The convertible version of the E30-generation BMW 3-Series is an interesting curio, as it was never originally intended to exist. When the E30 launched as a range of saloons and estates, the drop-top wasn’t in the picture; knowing that there would be a niche demand for a soft-top, BMW commissioned Karrosserie Baur to develop one as an option, replacing the main roof-skin with canvas. When it became apparent that an open E30 was something the public really wanted, however, BMW’s engineers cracked out the can-openers quick-smart and crafted something that was elegant and sophisticated, a full convertible… and when the 168bhp 2.5-litre M20 engine was introduced to the factory-built mixture, the resulting package was a piquant fusion of sylph-like prettiness and serious brawn.

The E30 325i convertible, then, is a truly desirable and increasingly rare classic. But the car we have here is no ordinary 325i convertible. No, this is a genuine Motorsport Edition – one of just 40 examples made in this rare shade of Macau Blue, only 17 of which were built with a manual transmission. When it comes to E30 Top Trumps points, there’s little that can beat this for obscurity and desirability. In essence, the Motorsport Edition took the production-spec 325i as a base, then added the M-Tech sports suspension that was fitted as standard equipment to the 325i Sport. An LSD was offered as an optional extra, and what makes this special edition particularly notable is that it was offered in colour options unavailable elsewhere in the range – you could have Nogaro Silver, Macau Blue, Calypso Red, Sebring Grey or Mauritius Blue paint, and all Motorsport Editions came with a full leather interior, including leather-covered door pockets, centre-console, ashtrays, steering wheel and door handles.

This is perhaps the ultimate open-top E30 – the torquiest and most playful engine, combined with the liberal ticking of option boxes to create a period-perfect 1980s superstar. This car is located in Hertfordshire, but it might as well be on the Pacific Coast Highway.   

Finding an unmodified E30 is a little bit tricky these days, and it’s getting less and less common to find solid and usable ones in original condition too. So this 325i represents something that’s hard to track down on the market today – a special edition which has survived the ages intact, with sympathetic restoration work to help maintain the character of its originality of spec and equipment.

The owner of this car has had his name inked on the V5 since late 2017, when he bought it from a trader. The logbook was showing six former keepers, and when he posted a few photos on an E30 owners’ page online he was contacted by a former custodian who was able to fill in a little more history. The car comes with a partial service history file, which details all manner of servicing and maintenance throughout its life, but what’s really impressive is what’s happened to the car over the last few years of ownership.

Having taken delivery of his new convertible, this owner set about a comprehensive programme of rejuvenation. Impressed by its survivor nature, there was never any question of radically altering; no, the plan from the start was to restore the 325i to its original 1989 glory. The body has received a full respray in its original-spec shade of Macau Blue, and before this was carried out the whole thing was stripped right down so that any rust and corrosion could be correctly dealt with. The sills were showing signs of rust, so the affected sections were cut out entirely and replaced with fresh metal; the overall effect is of a car that could have rolled freshly from the showroom in the late-1980s. The full leather interior sports all of its original hide, which has been carefully restored, and the engine and differential have been rebuilt. Everything here is as tight as a drum.

So after investing so much in bringing the 325i up to scratch, why is he selling? Well, the official reason is that he has a family and needs something more practical to ferry the kids about in. But reading between the lines, it’s a safe bet that the real reason is the owner relishes the challenge of restoration – having reimagined this E30 as a perfect and complete version of itself, there’s nothing left to achieve with it, and it’s simply time to move on to the next project… 

If it’s admiring glances you’re after, you can’t go wrong with a gleaming E30 cabrio. Every passer-by who saw us shooting this car on a quiet suburban street stopped to comment on what a tidy and pretty car it was, and to remark upon how you just don’t see BMWs like this anymore. It’s true. And as you’d expect of a car that’s recently received a body resto, this 325i really does glimmer in the sun. The bodywork is as straight as an arrow, and the Macau Blue paintwork is deep and lustrous. The only aesthetic blemishes are a very small scratch to the surface of the bootlid, and a little minor bubbling under the paint along the edge of the rear spoiler, which wouldn’t be tricky to rectify; there’s also a little surface corrosion evident to the jacking points, although as we’ve discussed, there’s nothing structural to worry about here – any rot has been cut out and replaced with fresh metal, so this body has many, many years of life in it. 

The Motorsport Edition was adorned from the factory with the M-Tech 1 bodykit, and this is all in place here; marque fans will also note that this is an early chrome-bumper model rather than wearing the larger plastic bumpers of later E30s. The front grille wears an aftermarket ‘M’ badge.

