What: 1997 BMW 540i Color: BMW Individual Aubergine(aubergine; non-metallic UNI; 348; BMW) VIN: unknown Mileage: 115,000 miles Price: $11,000 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Fair Lawn, NJ Listing: Link
We’re fond of tone on tone cars, wearing the same color on the inside as they do on the outside. White on white was popular in the 80s, blue on blue isn’t that uncommon, F40s were red on red, and green on green happens. Purple on purple though, that’s almost never seen… and yet here one is in the form of a 1997 BMW 540i that is purple inside and out.
Technically, this color is Aubergine, the BMW version and not the Porsche version that appears to be darker. Some quick research shows remarkably that this wasn’t the only one built to this spec. Even still, it sounds like two or three may have been sold here in the USA. Even that begs the question on how two or three buyers would have landed on a color combination so unique. They all appear to be 540i configurations, though not all have automatic transmissions as does this car.
Is there more to the story? We haven’t found it yet, but suspect there is. In the meantime, this car is an excellent example of an affordable tailored driver. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine a car this unique at an approachable price, but they happen and this purple on purple E39 is proof positive of that.
Bonus points to the seller for both knowing the paint name and sharing a photo of the factory decal confirming it.
What: 2016 BMW M3 Color: BMW Individual Signal Green(signalgrün; non-metallic UNI; P56/6; BMW) VIN: Unknown Mileage: 113,000 miles Price: $34,999 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Trumbull, CT Listing: Link
Are F80-generation M3’s finally starting to get… cheap? This Signal Green example has a few headwinds- 4 previous owners, 2 accidents reported (claimed), DCT, high miles, secondary cat deletes- but has even more tailwinds in the form of Euro bumpers, GTS model reprogramming for steering, transmission and differential, and upgraded cooling by CSF among others. So are you ready to roll the dice on a $35k Tailored Driver M3, or would you prefer to hold out for an example with fewer ‘stories’? Either way- this is market where depreciation is finally taking hold.
What: 2018 BMW M3 CS Color: BMW Individual Frozen Dark Blue II(dunkelblau; matte; WP5Z; BMW) VIN: WBS8M9C54J5L01077 Mileage: 33,241 miles Price Estimate: $69,991 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Auto Boom, Scottsdale, AZ Listing: Link
BMW Individual Frozen Dark Blue II might look familiar to fans of the F80-generation BMW M3 CS, and that’s because it is. Sharing its base coat with the CS-standard San Marino Blue but with a matte finish as opposed to the traditional clear coat, Frozen Dark Blue II is just the right amount of different. And with BMW’s CS being widely recognized as ‘the new M’, this M3 is certain to be a future collectable.
What: 2024 BMW M4 Competition Color: Sepia Brown II (sepiabraunii; non-metallic Uni; P7Y; BMW) VIN: WBS33AZ09RCP43984 Mileage: 12,093 Price: $81,990 CarFax:Link Window Sticker: N/A Location: Beaverton Nissan, Beaverton, OR Listing:Link
Why We Love It:
We’re solid fans of “tone-on-tone” cars, where the exterior and the interior are coordinated as the same color, perhaps off by a degree of shade. Now, throw in an unexpected color like brown and you’re playing at a whole other level of originality.
In the case of this G82-generation M4 Competition, that exterior color is BMW Individual Sepia II Brown and it’s paired with Tartufo Brown Leather. No doubt brown-on-brown is going to be polarizing, but to the people who get it this car likely has a whole other level of attraction.
What: 2023 BMW M8 Competition Color: BMW Individual Santorini Blue(santorinblauii; non-metallic uni; 327; BMW) VIN: WBSAE0C03PCK87272 Mileage: 13,557 Price: $98,995 CarFax:Link Window Sticker: Pictured below Location: Manhattan Motorcars, New York, NY Dealer Listing:Link
Why We Love It:
An M8 Competition that could’ve easily been ordered by a big fan of BMW’s racing efforts, this Santorini Blue Tailored Driver is a very bold play. For years the M8 saw duty as BMW’s GT3 race car homologation of choice, most notably campaigned by Turner Motorsports here in the US. It also just happens that the Blue and Yellow livery donned by Turner features a blue that’s strikingly similar to the Santorini Blue seen here. While that’s all speculation, what isn’t is this Tailored Driver‘s ability to turn heads.
What: 2020 BMW M4 Competition Color: BMW Individual Java Green Metallic II (javagruen; metallic uni; P7V/6; BMW) VIN: WBS4Y9C05LFH12964 Mileage: 8,184 Price: $71,000 CarFax:Link Window Sticker: N/A Location: Premier Auto Lounge, Clearwater, FL Dealer Listing:Link
Why We Love It:
Java is an incredibly dynamic green- loud, but not obnoxious- at least to us. This M4 Competition’s prior owner took that Comp badge to heart, adding some choice track-focused OEM+ modifications, further helping it to stand out from the other M cars at Publix. That’s something we can get behind. Believe it or not, this is the second Java Green F80-gen M car we’ve featured from Clearwater, Florida’s Premier Auto Lounge. The dealer seems to pride itself on having a few Tailored Drivers in stock at any given time, meaning that there’s a good chance you’ll be seeing them again soon.
