Remember The Teuton: 1985 BMW 316 Baur TC

This is a very rare car. Both the engine and the roof treatment option were never offered in North America.

The body, however, is the classic and beloved E30 which we fortunately did get. It debuted in 1982 and lasted in some markets until 1994. The styling is brilliant. The car thoroughly improves on the E31, while still retaining core BMW themes. It's simple, but endlessly beguiling.The shape is relatively boxy, but up close each corner and edge is warmly curved like a fine gemstone. The fact that it was replaced by the totally different E36 only enchances the E30 in the eyes of fans and collectors

The 316 has a 1.6-litre inline four-cylinder SOHC piston engine that produced around 100 horsepower. This is no rocket ship. Thankfully, it's mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and powers the rear wheels. Fast? No. Sufficient, practical, and economical? Yes. Combined with the car's already demonstrable handling, the engine, tiny by today's standards, unthinkable for a BMW, is still passable. North Americans are already acquainted with the similar the 318, anyways.

To up the quaint Euro factor, this 316 featues a Baur top conversion. Baur had an extremely close relationship with BMW and other German automakers. While the conversion was still technically a custom aftermarket conversion, as it was performed after the car was made rather than during production, it was as close to a factory option as it gets, even being featured in some brochures from the era.

What differentiates the Baur from your ordinary convertible E30? A lot. The window frames and kept in place and a top cross bar is added for extra support. The canvas top peels back like a sardine can. When a car loses its roof to become a convertible, it also loses structural rigidity, causing more flexing and bending in the body. This then becomes noticeable in handling. The Baur attempts to rectify that problem with keeping some side and roof pillars intact. The result is the best of both worlds: some structural rigidity combined with the open air sensation.

Inside we have one of the best interiors from BMW. Oversized pre-airbag steering wheel, center console angled towards the driver, dark high grade plastics. And a pair of dice dangling from the rear view mirror.

The seller says this is a 1-owner car that was purchased new in Kohn, Germany before it traveled the world and then ended up in the Hamptons on Long Island in New York. If you're going to get a Baur, that's about a good a story as you might find. The seller says the car is not without some scratches but suggests it is otherwise sound, and has no rust, which is terrific. They list the odometer as reading 88,382 kilometers which converts to around 55,000 miles, very low.

The price for this wonderful slice of bratwurst? $18,990.

Find it here on ebay.

Not Quite A Convertible: 1982 BMW 323i Baur TC1

Baur is an esteemed coachbuilder in Stuttgart, Germany who performed drop-top conversions for BMW cars. They work very closely with many German automakers, although the exact nature of their relationships is unclear. Bauer cars were even photographed in some BMW brochures, but it was not offered as an official model (as the convertible was), and was never sold in North America. However, it was sold with the authorization of BMW and was covered by their factory warranty. Bauer did help design the E30 convertible.

This is no hackjob. Bauer patented their roofless design in the early 20th century and would employ it until the '90s. It features a retractable soft top roof that peels back like a sardine can to the rear, but with key support b and c pillars intact, as well as a cross-top roll bar connecting the thickened b pillars. This was done to enjoy the open air that a convertible woyld otherwise provide, but with the structural integrity they could not. It's ingenious, quirky and tasteful.

Bauer converted 4,595 E21-chassis cars.

The seller says this vehicle was a grey market car that was specially imported by an individual and then federalized at their own expense. It's unfortunate the slim euro-bumpers didn't make it through, but it's still good to see the rest of the car unscathed. It's an otherwise typical delightfully designed E21 323i.

However, the seller says the replaced the engine with a M20 3.0-litre 6-cylinder engine from an early '90s 325i that was recovered from a rear-end wreck with only 20k miles on it. Depending on your take, this could be a good thing, as it's a larger and better engine than the stock 323i. The car's whole roof was modified after all, so a different engine is in keeping with the switcheroo theme. The seller also mentioned the original 323i engine can be included as an extra.

They also say the engine is mated to a rare "dogleg" 5-speed manual transmission, where reverse is the first gear.

The seller says the body has about 101,000 miles on it but has no rust and is clean and straight, having spent life in San Francisco before ending up in New Mexico where it is now.

BMW never made an official factory convertible for the E21, so if you dig the car but want to feel the sun and wind blow through your hair, this is a chance to snag a nicely preserved example of a rare and charming car. The owner mentions they are a BMW club member and the car was never rallied or tracked, though they say it is fun and lightweight.

Find it here in Albuquerque, New Mexico with reserve not met and a buy-it-now price of $5,000.