Where is this TC2 Baur today?

Friday 25th June 2010

SOTW: BMW 316 BAUR CONVERTIBLE

Summer sun fun in a 1980s BMW - just don't expect any frills. Really

Like any true Brit, Shed has a natural soft spot for the underdog, but this week's offering is about as underdoggy as cars get.

Allow us to explain. Although this may look to the uninitiated like the true 1980s icon that is the BMW 3-series convertible it is, in fact, one of the final versions of the coachbuilt Baur 'Top Convertible'. This was the open-topped predecessor to the first full-on factory convertible, and sold for a while in BMW dealerships alongside its rather more elegant successor.

Think of the Baur E30 as Fergie to the factory car's Princess Di, Betamax to the full convertible's VHS, Jive Bunny and Master Mixers vs Kraftwerk. This particular example has had it even tougher, with a proper 1980s poverty specification: cloth seats, plastic wheel trims, 89bhp carb-fed 1.8. When it comes to kit, you name it, this car hasn't got it.

For some reason, though, all this makes it immensely appealing. There's an honesty and a simplicity to this white cab that's missing from the soft-tops of the 21st century. The exposed rollover protection, sparse equipment, the utter absence of any performance ambitions; this car is simply about driving with the roof off - and nothing else matters.

It won't set your trousers on fire with its performance, and it probably won't impress the mobile phone-brandishing chaps in braces down at the local wine bar - it's almost the very antithesis of the glitzy yuppy-ism of its successor.

Still, if you fancy making the most of a spot of summer sun (and be quick, because Wimbledon's on so it's bound to rain soon), we can't think of a less pretentious way to enjoy it.

Our vendor has produced a rather enigmatic advert, so we can't exactly tell you a lot about the car, but it seems to have survived in decent condition during the course of its entirely reasonable 132k miles, and its (alleged) two lady owners have kept it regularly serviced.

It also looks to be fairly tidy, although a classified description of 'fair condition' is often a reason to set alarm bells ringing, and the peak of summer is hardly a sensible time to buy a convertible from a financial point of view. But £1k is a solid price, and if the car is as solid as it looks, it might just be a bit of a bargain.

Advert is reproduced below

BMW 316 Baur
£1,000

Two lady owners - regularly serviced - fair condition.
MOT Jan 2011
1988, 132000 Miles

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This Baur is from the UK.  Does anyone know anything about this Baur?  :)