Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
I’ve covered a series of BMW 3 series Individual cars recently, and I seem to be on a streak of finding neat ones. Today for your consideration are two E92s; one 335i turbo with low miles in a nice color combination compared to a M3 Individual with higher miles. The price is nearly the same between the two examples; which would be the one you’d select?
I was pretty surprised to come across a F06 BMW Gran Coupe in the neat shade of Frozen Bronze Metallic (X11) this week while surfing the sea of black, silver and white examples out there. Don’t believe me? There are some 32 Gran Coupes selling used on eBay as of the time I write this; only four of them are not one of those shades. Two are dark blue which is lovely, but the Frozen Bronze somehow is a bit more in character with the model somehow. But, to order one you need to go through BMW Individual, so I was doubly surprised to see a second Individual Gran Coupe in the same shade. I can’t help but consider these cars homages to the E24 L6s and early M6s, with their fully leather-wrapped interiors and optional Bronzit color. Which one pulls off the Matte better?
This past Tuesday I wrote up what I consider a great alternative to the E46 M3; BMW’s own E82 135i. In many ways, the 135i takes the recipe for the M3 and creates a similar driving experience. But while I really liked the Hartge-modified look of that particular example, for me it ultimately comes down to not only the styling, but the colors. All too often, these cars are ordered in rather unimaginative shades of black, silver, blacker or silverer, and while I understand the appeal of a black car, I’d just prefer something a bit more vivid to stand out. My solution to how to make that 135i more appealing was to option it in one of the more brilliant blues; as if on cue, we were contacted to list this stunning Deep Blue Sea Metallic example of a 2012 E82. Equipped with nearly every package from M-Sport to Convenience, and with some factory options like the power upgrade and special Style 269 optional wheels, this is one trick package:
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:
Over the past few years the BMW 1-Series has done a pretty great job of filling the niche for a German, light(ish)-weight, rear-wheel-drive sports coupe.…
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