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Tag: M30

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1984 Alpina B6 2.8/1

1984 Alpina B6 2.8/1

Published October 3, 2023 by Carter

Update 10.3.23: This post was originally published Nov 2023 but this Alpina B6 has recently been relisted on eBay from the same seller, now with a buy-it-now of $85,000. Links updated to the current auction. -dc

Alpina E30s have exploded in popularity over the past year; I never remember seeing quite so many of these small tuned 3s for sale on a regular basis. In part I’m so incredulous because so few were produced; with this B6 model for example, a scant 259 were made between late 1983 and mid-1986, with just over 1,100 total E30s modified in all forms by the legendary company. The B6 2.8/1 wasn’t as wild as the later big-motored 3.5, but it was still much more than adequate with 210 horsepower from the M30 coupled with lower suspension, bigger wheels and brakes. Alpina, of course, added their personal flare of colors, stripes and awesome interiors, and the B6 is one attractive small sedan in such form. It’s easy to forget that there was a time before the M3, and in early 1984 this was the fastest small German 4-seater you could buy. That would change in mid ’84 with the introduction of the B6 3.5, but today it’s still a very desirable and rare to find package.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1984 Alpina B6 2.8/1 on eBay

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1988 BMW 535iS

1988 BMW 535iS

Published April 27, 2022 by Carter

While the first-generation M6 and M5 co-existed in the United States market, they did not in Europe. This left the M635CSi to be the equivalent of the M6. But the same was not true of the M535i. That model was sold as a more affordable alternative to the M5; most of the look of the Motorsports model but without the bigger bills associated with the more exotic double-overhead-cam 24-valve M88/3. Instead, you got a 3.4-liter M30 under the hood just like the rest of the E28 .35 models. The recipe was a success, selling around 10,000 examples in several different markets – but never in the U.S.

Instead, the U.S. market received the 535iS model. The iS model was specific to the North American market and gave you the look of the U.S.-bound M5, with deeper front and rear spoilers, M-crafted sport suspension, an M Technic steering wheel, and sport seats. It, too, was quite popular – between 1987 and 1988, just over 6,000 examples sold in the United States alone, and of those, a little more than half were the preferred manual variant. One of the nice aspects of the 535iS was that if you enjoyed colors other than black you were able to order the lesser model in any shade you wanted, unlike the M5.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1988 BMW 535iS on eBay

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1992 Alpina B10 3.5/1

1992 Alpina B10 3.5/1

Published January 11, 2022 by Carter

This E34 Alpina sold for $26,000 on 1/10/2022.

It’s hard to imagine being the bottom of the totem pole at Alpina, but the 3.5/1 might just be that car. In part that’s because the E34 lineup was so robust, featuring the cool 3.0 Allrad and the Learjet-channeling BiTurbo. When BMW ceased the production of the M30, V8 powered 310 and 340 horsepower 4.0 and 4.6 models replaced the inline-6. In comparison to those headliners, the 254 horsepower B10 3.5/1 seemed like an article more suited for the corner of page 2. However, consider for a moment that the B10 3.5/1’s power numbers were nearly identical to the contemporary super-saloon S38-powered E28 M5 when it was launched and it helps to restore some clarity to the impressiveness of the products rolling out of Buchloe. Today chassis number 520 of the 572 3.5/1s produced is up for sale in Indiana:

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1986 BMW 535i

1986 BMW 535i

Published March 21, 2021 by Carter

The E28 is a firm favorite among fans of 80s BMWs, but it’s the M5 and 535iS variants that get most of the attention. It’s not hard to see why. The M5 based on this platform was one of the first super sedans, laying down the classic formula for all modern Q-ships: supreme performance packaged in a stealthy, unassuming exterior. Meanwhile the 535iS appealed to those who wanted a bit of flash but couldn’t quite afford the full cream M-car, and was really just a 535i with firmer suspension, body kit, and sport seats. That isn’t a bad thing. The underlying car, introduced as a range-topper in 1984, was a winner, marrying the bulletproof M30 3.4 liter straight six engine (good for about 182 hp, in US emissions restricted form) with a tractable and responsive chassis. A regular 535i with a manual gearbox therefore offers a fun and relatively affordable alternative to the more expensive E28s out there, and this ’86 is a perfect example of that.

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1986 BMW 635CSi Koenig Widebody

1986 BMW 635CSi Koenig Widebody

Published March 14, 2021 by Carter

If you wanted a crazy modified European car in the 80s, you had a lot of choices to make. Built to resemble wildly flared racers, cars from manufacturers like DP Motorsports, Gemballa and Strosek are at best polarizing cars. At worst, they’re like the plot line to Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex; kill your father, marry your mother and have your sister-daughters, then stab your eyes out and live in a cave. But the Rex himself must certainly be defined as Willy König, with his widebody, Testarossa-straked creations. While usually we see Mercedes-Benz and Porsche versions of Koenig modified cars, today we get a rare glimpse of what he’d do to a E24.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1986 BMW 635CSi Koenig Widebody at Bonhams MPH Auction

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