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Tag: Rare BMW

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2014 BMW i8

One could argue that the first reinvention of the 8-series moniker was a disservice to the original; I disagree. The E31 pioneered a new frontier for BMW, with electronics, a new design language and took BMW to a different market. There is no more fitting designation than the i8 in my mind. The slinky, futuristic coupe utilizes lightweight construction to keep the curb weight down; 3,200 lbs may not sound particularly lightweight, but keep in mind that the BRZ/FR-S twins were lauded for their light design and are only a few hundred pounds less without all of the heavy electric equipment and twin motors. Pushing the very aerodynamic lithe coupe are two motors that run together or separately – a 1.5 liter turbocharged inline-3 paired with a smaller version of the i3’s electric motor. The results of this combination are pretty astounding; a combined 357 horsepower results in 60 miles an hour in 3.8 seconds and a near effortless limited 155 m.p.h. top speed. Couple that with the ability to drive for around 20 miles with no assistance from the gasoline motor and return mid-40 mpgs, and the 911-like performance is truly impressive. No other car has yet come close to the combination of attributes the i8 offers.

When these cars rolled out now bordering on nine years ago, MSRP was thrown to the wind and dealer invoices rang in some $70,000 over sticker, with near $220,000 asking prices. While the i8 and i3 introduced BMW’s electric intentions, their more recent offerings like the i4 are decidedly more mainstream. For less than the price of an i4, though, you can have the original.

2014 BMW i8 on eBay:

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1991 BMW Z1

BMW took a big leap at the end of the 1980s and introduced some pretty extreme design language. First was the E31 8-series, a seeming quantum leap from the outgoing 6-series. That chassis pioneered, for better or worse, a tremendous amount of technical and electronic innovation for BMW. The 8s relied on a bevy of computers to control its chassis, electronic suite, and engine. Side by side with the more famous Grand Tourer though was a diminutive roadster BMW produced based heavily on the E30 chassis. Instead of a heavy reliance on computer technology, the futuristic (hence Z for the German word for future – Zukunft) plastic-bodied Z1 looked like a supercar even if it didn’t go like one. Park one next to an E30 convertible and you’d never know the two are related!

The Z1 was a complete departure for BMW; while they were not strangers to small cabriolets, their previous efforts were in the 1930s with the 315/1 and the 1960s with the 700. BMW went away from the idea of an integral body and frame to a separate chassis with removable, plastic body pieces. The idea was that the owners could replace the panels themselves to “repaint” the car with minimal effort. It was something the Smart car would be notable for – a car that launched a decade following the Z1. To get the paint to adhere to the bodywork, BMW had to partner with AZKO coatings to develop a flexible paint which they termed ‘Varioflex’, while the bodywork had to be attached using a unique elastic joint technique. The doors didn’t open out – they slid down into the supporting chassis structure. The underbody was flat, not only for aerodynamics, but the tray turned into a diffuser towards the back, assisting in sticking the rear to the ground as speeds rose. In front was nothing new: the venerable M20 from the E30 popped up here, too – but in the rear the Z1 was new with a multi-link rear axle of its own. This new design would later be incorporated into the E36. It’s interesting that with the Z3 BMW opted to go the opposite route and incorporate earlier E30 pieces into the rear of the /7 and /8. While performance was relatively leisurely, the Z1 nevertheless garnered praise for its innovation, unique design and great looks. They never made it to U.S. shores and only around 8,000 examples were ever produced, but a few have crossed the Atlantic now that they’re old enough to be more easily imported:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 BMW Z1 on eBay

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1991 BMW 325i M-Technic II Coupe

US E30 fans got more M love in the form of the two M-Tech packages – full and appearance – that were available on late-production convertibles. The M Technic Sport Package was also available abroad on coupes, and so that’s what we’re looking at today – a ’91 coupe imported from Japan. It’s equipped with the exterior body kit, with front and rear bumper covers, sill covers, and a unique rear spoiler. You also got front sport seats, a limited-slip differential, Shadowline trim, and M sport suspension. This one is also a “slicktop” model that was ordered without a sunroof, has been fitted with some BBS RS wheels, and has been converted from an automatic to a manual gearbox. The price? Well, let’s just say “to be expected”…

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 BMW 325i M-Technic II Coupe on eBay

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2015 BMW M4 Convertible Individual

Just a few weeks ago I took a look at an M4 coupe run through BMW’s Individual department:

2016 BMW M4 Coupe Individual

These wild colors have really proliferated over the last few years, and the result is that there are some pretty cool ones on the second-hand market. Case in point is today’s ’15 M4 convertible. It combines a neat color pallet (Peridot Green Metallic paint, Opal White leather, and dark red sycamore wood trim) with a manual gearbox and a convertible hardtop. Neat!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2015 BMW M4 Convertible Individual on eBay

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1980 BMW M1

Okay, I missed St. Patrick’s day, but we’re close enough. What we have here is a 1980 BMW M1. I won’t bore you again with its history since I recently dove into that in a look at a very impressive dark blue one:

1979 BMW M1

But if dark blue is fairly rare, today’s car is even moreso. That’s because it was repainted Irish Green. Sacrilegious though it may be, the result is pretty undeniably awesome:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1980 BMW M1 at Bousten Classic Cars

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