a M3. What’s going on? For as bad as I’d consider the value of the E30 M3 right now, it’s hard to argue with the value of the E36 and E46 M3. Out of the box, they did everything better than the E30 did. They’re easily the track equal of the E30 and have some added luxury and refinement. One could argue that the build quality went down a bit with the E36, but find a nice example and you’ll soon forget that. Aftermarket suppliers abound, as this is the GTi of the BMW world, parts are plentiful and relatively cheap, and they look and sound great. What’s not to like? Get one in a great color with lower miles and it’s pure win:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 BMW M3 on eBay
1 CommentWhenever I spot a Mercedes-Benz C36 AMG with low miles, they inevitably get snapped up in short order. Just witness the one we featured last week if you need evidence. If you don’t need the power and persona of an AMG variety Benz, then a C280 like this one for sale in New York could be just the ticket. This car is barely broken in with just over 20,000 miles on the clock and represents the last year of the inline-6 in the W202.