While many people will cite the 2002 as the car that made BMW as a brand in the U.S., they are wrong. The 2002 definitely put BMW on the map, helped by some of the most amazing reviews ever written (see David E. Davis’ review here), it is actually the BMW 320i that created the entire BMW craze in this country. In fact, the manufacturer gave BMW club members the first 320i coupes to deliver across the country to a press event for journalists! Our Pick of the Day is a great example from the end of the run of these important models. This stunning 1983 BMW 320i is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Christiansburg, Virginia.
The listing for this BMW has no description (which is not the best way to peddle a car), but pictures can be worth a thousand words, and the extensive number of photos tells the story of this great example.
To these eyes, the color appears to be “code 028” Phönix Orange. It has either been repainted at some point or was ordered without model badging, as it is missing on this example. The roundels on the front and rear appear rather worn, but new ones are included with the car. The vintage BBS wheels — a common period upgrade for a 320i — look to be in excellent condition.
The interior is equipped with the factory BMW Recaro sport seats and sport steering wheel, which make me think that this may actually be a 320is. The condition of the seats, carpets, dash, and door cards looks to be excellent, and even the headliner of this sunroof-equipped car looks to be in great condition. It still has its factory AM/FM/cassette stereo in that weird vertical mounting position. When I first took a look at this car’s dash, I realized that here was the starting point for BMWs interior styling design concepts that went on for decades.
Under the hood is the factory BMW 1.8 liter M10 engine producing 101 HP and 100 ft-lb of torque. This was a bit down from the original 320i, but different gearing and a five-speed gearbox meant that performance did not change yet fuel economy improved. Everything under the cool forward-opening hood looks to be in excellent shape and correct for a 320i.
This 320i also includes its original tool kit, original owner’s manual, service manual, and spare roundels as mentioned above. The tools are often found rusting away, so the condition here is worth noting.
The 320i had a bit of a reputation for rust issues, but the underside looks very clean with no visible signs of the tin worm anywhere. In addition, I do not see any evidence of any major leaks or other chassis issues. Overall, this looks like an exceptional example of an original BMW 3-Series.
When new, the 320i cost quite a bit of money for its class, being the favorite car of Yuppies in the 1980s — the sticker price was around $16,500, which was quite a bit of money in 1983. This price only made the car more attractive to those wanting to show off their new-found wealth in the era. Now here’s the best part: This 66,223-mile 1983 BMW 320i has an asking price of only $18,377, which is less than $2,000 more than it cost new. That makes this 320i a pretty significant bargain for the car that literally launched the BMW brand as The Ultimate Driving Machine and the model that was responsible for the success BMW is today.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
