As we round out Wagon Week, let’s take a trip to Deutschland to look at one of the cleanest, most compact longroofs around. The E30 Touring is just now importable to the US but is still quite a rarity on these shores. In Europe you can find them in all varieties and in all sorts of condition, but today’s little 318i is quite a gem. Having covered less than 50k miles in its quarter century, it looks stunning inside and out, especially with the always-excellent Shadowline trim option. The grey cloth looks clean as new and I much prefer it in these cars to the ubiquitous leather we get in Bimmers here; it’s a nice reminder that, while very cool, this is also a utilitarian, base-model little wagon. These days we Americans are starting to have access to some great E30 Tourings including the beefy 325ix, but it’s hard to beat this red 318i for good-looking simplicity and value.
Tag: 3er
I’ll be the first to admit that I was very late to the E91 touring party. When it debuted, I was still far more interested in the Audi S4 and Subaru Legacy Turbo. In fact, up until I began to take a healthier interest in the world of BMWs, I didn’t associate the brand with AWD long roofs at all even though they have a storied history within the segment. When I thought of BMW wagons I thought of a ’91 525i that belonged to some friends of my parents. At the time that car seemed like nothing special but oh if I could turn back the clock and get my hands on it now I’d be a happy man. Dark green with a brown leather interior, M Parallel wheels, let me tell you, that thing was gorgeous. The idea that BMW made a nice wagon began to percolate and it wasn’t long before I found myself adding the E91 to my regular internet searches.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2012 BMW 328i xDrive Estate On AutoTrader
3 CommentsThe BMW E46 3 series strikes a good balance between the more analog nature of its predecessors and the edgier, more advanced E90 3 series that replaced it in 2006. One feature that disappeared on the convertible model post-E46 was a canvas roof. While the new folding hardtops are certainly a wonder of technology that offer greater all-weather capability, there’s just something classic about a traditional ragtop. Not surprising, then, that a few Bimmerphiles I know have sought out clean, low mileage examples of the E46 convertible, eschewing the newer models. If you’re one of those folks who always wanted the icon of open-roofed BMW motoring, you won’t want to miss this 330Ci Convertible for sale from our friends at Euro Automotion in Oregon.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2004 BMW 330Ci Convertible at EuroAutomotion
2 CommentsToday we have a nearly immaculate survivor of the best E21 model BMW brought to America. With some handling and cosmetic upgrades, the 320is was a tidy little package. It’s amazing that after 32 years and 117k miles this Hennarot example looks as showroom fresh as it does. The paint, chrome, interior, engine bay, and even the toolkit all look virtually unused. The E21 generation has its own distinct charm, a bit more quaint than the E30 but still a playful little sports sedan, and this is among the best examples we’ve seen.
Click for details: 1983 BMW 320is on eBay
1 CommentWhile the first generation BMW M3 kept a lot of its DTM racing roots in tact, the second generation E36 M3 moved the chains a bit. More power was dialed in but a bit more softness was added to the equation. Gone was the high strung, race derived 2.3 liter four-cylinder powerplant in favor of a six-cylinder engine that was related more closely to its lesser siblings than any other M engine had been before. Still, 240 horsepower was nothing to sneeze at in the mid 1990s. This 1995 M3 for sale in Connecticut represents the first year of US sales for this sports car icon. Its odometer reads less than 50,000 miles and it has the super desirable M Cloth interior.