Tag Archives: BMW

Auctions

RM Sotheby’s to Sell One of the World’s Most Complete BMW M Collections

BMW’s M division has always been about more than just horsepower and lap times. For the right kind of enthusiast, it’s a culture, a lineage, and a family tree of some of the most compelling driver’s cars ever built. Later this month in Munich, RM Sotheby’s is giving collectors a rare chance to buy into that heritage—quite literally.

Dubbed the “Best of M Collection,” the auction house will present a curated lineup of classic and modern M cars, spanning everything from homologation specials to low-mileage icons. The sale reads like a love letter to BMW’s Motorsport division, and judging by the lineup, the original collector was particularly smitten with the M3.

At the dawn of the collection sits the legendary 2002 Turbo, the car that laid the groundwork for BMW’s turbocharged future. Not far behind it is the BMW M1 from 1980—the first car to officially wear the M badge. The M1’s mid-engine layout and Giugiaro-designed wedge body made it one of the most exotic Bavarians ever produced.

From there, the spotlight shifts heavily toward the M3. The 1990 M3 Sport Evolution and 1992 E30 M3 Cabrio headline the early ’90s, while the collector clearly couldn’t resist the second-gen cars either: a 1995 E36 M3 Cabrio in Dakar Yellow and an E36 M3 GT in British Racing Green, the latter showing just over 70,000 kilometers—high mileage in this lineup, but still modest for a 30-year-old performance car.

The turn of the millennium brought more gems, including a 2000 Z3 M Roadster in Dakar Yellow, originally delivered to Japan and barely broken in with just over 3,000 kilometers. With an upper estimate nearing €80,000, RM Sotheby’s seems confident that rarity and condition will do much of the talking. Collectors will also have the chance to bid on a 2002 Z3 M Coupe (“Clownshoe”), an E46 M3 Cabrio, and a 2003 M3 CSL, arguably one of the greatest driver’s cars BMW ever built. Rounding out that year is an Alpina Roadster V8, a Z8-based rarity expected to fetch around €380,000.

The modern era of M isn’t neglected either. The E92 M3 GTS (2010) stands out as one of fewer than 150 ever built, and this one has barely stretched its legs with just 176 kilometers. Even more jaw-dropping is the 2011 M3 CRT, with only 168 kilometers on the odometer. Pair those with a 2012 1M Coupe and a 2016 M2, and you’ve got a generational bridge that most enthusiasts only dream about.

Later highlights include the 2016 M4 GTS, a 2017 M3 30 Jahre Edition, and two present-day halo cars: the 2023 M4 CSL and the M4 Edition 50 Jahre BMW M, celebrating half a century of Motorsport magic.

Taken as a whole, the “Best of M Collection” isn’t just an auction—it’s a time capsule. With everything from homologation heroes to modern-day limited editions, the lineup underscores the enduring appeal of BMW’s M cars. And with estimates soaring into the millions, it’s safe to say bidders in Munich will need deep pockets—and maybe a pit crew of accountants—to bring any of these icons home.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

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Future Shock or Open-Top Tradition? BMW’s Cabriolet Conundrum

There was a time when the biggest existential threat to a convertible was the British weather. Now, in 2025, it’s not drizzle and soggy picnic baskets but SUVs and batteries looming over the drop-top’s survival. Which leaves us with a tantalising question: in a world going electric faster than you can say “charging anxiety,” will the convertible remain a symphony of six cylinders, or morph into a silent wind tunnel on wheels?

BMW, naturally, has been asked this straight up. The man tasked with answering was Bernd Koerber, BMW’s product boss, and he didn’t so much give an answer as an essay. “These days it’s very hard to make this general judgment,” he told us. Translation: don’t expect a neat headline.

Why? Because what matters in Dallas doesn’t necessarily matter in Düsseldorf—or, for that matter, in Dalian. In the U.S. and Europe, the idea of a convertible is still tied to the sound and fury of a big engine—the inline-six purr, the V8 growl, the childish joy of downshifting just to annoy cyclists. In parts of Asia, though, the mood music is different. Silence, serenity, sustainability: the drop-top as electric spa.

So BMW’s solution is, well, not to pick a side at all. “Technology neutral,” Koerber calls it. Hybrids, ICE, BEVs—whichever flavour you fancy, Munich will happily provide. Think of it as the automotive equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet: schnitzel on one plate, tofu stir-fry on the next.

