Part of the 02 Series, this 1600 Cabriolet is a rare
piece as it's one of just 1,672 units made by BMW between 1967 and 1971.
Silverstone Auctions estimates that when it will
arrive at the NEC Classic Motor Show Sale that takes place on November 11 and
12, it will sell for £ 50,000-60,000 (US$ 65,933-79,120), plus a buyer's premium
of 15 percent, tax included.
Doing some simple math reveals that this kind of
money could land you a new BMW M3, which starts at £ 58,580 (US$ 77,247) in the
United Kingdom, a fully-loaded 5-Series, and even a 7-Series flagship saloon,
as the latter carries a £ 61,300 (US$ 80,834) starting price.
Before debating on whether a new Bimmer is better
than a classic one, the auction house speculates that this example is believed
to have been ordered by Pierre Cardin originally. However, there's no solid
proof that the fashion designer was one of the owners, but in 1983, the car was
shipped to Los Angeles, where it remained until 1994, when a collector brought
it to the UK, and had it fully restored.
During the process, the original M10 1,573 cc
four-cylinder engine was taken care of, and so did the four-speed transmission.
Additionally, in the hands of its owner, it has only covered 15,500 km.
