Karosserie Baur is a well-known name to BMW enthusiasts in particular. The German coachbuilder was actually based in Stuttgart yet did very little work for that city’s most famous motor manufacturers. Working instead mainly for their rivals in Munich, the most significant exception being that Baur built all the bodies for Porsche’s original supercar, the 959, something I didn’t know or had forgotten before researching for this piece. Interestingly, Baur was also responsible for building another supercar, BMW’s glorious M1.
The company goes back to 1910, and started work on BMW’s in the 1930’s, which coincided with BMW’s venture into car production. Most of us are familiar with Baur’s cabriolet versions of the BMW 1600-2 and 2002, totalling 1,682 and 2,517 examples of each. Before that though, they were also responsible for 2,592 soft-top versions of the little 700 Sport for BMW.
It is however their work on the 02 series for which they are best known, creating both full convertible and targa-top versions of the car that put the Bavarians back on an upward trajectory from which they have yet to be diverted. They also developed and built the targa-top version of the ‘02’s successor, the original 3-series or E21, and that model’s replacement, the E30, was also available with Baur-built targa top as well as a full convertible, which BMW built but that had been developed for them by Baur.
The targa version was developed in response to anticipated US safety regulations that actually failed to materialise, but it also gave the drophead ’02 greater body stiffness, making for a better driving experience; in fact, it drove pretty much exactly as its saloon siblings, which meant it drove very well indeed.
Baur’s are relatively rare even by ’02 standards – 354 RHD cars were built in total, and a friend of mine maintains a Baur ’02 register that currently has 55 examples (not necessarily all RHD) on it – and they don’t come up for sale all that often. Historics auctioneers – who are offering our Prime Find this week – have sold only three previously in over a decade’s worth of sales.
The lot listing uses adjectives like “stunning” and “excellent order” to describe this Baur, and if the photographs – a few of which we have borrowed from the auctioneer’s website – are any guide, the description is accurate. Built in 1973, it’s one of the more desirable – to some ’02 enthusiasts, at least – “roundies” ie it has the original round tail lights.
An older mechanical restoration – mostly done in the 1990’s by UK BMW specialists Jaymic – included the addition of electric power steering, a five-speed ‘box, and a modern sound system with Bluetooth. The bodywork has also been the subject of extensive attention, although it’s not stated when this was carried out. The listing does say that a new targa top was fitted, and the car was repainted in a deep blue (Atlantic Blue, as I recall) that suits it very well. The upholstery was also renovated, in period-correct houndstooth check with new blue vinyl trim. All this is apparently detailed in the accompanying history file which includes all the invoice for sas well as many photographs of the aforementioned work, as well as MOT certificates that go back as far as 1984 that would suggest the low-ish mileage of 78,505 may well be genuine.
Now it’s long been the case that convertible versions of saloons are generally seen as more glamorous – the image of cruising along the Cote d’Azur or the Pacific Highway with the top down, sun shining and wind in your hair has always had great appeal, adding to the desirability of convertible motoring, even though once you’re travelling at more than 50mph, it becomes a lot less fun. As a result, convertible classics attract higher – sometimes significantly higher – prices than their saloon counterparts; just look at the Mercedes-Benz W108, for example.
Prices for ’02 saloons, especially the 2002, are generally north of £20,000, with even projects fetching £10-15,000. Of the three Baur’s previously sold by Historics, none fetched more than £10,300, though at least one could best be described as a rolling restoration project and neither of the other two were in particularly good shape, so while it is possible to buy Baur’s for less money than the saloon, it might not be the best idea.
I have found a couple of recently restored examples for sale that are wearing exceptionally high price tags – almost £70,000 in the case of a full cabrio, over £45,000 for a 1973 targa allegedly in concours condition, and on this basis our Prime Find, if the estimate range turns out to be accurate, and it’s as good as it looks, could be something of a bargain.
Despite it’s extensive – albeit older – restoration, seemingly excellent condition and relative rarity, this Baur comes with an estimate range of just £13,000 to £18,000, perhaps in part because it’s no longer entirely original, although the modifications are both subtle and useful, so it’ll be very interesting to see what it takes for this one to find a new home; I have a sneaking feeling it may well go for more than it’s top estimate, if it is indeed as good as it looks.
Our Prime Find goes under the hammer in Historics’ auction at Ascot Racecourse on May 21st; you can see the full lot entry here, and if this Baur has got you thinking of summer cruising in the sun, we recommend arranging prior inspection if possible before raising your bidder’s paddle.
With our Saturday instalment of Prime Find of the Week, we’re offering our services to the classic car community, by passing on our favourite classic car for sale from the week that passed. This top-tip might help a first-time-buyer to own his first classic, or it could even be the perfect motivation for a multiple-classic-car-owner to expand his garage with something different. We’ll let us be inspired by anything from a cheap project to a stunning concours exotic, and hope that you will do the same.
Just remember – Any Classic is Better than No Classic! We obviously invite our readers to help prospective buyers with your views and maybe even experiences of any given model we feature. Further to that, if you stumble across a classic which you feel we ought to feature as Prime Find of the Week, then please send us a link to primefindoftheweek@viaretro.co.uk.