Number of cylinders: 6
Service history: Present
Registration number: BMW--530

BMW 5-Serie 530i 1B Historic race car, 1977. One owner, 20 km, service books from new.

The BMW 5 Series made its debut in 1975 and was soon hailed as a masterful blend of luxury, comfort and sporting prowess. But for those who wanted more than driving pleasure on public roads, a unique opportunity arose: the BMW 530i Group 1B, developed with Alpina and created for serious work on the circuit.

This version was built for the Group 1B class within the European Touring Car Championship. This was a class for drivers who wanted to race on a limited budget, yet still with high-grade engineering. Unlike the Group 2 cars, the 1B's were less extremely modified, but certainly no less competitive.

The Dutch BMW importer N.V. Alimpo ordered one of these rare examples in 1977. Based on a 525i, the model was upgraded with Alpina's original 3.0L six-cylinder engine, fitted with special Alpina pistons, a 300 degree camshaft, a modified air-mass meter, a front oil cooler, differential cooling and, of course, the Alpina steering wheel.

The result? A pure racing car with 230 bhp, built to compete at the highest level.

The car has an impressive history to its name. In 1977 it was driven by Eddy Fresco, who immediately notched up successes in the Dutch Touring Car Championship, including a 3rd place at Circuit Zandvoort.

A year later, Fresco teamed up with the legendary Rob Slotemaker to drive to 2nd place in Division 4 of the European Championship, a heroic feat among far faster Group 2 cars.

The story continues on our website, where the full file is kept as well. 105 photographs. The service history, scanned in full. Paint thickness measured panel by panel.

Every car here follows the same route: first pre-market, then the showroom, and finally the live auction on our own site. What changes is the way you buy, not the location — once a car has arrived, it stays with us in Katwijk. This one is in the showroom and you are welcome to come and see it, no appointment needed. You buy it here at a fixed price: no bidding, no waiting. Our showroom in Katwijk, 30 km from Amsterdam Schiphol, is open Mon–Fri 9–18 and Sat 10–17. Call ahead and it will be standing ready, with someone free for you.

Within the EU no customs duty arises on this purchase. Registration tax and registration costs in your own country are not included. We supply the export documents and assist with the registration. The price shown is the full price for collection in Katwijk. We arrange insured door-to-door transport worldwide, cost quoted per destination beforehand.

Prefer a different colour or specification than this example? Tell us what you are looking for — another BMW we can often find through our network of marque specialists and collectors, outside the listings. Have one of your own: we buy exceptional cars outright, classic or modern.

Our showroom measures 6,000 m², with over 150 cars under one roof. You are just as welcome if you are not buying — walk around, take your time and enjoy the cars; sharing the enthusiasm is half of it.