1982 BMW 323i Baur

1982 BMW 323i Baur
Memorial Day 2010 First Drive 1982 323i BMW Baur Lapisblau M20 5 speed #4154 of 4595 made. The car was imported to California by Dietel Enterprises. I have since changed the wheels, installed the clear turn signal lenses, and I am in the process of installing a new cabriolet roof. I have to do something about those bumpers, too. :) I love this car! To see one of the reasons why, check my post "Score One For the Good Guys" on 6/26/2011.

Monday, November 11, 2013

BMW 1600 SR Targa: Precursor to the Baur?

Thanks to Harry Bonkosky who posted this in Facebook in Puerto Rico Classic Bimmer Group - Clasicos BMW today.  




This is the accompanying comment:  "BMW 1600 SR targa drawing by Manfred Rennen, who was working at the time this was done in 1968 at the BMW design studio. The predecessor of the Baur cabriolet?"

This is the first we have heard of this.  We will try to research this, since it does seem to be a similar roll bar type design, perhaps related to the concern at the time about governments possibly outlawing convertibles because of the rollover danger.  That concern is what led to the design of the Baur's unique Targa/Top Cabriolet.

Stay tuned!  

UPDATE:  BMW designer, Manfred Rennen


Manfred Rennen

German stylist at BMW, Rennen has been under Luthe the boss of the BMW Exterior II Studio in the mid-seventies, he worked on BMW E114 RS Cabrio prototype (1968), co-worked with Michelotti and Bertram on 2002 touring (1971), worked with Gandini on BMW E12 - first generation 5 series (1972) and BMW E24 first 6 series (1975) ; later on, he worked with Claus Luthe on BMW E28, E30, E23

UPDATE:  It does appear that the E114C Baur 1600-2 cabriolet (Voll Cabriolet) was contemporaneous with the design drawing by Rennen for the E114RS cabrio concept.  
1967 - 1971 E114C 1600-2 cabriolet (Baur) Production
1965 - 1965 E114K touring for E6 Prototype
1968 - 1968 E114RS cabrio concept by M. Rennen Drawing

The Baur Cabrio Targa was a later model, 3 years after the Rennen drawings.
1971 - 1971 E10C 2002 Full-cabrio Production
1971 - 1975 E10Cab 2002 Targa-cabrio Production

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