By Antti Kautonen
Like the Skoda featured in the preceding post, this BMW has something to do with open-air fun. But the E30 here ditches the top completely. Despite the ostentatious looks, this 1986 3-series Cabriolet is a mere 320i. So no revvy 318i, or burlier 325i – just the middle-of-the-road M20B20. But cosmetically, it’s perfect.
The location is the Café Carusel parking lot, over at the more well-to-do section of Helsinki. This is pretty much where you go show off your summer wheels. And if you have gold BBS, the better.
The smoked lenses up front give the dark BMW a menacing appearance. The plates mark the car down as a “2D Sedan”, so somewhere along the way it has been converted into a convertible. Things like this were common back in the day when people built Camarominos and the like; what you see here has most likely been realised by combining a humble 320i with the body of a fully-loaded, tax-free German cabriolet at some point.
It’s likely the BMW has been at least partially restored recently. The paint on it looks very good, and it somehow gives out the feel someone has spent a lot of time bringing it to the shape it’s in.
[Images: Copyright 2013 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]
Really sweet open top E30, but I'd lose the ///M badge. Looks out of place to me. Overall though, it seems to hit the nail on the head for looks.
I loved all three of the E30 ragtops I owned. My black beauty was this same color combination (after I swapped out the tattered red interior for a newer tan leatherette one. I always wanted to ditch the US Spec bumpers and find some Euro style ones but never could find a pair. Alas, nowadays my search is for an Opel front badge for my longerroof.
PS. This olelongrooffan loves the Helsinki Weekend Edition.
Summertime or not, I'd still prefer the never-sold-here longroof version… black over tan with gold BBSes is just fine, thanks.
<img src="http://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad142/nm75xs500/longroofs.png" border="0" alt=" photo longroofs.png"/>
I see reflections of three (and possibly four) people in the last picture. Were you running around with friends in Helsinki?
Yep. You can see their RX-8 and MX-5, and a little bit of Caterham too.