BMW Macao Blue Metallic is a color that’s only ever been standard on M cars. It debuted on the BMW M3 (type E30) in 1986, though didn’t carry over to more modern M-cars until 2016 when it resurfaced as the spec color for the BMW M3 30 Jahre (type F80).
Macao Blue Metallic is a darker blue, sitting more on the purple side of the blue spectrum. Most often, it appears as blue, though purple undertones seem to pop under certain lighting.
Given its history with BMW’s M division, Macao Blue is a subtle choice that can be had from BMW Individual, harkening an if-you-know-you-know appreciative nod from other BMW aficionados while largely going unnoticed to average members of the populace.
What: 1999 BMW M3 Evolution Convertible Color: BMW Individual Violet Blue(violettblau; non-metallic; 528; BMW)) Chassis #: WBSBK920X0EX67158 Mileage: 46,400mi Price: Auction CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Ryan Friedman Motorcars, Glen Cove, NY Auction Link:Link
Why We Love It:
The M3 we didn’t get, in a color we couldn’t- there’s a ton to like here. Sure the E36 generation’s M3 was offered in the US, but to many enthusiasts (or snobs), the S52 that powered it wasn’t really an M motor, just a 328i motor that’d been hot rodded a bit. Regardless of opinion, this M3 has the full-fat M3 Evo motor, and more importantly, the 6 speed manual that was specific to the Evo version. Further adding to the conversation is that this Tailored Driver is a right hand drive version, and a convertible- hardly the hardcore enthusiast’s choice. But to us, this represents a great opportunity to get in the Tailored market with a genuinely cool car.
What: 2015 BMW 335i Sedan Color: BMW Individual Grey Black(schwarzgrau; non-metallic uni; 7A1; Porsche) VIN: Unknown Mileage: 56,000 miles Price: $27,000 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Albany, NY Marketplace listing:Link
Why We Love It:
Individual builds on non-M BMW’s are uncommon for a number of reasons, so when an example shows up it’s important to take note. After all, special order vehicles generally are more of an aspirational pursuit generally reserved for the more aspirational models- think BMW M, Porsche’s 911, Audi RS, etc. But that’s a fairly elitist worldview- a BMW is still a BMW, and this one carried an original sticker price somewhere north of $50k, an amount that to most could be described as just that- aspirational. Now on offer for $27,000, this Tailored Driver is more attainable for most. And you can be certain that in a sea of Individual build F80 M3’s, it’ll one of few non-M Individuals you’ll encounter.
What: 1997 BMW 316ti Compact Color: Fiji Green (fidschigrün; non-metallic; 413; Porsche) Interior: Black and Yellow VIN: N/A Mileage: 99,000 km / 61,515 miles Price at Time of this Writing: € 18,000 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Erkner, Germany Private Party Listing:Link
Why we love mention it:
This color combination isn’t for everybody, but we suspect anyone who fully embraces automotive trends of the 1990s, particularly the quirkier German side of those trends, then we think you’ll love this car.
The E36-generation BMW 3-Series “Compact” you see here is reportedly one-of-one. While exceptionally rare, the striking and more-saturated-than-mint-green Fiji Green paint doesn’t quite get it one-of-one status. However, that two-tone black and yellow interior likely does.
We’ll share the car’s listing (translated to English by Google) below, and in that you’ll note the mention of its presence at the Essen Motor Show. Given this car is far from a tuner special, we’re guessing it was displayed there in period as part of a BMW brand stand. In that time period, the German manufacturers would often show up with some entirely stock but still radically built cars by their internal tailoring departments. BMW Individual appears to have had at it with this one, though curiously built in a relatively tame drivetrain configuration.
For starters, there’s an automatic transmission. Next, the ad doesn’t confirm which motor it is by name, but the power figures suggest it’s a 316 (so drop us a note if we’re wrong on that one). Whatever, it’s still a very interesting car that’s been owned by the same owner since 2000. For the BMW collector who has everything, we’re guessing they don’t have one of these.
This is one of our Euro market finds, so the usual caveats apply for our primarily North American readership. For Europe and other markets, we focus on cars older than 25 years, meaning a relatively easy import into the USA. This is often done by working with firms such as our friends at Orchid Euro, you can have the car purchased, transported to port, shipped to America and cleared through customs for clients seeking this sort of service.
BEGIN TRANSLATED LISTING TEXT:
This vehicle has been in our possession since 11/2000, and there have been plenty of documents since then. As well as all keys
The vehicle is professionally polished and ceramic sealed. Original paint documented
The vehicle was last exhibited at the Essen Motor Show.
Connoisseurs know what this is. In very excellent condition.
Proven to have been parked in the garage since 11/2000.
In summer 2024, the original chassis was replaced by a Bilstein B6 with new standard springs, including strut mounts and coupling rods.
09/24 air conditioning service, ~150g filled, full at over 800g filling weight
Private sale, no emergency sale, happy to go to collectors or enthusiasts.
The vehicle was actually invited to the 50th anniversary of the BMW 3 Series event at Lake Como in 2025, but I cannot attend due to a private appointment.
