Highlights
- One of only 32 cabriolets produced for the UK market
- Comes with rare removable hardtop
- Cherished by the same keeper across two periods of ownership spanning over 20 years
- Garaged for most of its life
- Extensive specialist work carried out in 2021 including brake, suspension, and ECU overhaul
- Private registration plate included in the sale
The Appeal
The BMW Alpina B3 3.2 represents one of the most desirable expressions of the E36 platform. Hand-finished at Alpina's facility in Buchloe, it married BMW's straight-six engineering with Alpina's exacting standards of tuning and refinement. Production was remarkably limited: just 342 examples were built across all body styles between 1996 and 1999, of which only 76 were allocated to the UK, and a mere 32 of those were cabriolets.
This particular example, vehicle number 33, was first acquired by its current keeper in 1999, later sold to a friend, and then re-purchased in 2015, a telling indication of the regard in which it has been held. Garaged for much of its life, the vendor reports no accident history. In 2021 the car received significant specialist attention from VDV Motor Engineers Ltd, a BMW specialist in Huddersfield, with work spanning brakes, suspension, ECU, underbody treatment, wheels and tyres, as detailed below.
Finished in black over light grey leather with a black soft-top and a body-coloured hard-top also supplied, it presents well for its age. With its rarity, long-term custodianship, and documented maintenance, this B3 3.2 Cabriolet is a noteworthy find.
Key Information
- Mileage: 93,658 miles (supported by maintenance history)
- Country of registration: United Kingdom
- Technical inspection status: MOT valid until April 2027
- Technical specs: 3.2-litre naturally-aspirated straight-six engine producing 265 bhp and 330 Nm of torque, paired with a 5-speed Switch-Tronic automatic transmission featuring steering wheel-mounted shift buttons
- Paperwork: owner's manuals, service book, V5C and 2021 invoice
Service book:
08/06 - 80,217 miles - Bridgegate Chesterfield BMW
10/03 - 74,620 miles - Bridgegate Chesterfield BMW
07/01 - 61,001 miles - Sytner Sheffield BMW
01/01 - 56,600 miles - Sytner Sheffield BMW
12/99 - 44,997 miles - Sytner Sheffield BMW
07/99 - 33,821 miles - Sytner of Nottingham BMW
03/99 - 29,293 miles - Specialist Cars Ltd BMW
12/98 - 21,777 miles - Unreadable
05/98 - 13,242 miles - Sytner of Nottingham BMW
The Detail
- Black paintwork with light grey leather interior, black piping, black dashboard and wood inlays
- Black soft-top roof with body-coloured hard-top also supplied
- 17-inch multi-spoke Alpina wheels, professionally straightened and powder-coated in 2021
- Heated front seats, automatic climate control, and on-board computer
- Automatic Slip Control (ASC)
- Updated Sony stereo with AUX input
- Oil service and brake fluid change carried out in 2021
- All four brake callipers stripped, shot-blasted, and recoated in 2021
- Front shock absorber top mounts and Alpina coil springs replaced in 2021
- Secondhand Alpina-specific ECU sourced and fitted with specialist immobiliser decoding in 2021
- Underbody wire-brushed and treated with Waxoyl in 2021
- ABS rings replaced with drive shafts stripped and shot-blasted in 2021
- Bespoke exhaust flange clamps fabricated and fitted in 2021
- Welding carried out near the nearside front jacking point in 2021
- Driver's window motor and regulator replaced in 2021
- Service book contains nine BMW dealer stamps from 1998 to 2006
- The vendor states the car starts first time and sounds fantastic
- Reported to drive as it should
- The vendor describes the car as being in good overall condition for its age, with a few age-related marks
- Small hole underneath the glovebox, visible from the passenger footwell
- Underside reported to be in good condition
- Toolkit present, though the tools show some rust
- Two advisories on current MOT: high-level stop lamp not working, and offside parking brake effort poor compared to nearside
BEFORE YOU BUY
This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following:
✓ The seller is registered as a private seller which means consumer rights stemming from EU consumer protection law do not come into effect. However, you are still covered by Car & Classic’s own Terms and Conditions..
✓ We request that a non-refundable fee be paid if you are the lucky winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted Please refer to our helpful FAQs and T&Cs for specific rates.
✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is Where Is’ basis and without warranty. Photos and descriptions are solely for guidance purposes and it's customary to carry out a full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase for your own peace of mind.
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or delivery. Importing vehicles may result in additional customs duties and import taxes so it's worth checking beforehand. It is the bidders responsibility to confirm import eligibility prior to purchase.
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