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Tag: F10

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2015 BMW M5 30 Jahre Edition

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At this point we’re all familiar with the ridiculous investment opportunity the BMW E30 M3 has been recently. According to Hagerty, average values held steady around $15k from 2007 to 2012, and they were even lower before then. Today, Hagerty estimates the average E30 M3 value is $48k, an easy $30k if you picked one up just 5 years ago.

In these days of “unicorn” start-ups and (allegedly) ridiculous easy riches, 5 years is a pretty long horizon for the make-money-now bunch. In that case, they should have grabbed one of the 30 BMW M5 “30 Jahre Editions” released in the US last year, a 10% share of worldwide production of the ultimate F10 M5 celebrating 30 years of the M5 supersedan. With power bumped to 600hp and a special Frozen Dark Silver that puts most of today’s fancy satin/matte finishes to shame, it is definitely more than just a badge exercise (although there are plenty of self-important badges). Initially sold for $138k, a nice $34k premium over the M5’s MSRP, just one year later you could have triple the profit of that 5-year E30 M3 investment.

Despite the piped-in sound silliness, I do like the F10 M5 and BMW’s modern styling. Though a little overcomplicated, it’s growing on me and vastly preferable to the days of the Bangle Butt. It toes the line between aggressive and subtle while packing a nuclear punch that will keep up with most supercars. Turn all that up to 11 along with an extra dose of rare, and you’ve got the 30 Jahre Edition.

Click for details: 2015 BMW M5 30 Jahre Edition on eBay

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Four-door….or four-door coupe? BMW 550i vs. M6 Gran Coupe

For years, the BMW 5 Series has served as a textbook example of a sports saloon. While BMW kept perfecting this genre of automobile, Mercedes-Benz spotted an opportunity in the market, developing a whole new vehicle sector: the four-door coupe. The phrase seems an oxymoron but what you are really getting is a four-door vehicle with a much more swept back roofline and four-place seating in most cases. Even Volkswagen muscled their way into this segment with their Passat CC.

Today we’ll take a look at two recent BMW offerings, both with V8 engines mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox: the 550i and the M6 Gran Coupe. We’ll start with this 2012 550i for sale in North Carolina.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2012 BMW 550i on eBay

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2011 BMW 550i 6-speed manual

After watching a 2007 Ferrari 599GTB with a 6-speed manual gearbox hammer for almost $700,000 at this year’s Amelia Island RM Sotheby’s auction, I had mixed feelings. Surely that was a princely sum for a relatively new Ferrari, but with only 20 produced with the manual gearbox for the US market, one has to think cars like these with three pedals will continue to increase in value in an era when the shift it your own option seems to be fading away. This 2011 BMW 550i with a 6-speed manual is part of that dying breed for sure, as you can no longer buy a new 550i in the US market with a manual gearbox. Sure, you can opt for the 6-speed manual in some lesser engined variants, but the combination of the lusty turbocharged V8 and joy of rowing your own through what is undoubtedly one of the smoothest gearchanges around certainly has its perks.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2011 BMW 550i on eBay

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BlueMWs – A Roundup of Newer BMWs

If I’m brutally honest, I’m not a huge fan of most of the newer BMW designs. As my wife says, I’d be happy if Journey was still on the radio and everyone was walking around with a mullet (that’s only half true…). But that’s not it; as I was saying to her just yesterday, I just don’t get excited about most of the new designs that come out. It wasn’t always this way – I remember eagerly awaiting the next issue of the multiple car magazines I subscribed to so that I could immediately flip to the section I found most exciting – the upcoming cars feature. But that enthusiasm has waned as cars have grown more complex, isolating and expensive. Sure, they’re faster – and even basic models do everything much better than even some “supercars” from the 1980s. But I don’t look at them and get excited like I did when the S4 first launched, for example. But, a thought occurred to me – while I’m not the biggest fan of these cars, proportionate to what you used to receive they’re simply a better value and better cars. We can pontificate about the virtues of the E30 M3 to no end, but the reality is that even around a track, the bone-stock 328i all-wheel drive wagon below would give it a run for its money without much difficulty – and in every other aspect, it’s a better car. We’re really still in the midst of a horsepower revolution, but that power is translated to the ground better than before with more sophisticated transmissions and computer aids along with all-wheel drive available in most packages. But it’s not just speed – not only can these fast cars get you to the Alps, they are like the luxury resorts when you get there, with fine materials and fit and finish that are really top quality. In a word, they’re spectacular at being cars that are much more functional in multiple facets than anything previously. So, here’s a lineup of some neat newer BMWs; while I’m not the biggest fan of all the packages or designs, one thing that I do love is their blues – so here’s a round up of most of them:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2014 BMW M6 Gran Coupe on eBay

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