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| Ex-Franz Konrad/'John Winter'/Dieter Quester/Rolf Stommelen, 1979 BMW M1 Procar: 450,000 - 500,000 euros |
Bonhams Europe returns to the BMW Museum, Munich, hoping to repeat its all-lots-sold 2010 auction at the same venue. This year, it’s a combination of automobilia, motorcycles and motor cars, with an interesting mix of the rare and esoteric road and racing cars plus, with the late consignment of a private collection, the chance to buy several mostly extremely low/delivery mileage, ‘single owner from new’ BMWs – all at the magnetic ‘No Reserve’.
The great German manufacturer’s name is synonymous with motorsport. In addition to several sporting motorcycles (some with sidecars, such as the c.1970 BMW 500cc Rennsport Combination, at 90,000 - 110,000 euros) the motor car entries are also liberally sprinkled with some of the company’s legendary racing cars.
The 2012 running of the Le Mans Classic beckons, and so potential entrants would do well to consider the ex-Franz Konrad/'John Winter'/Dieter Quester/Rolf Stommelen, 1979 BMW M1 Procar (450,000 - 500,000 euros) or the Gp. 2 1975 BMW 3.0 CSi/L, estimated at 325,000 - 375,000 euros and a class winner at the great French endurance event in 1976.
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| 1969 BMW 594cc R69US: 11,000 - 15,000 euros | Last off the production line & one owner from new, 1981 BMW M535i: 8000 - 12,000 euros |
There are also a couple of F2 cars from the mid-70s, both powered by BMW’s ear-splitting (and mightily powerful, some 300bhp from two litres) fuel-injected four-cylinder. The attractive, Warsteiner beer-liveried 1976 TOJ-BMW F201 is estimated at 60,000 - 90,000 euros, and the 1975 March-BMW 752 at 60,000 - 80,000 euros. Very fast motoring for the brave, at reasonable estimates – but don’t forget the ear-plugs.
The Motorsport team waved its magic wand at road cars, too, and the final entry in the sale is the ‘last off the production line and one owner from new’, 1981 BMW M535i. This was from the era when only a few (including regular works drivers Stuck, Peterson and Nilsson) had access to these hand-built cars, later to become simply an ‘M5’, and the estimate of 8000 - 12,000 euros is not unreasonable.
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| 1976 Le Mans 24 Hours class & 1976 Spa 24 Hours overall winning 1975 BMW 3.0 CSi/L Group 2: 325,000 - 375,000 euros | The ex-Gilbert 'Gillie' Tyrer, 1937 Frazer-Nash BMW 328 Roadster: 450,000 - 550,000 euros |
Moving on from autobahn-blitzing to slightly more sedate, though no less exhilarating, matters and the road car entry has its highlights, too. There are two 3.2 CSL ‘Batmobiles’, a 1974 example for 110,000 - 140,000 euros and a 1973 at 100,000 - 140,000 euros.
Of the pre-War cars, the catalogue includes a 1939 BMW 327 Cabriolet (125,000 - 165,000 euros), a 1938 BMW 327/328 Cabriolet (225,000 - 275,000 euros) and the ex-Gilbert 'Gillie' Tyrer, 1937 Frazer-Nash BMW 328 Roadster for 450,000 - 550,000 euros.
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| 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL: 70,000 - 90,000 euros |
And looking at the ‘No Reserve’, Collection cars, there are such gems as the 1972 BMW 3.0S Saloon with just 38 kilometres from new (10,000 - 20,000 euros) and an 11,075 kilometres from new, 1972 BMW 3.0CSi Coupé, in white, for 15,000 - 25,000 euros.
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| 2448 miles (3939 kilometres) from new, 1988 BMW M3 Evolution II: 55,000 - 65,000 euros | The ex-Georg Auerbacher, Hermann Hahn, c.1970 BMW 500cc Rennsport Racing Combination: 90,000 - 110,000 euros |
Finally, BMW 503s aren’t exactly commonplace, but the 1 October sale lists two of these stylish, V8-powered coupés. The first, 1959 BMW 503 (115,000 - 145,000 euros) carries original, Count Albrecht von Goertz-designed coachwork while the second (1956/57, at 35,000 - 55,000 euros) was re-bodied at some point in its life and has a restyled nose, losing the famous BMW ‘nostrils’.
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| 1959 BMW 503 3.2-Litre Coupé: 115,000 - 145,000 euros |
Maybe restoration of the latter could prove uneconomic, but a bid on the former – considering the stratospheric price of 507s nowadays – might be worthwhile. You heard it here first.
The Bonhams ‘Power by BMW’ - BMW Powered Motor Cars, Motorcycles & Related Automobilia sale will take place at the BMW Museum, Munich on 1 Oct 2011 at 14:00.
To see the complete lotlisting of the Bonhams 1 October, Munich sale, please click HERE.
Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: Bonhams
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