Here’s Your Chance To Own The Original (And Best) BMW M3

This one owner car may be a serious bargain if you act quick.

Proxibid provides internet bidding services for the auction industry, covering a massive range of categories from antiques to electronics, real estate, and even industrial machinery. The category we are particularly interested though is collector’s cars, as for right this very minute it has a rather decent looking E30 BMW M3 on offer.

Built in 1988, it is one of the earlier cars boasting a motorsport-derived 192 horsepower 2.3-liter inline-four engine. The car has also only had one owner from new. What makes these cars so special aside from being the very first M3 ever is the way that they handle and how raw and engaging they feel to drive.

The E30 M3 used to be a cheap entry-point into the M brand and whereas a few years back one could be yours for around $10,000, even tired examples can command up to $50,000 these days. A very low-mileage example sold earlier this year for double that figure.

This particular car has over 176,000 miles on it, but the engine has had an overhaul by a BMW specialist recently and it has also received a new clutch, suspension, and shocks. The current bid as of writing is sitting at $21,000, a serious bargain even considering the 15 percent internet premium and approximately 8 percent sales tax that is charged on top of that figure.

Judging from the images, the car looks to be in good condition, the usual wear and tear around the seat bolsters and in the engine bay seem reasonable for its age, the car also comes with a brand-new dashboard (E30 owners will know how easily these crack) and what appears to be at least a partial service history.

As with any online transaction of this kind, buying sight unseen can be risky and Proxibid states that this is strictly an as-is sale. You will also need to make your own arrangements to collect the car from their California-based warehouse. Still, the car has no rust, has never been involved in an accident and its VIN numbers all match up. Sounds like this could be a serious bargain for the right buyer.

VW CEO Warns: German Automakers Have A 50-50 Chance To Remain Elite

Will Germany's automakers suffer the same fate as their Detroit competitors?

Whenever one thinks of automakers like Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, adjectives like ‘premium’ and ‘luxury’ typically come to mind. That may be true today, as it has been for the past several decades, but Volkswagen’s newly appointed CEO, Herbert Diess, isn’t so sure about the future.

As Reuters reports, Diess earlier this week said that Germany’s automakers have a 50-50 chance of remaining the so-called elite brands in the years ahead unless they make drastic changes. Examples include building vehicles that meet strict new emissions regulations and adapting their supply chains. In fact, Diess believes it’s possible some brands may go out of business unless they reform and shift production to electric cars.

“From today’s point of view the chances are perhaps 50-50 that the German auto industry will still belong among the global elite in 10 years’ time,” Diess said at a conference in Wolfsburg, Germany. "We are all used to the fact that we have flourishing industrial metropolises around the central manufacturing plants of German carmakers and their suppliers, places where people like to live and work, but that's not guaranteed for eternity.”

Think Diess is completely out of his mind and these German automakers are simply too big to fail? Diess added that “If you look at the former bastions of the auto industry like Detroit, Oxford-Cowley or Turin, you understand what happens to cities when once-powerful corporations and leading industries falter.”

Remember, GM filed for bankruptcy back in 2009 because it failed to identify numerous industry changes and implement the necessary solutions. Anything is possible. But the fact that Diess is already ringing the warning bell is a good thing. He already knows a few issues that require immediate attention, among them cutting carbon dioxide emissions in Europe by 30 percent by 2030. Diess said VW must increase its fleet of electric vehicles to 30 percent of new car sales in order to meet that goal.

This will be possible but it’ll come at a price: the change over from combustion engines to EVs will cause the loss of 14,000 jobs at VW by 2020 because of in-house structural changes. While many of the decisions Diess will soon have to make are painful, especially for thousands of plant workers, the ultimate goal is VW’s survival, both as an automaker and a global industry leader.

Here’s Your Chance To Own A Nearly All-Original BMW M1

It still has its original Alpine White paint and less than 8,000 miles on the clock.

With only 453 examples produced, 20 of which were racecars, the magnificent M1 is one of the rarest and sought-after BMWs ever made. Built between 1978 and 1981, the M1 was also the only proper supercar BMW ever built, which makes it highly desirable. If you happen to have $875,000 to spare and have always wanted to own a BMW M1, you may want to snap this one up because they very rarely go up for sale. Currently for sale at Bullet Motorsports is a 1981 M1 finished in original Alpine White paint, as well as all the original trim and aluminium.

It hasn’t been restored and has some minor wear, but it’s still in excellent condition for its age. Originally purchased by a customer from Mexico and later imported to California, the mid-engined supercar has had the same owner for 30 years and is now looking for a new home. Apart from the dealer optioned BBS alloy wheels, this is a practically all-original M1 and a true time capsule. The seller even says they will help the buyer source the OE wheels. All of the lights and electronics work as they should, and the car still has the original factory radio, leather upholstery and door cards. This M1 also only has 7,572 miles on the clock, making it one of the lowest-mileage examples you’re ever likely to find.

Under the hood is the M1’s original straight-six 3.5-liter engine that produced 274 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque at the time. The seller says the M1 can be shipped worldwide, and service records and the original papers such as the manual and repair book are also included.