The roof (which is manual, not electric) is in excellent condition, and stows neatly and correctly under the integrated tonneau cover. All seals have been renewed, so it’s not a draughty car with the roof up. The car also has hardtop pins, which not all convertibles benefit from, and this means that if the buyer were to acquire a hardtop it should clip straight on.  

The under-bonnet presentation is excellent, and exactly what you’d hope for in an E30. The bay is clean and tidy, with solid strut tops and the stamped VIN intact; the only blemish is a very minor power steering fluid leak. Aside from an aftermarket air filter, it’s all in factory spec.

The Motorsport Edition’s leather interior was a little different to the leather option in other E30s, as far more of the interior was trimmed – not just the seats and steering wheel, but the door panels, centre console, handles, the works. All the leather you see here is the original hide, which has been carefully restored – any true-blue E30 aficionado will tell you that these seats are prone to separating at the seams, so this has all been carefully re-stitched to bring it up to scratch. The carpets have recently been cleaned, and the dashtop is uncracked – a rare find in an E30, as they often suffer from sun damage.

The stereo has been replaced with an aftermarket head unit, with a CD changer mounted in the boot. The current owner has replaced the speedometer, as the original wasn’t working and there were other issues with the dashboard wiring to address – all of the dials have now been rewired and operate correctly, and the original speedo will come with the sale.

The electric windows all wind up and down as they should, and the central-locking has received a new actuator and works perfectly. The car also has a Cat 1 alarm including external proximity sensors. Inside the boot, the full and correct toolkit can be found on the underside of the bootlid, and the compartment itself is solid, rust-free, and has been treated with stone chip paint for longevity. The underside of the car is all straight and clean with no sign of structural corrosion or accident damage. On the whole, you’d be hard pushed to find a 325i convertible as solid as this one… and a Motorsport Edition? That’s more akin to hen’s teeth.

BMW’s six-cylinder M20 engine has become something of an icon, and this one is in very fine fettle. The engine has been rebuilt, and treated to a replacement sump, and now suffers from no leaks; recently fully serviced, it starts up happily, idles evenly, and pulls strongly. The differential has also been rebuilt, and the gearbox works perfectly with no unexpected noises or sloppiness. 

The only blemish is a very minor power steering fluid leak; this hasn’t been remedied simply because of personal time constraints – the owner has topped up the fluid as required, but it wouldn’t be a difficult thing to fix. Aside from this, the power-steering works well and offers just the right amount of assistance. The gearbox is a pleasantly tactile thing to use, slotting with confidence as you’d expect and allowing you to fully exploit the vivid performance on offer. The suspension is in good order, with the upgraded M Tech sports setup offering a pleasing fusion of comfort and control. The car brakes true in a straight line with a keenness that inspires confidence.

The original cross-spoke wheels (with matching spare) are all in superb condition, and have recently been fitted with new tyres.

This is a car which neatly wears two hats: with the roof down, it’s a comfortable wind-in-the-hair cruiser for hazy summer days. Roof up, it’s a surprisingly focused machine, a real driver’s car for your favourite B-roads. And all of this wrapped up in a sublime Macau Blue package which will undoubtedly leave many an onlooker green with envy.

The E30-generation 3-series is very firmly rooted in fully-fledged classic car territory now. With its successor, the E36, becoming an increasingly obscure and sought-after model, this bona fide 1980s hero is enjoying the halo effect of its values being dragged up both by the model that replaced it and, naturally, the one that came before it – the original 3-Series, the sharknose E21. 

Of course, the E30 doesn’t need to ride on the coattails of either, it’s a true classic in its own right. The ubiquity of the model in period (helped by the fact that it was available as a two- or four-door saloon, Touring, Baur cabrio and full convertible) means that these were once a very common sight on the roads. This is far from the case today, but they live large in the hearts of people who grew up in the era when everyone knew someone whose mum, uncle, neighbour or bank manager owned such a thing. As such, desire is strong in 2020, as are values.

Another factor to consider is that the E30 is becoming an increasingly popular model on the show circuit. Consequently it can be tricky to find examples that haven’t been modified, and it’s the originality of this particular car that’s the real clincher. The sympathetic restoration has seen the factory interior appointments repaired and retained, while the freshly perfected bodywork wears a new coat of the correct paint colour. With such a strong enthusiast following for this model, rarity is extremely desirable – and they don’t come a lot rarer than this one-of-seventeen Motorsport Edition.