This means the convertible of tomorrow could go two ways. On one hand, you’ll still have your visceral combustion cabrio for those who consider an exhaust note to be half the fun. On the other, an electric cabriolet where the only soundtrack is wind in your hair and the smug hum of electrons. BMW doesn’t see why both can’t coexist, and frankly, neither do we.

Of course, there’s the lingering question of timing. Will there be a smooth transition from petrol-burning cabrios to their silent EV counterparts, or will BMW leave us twiddling our thumbs in a convertible gap year? The company isn’t ready to say.

But one thing’s clear: BMW isn’t preparing a funeral for the drop-top. Quite the opposite. The Neue Klasse era could be the dawn of two convertibles—one loud, one quiet, both unapologetically BMW. Which, in a market obsessed with cookie-cutter SUVs, feels like a victory worth celebrating.

Roof down. Future uncertain. But still very much alive.

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ALPINA: More Than Just a BMW Tuner

There’s a persistent myth in the car world that ALPINA is just a tuner, a niche outfit taking BMWs off the shelf and adding big wheels, hand-stitched leather, and a few more ponies under the hood. The truth? That hasn’t been the case for decades. Back in the early 1980s, the German Federal Ministry of Transport officially recognized ALPINA as a manufacturer in its own right. Every car that leaves the brand’s headquarters in Buchloe wears its own VIN, a unique production plaque, and a distinct personality that blends BMW engineering with ALPINA’s signature refinement.

But the story doesn’t stop at new cars. ALPINA’s business is surprisingly multifaceted. Alongside building some of the most discreetly outrageous luxury sedans and SUVs in Europe, the company also restores classics, fabricates hard-to-find parts to keep older models alive, and even consults for automakers far outside its own lineup. For almost 15 years, ALPINA has been quietly supplying engineering services directly to the BMW Group—a partnership that has produced some unexpected assignments.

In a recent interview, CEO Andreas Bovensiepen, son of company founder Burkard Bovensiepen, pulled the curtain back on a few of those behind-the-scenes projects. One of the more surprising? Sending ALPINA engineers to China to help fine-tune the suspension of the upcoming all-electric MINI Cooper (internal code J01). For longtime fans, that’s a neat full-circle moment: ALPINA once built a one-off Cooper S Lux based on the R53 in the mid-2000s, complete with signature multi-spoke wheels, Alpina Blue accents, and an Alcantara-lined cabin.

The company’s consulting work doesn’t stop with small hatches. Bovensiepen confirmed ALPINA had a hand in perfecting the dynamic stability control system of a recent Rolls-Royce model, a reminder that even the most cosseting ultra-luxury cars still benefit from sharp chassis tuning. Rumors also suggest ALPINA lent its axle expertise to Toyota for the Z4 M40i–based Supra Final Edition. Not a bad résumé for a company too often dismissed as a boutique BMW modifier.

And while BMW has purchased the rights to the ALPINA nameplate, the Bovensiepen family’s business isn’t going anywhere. The automaker will continue building cars and consulting from Buchloe under its own banner, while BMW deploys the ALPINA brand for its biggest, cushiest models. Think 7 Series and X7—only more bespoke, more powerful, and more luxurious, slotting neatly between the high-end BMW lineup and the rarified air of Rolls-Royce.

That strategy is already taking shape. Expect an ALPINA-badged i7 to debut alongside the 7 Series facelift in the coming year. A first-ever iX7 is reportedly scheduled for 2027, and sources say both EV and gasoline versions are in the pipeline, each carrying unique internal codes: “G72” for the 7er, “G69” for the X7.

Meanwhile, the Bovensiepen family is still pursuing passion projects of its own. Beyond engineering gigs, ALPINA recently launched the Zagato-designed M4, a rare reminder that style is just as integral to its DNA as horsepower.

For enthusiasts, it’s the best of both worlds. The ALPINA name will live on as BMW’s high-end sub-brand, crafting hyperluxury derivatives of Munich’s flagships. At the same time, the Bovensiepen operation continues its tradition of quietly shaping the driving dynamics of cars you’d never expect. Tuner? Not even close. ALPINA is—and always has been—a manufacturer with a foot in two worlds: building cars for those who know, and shaping cars for those who may never realize who made them better.

Source: MotoManTV Podcast via YouTube