Wanderlust

Tag: BMW Individual

  • Color Check: Revisiting Borusan Turkish Blue by BMW Welt / BMW Museum

    Color Check: Revisiting Borusan Turkish Blue by BMW Welt / BMW Museum

    This isn’t the first time we’ve featured BMW Individual Borusan Turkish Blue (borusantürkischblau; non-metallic uni; P9E; BMW). Just a few weeks ago, BMW M shared an M4 Competition in the hue on their social media channels. This week, BMW Welt / BMW Museum is doing the same, only this time it’s a long roof.

    We should probably start by applauding BMW Welt / BMW Museum. That the brand has their own social media channels for their headquarters consumer welcome facility is worth noting. Not all brands do it, but BMW spent a lot of money on creating the ultimate year-long BMW Group auto show space just across from the iconic cylindrical BMW Museum so why chince out when it comes to budget to communicate it. BMW didn’t, and as a result owners like the guy taking delivery of this M3 Touring get highlighted on an official platform, and nerds keeping track of attractions at the brand’s Münich headquarters or keeping close eye on tailored builds such as this one benefit from the extra effort. Kudos to you BMW.

    And, kudos for cars like this one getting built. Borusan Turkish Blue as a color is a bright and bold blue, set on the more cyan/teal side of the blue spectrum. It’s not altogether that different from something like a Porsche Riviera Blue, and we’d love to see the two next to each other. One of the reasons we ran this story even though we recently featured that other post by BMW M is because these are real world shots in bright sun, whereas the previous post was in a medium to low light studio. That contrast gives those keeping track a better idea of the color, so we wanted to include it.

    Alas, we don’t get the M3 Touring in the United States and that’s a real shame, but we are about to get the M5 Touring and BMW Individual is also alive and well on this side of the pond. To that end, we hope you feel inspired. We know we do.

  • Market Find: BMW Individual Bronzit Metallic 323ti Sport Edition

    Market Find: BMW Individual Bronzit Metallic 323ti Sport Edition

    When you think of the auto show circuit, chances are the Geneva Motor Show comes to mind. Before COVID turned the world on its head, Geneva in March was must-see TV for auto enthusiasts around the world. Manufacturers would bring concepts and incredibly high spec builds, all positioned atop 7 to 8 figure booths, in an attempt to gain as many eyeballs as possible. This Tailored Driver is especially special to us because per the seller, it happened to be on BMWs booth in 1998.

    Yes, adjacent to the then new E46 generation 3 series sat this BMW Individual Bronzit Metallic (bronzit; metallic; 139; BMW) 323ti Sport Edition (VIN: unknown). While we can’t seem to find any images to support this claim, we certainly can picture this sitting under the lights, being crawled over by journalists, customers, and engineers from competing companies all the same. BMW Individual Bronzit Metallic really pops here in the most late-90s way possible.

    Since it left that show in Switzerland, this BMW Individual Bronzit Metallic 323ti Sport Edition has covered an impressive 345,000 km (214,000 mi), and so far as we can tell remained in good visible shape and largely unmodified apart from a Supersprint exhaust. With a slightly dipping Euro to USD ratio, the asking price of 9,900EUR (about $10,800 at time of writing) makes it a pretty interesting proposition too.

    If you’re ready to own a piece of history, you can find additional details here.

  • Market Find: 1995 BMW M3 Coupe (E36) in Daytona Violet

    Market Find: 1995 BMW M3 Coupe (E36) in Daytona Violet

    The E36 generation of BMW M3 is a modern young timer classic, meaning any clean and modestly-miled up specimen is likely to draw a premium. Throw in special paint such as BMW Individual Daytona Violet (daytonaviolett; metallic; 283; BMW) and now you have something extra special. Take for example this 1995 M3 Coupe we’ve just run across.

    There’s something about the E36. It lacks the 80s-tastic box flares of the E30 M3, or the truly unique M3 cues of the E46. Instead, like other performance cars of the early 90s (looking at you Porsche 964, Audi S2 or Volkswagen Golf VR6 Highline), it’s understated enough that casual observers might have a hard time picking it out of a lineup of lesser yet well-kitted 3 series models. Well… maybe lesser models in normal colors.

    This specific M3 Coupe isn’t just interesting because of its spec. If you decide you want it, it’s also going to be interesting to get transact upon. Why? Well, it’s located not far from Cannes, France. So, you’d have to import it.

    On the downside, it’s a U.S. spec car meaning less horsepower. On the upside, U.S. spec cars tend to hold their value better when resold in the American market, and we’re guessing any importation duties were paid back in 1995 when BMW brought the car into the U.S.A. in the first place. You don’t have to pay those duties a second time.

    Not paying a second round of duties is a bonus you wouldn’t enjoy on a European spec car, though we doubt it’ll cover your shipping. You’d also have to find someone to import it at the very least. For that we’d suggest Orchid Euro in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Orchid specializes in importation of cars older than 25 years, uses automotive transport vessels rather than risking it shipping in containers, and has a network of people in Europe who can get eyes on and even handle transport to the port of Emden, Germany from which they ship. That all comes with a fee, but we’ve found them to be reasonable and have used their services ourselves.

    So, interested in chasing this M3 down? You can find it listed HERE.

    Editor’s note: while not a BMW Individual build, Daytona Violet was a one year only color, with just 519 sold in the US. As such, we found it a fitting addition to our records, and a vehicle well worth featuring.

  • Color Check: BMW Individual Urban Green Solid on XM

    Color Check: BMW Individual Urban Green Solid on XM

    BMW M continues to share ideas of what you can do with its BMW Individual paint program, this time painting a figuratively green SUV like the XM in a literally green color Urban Green. Listed as “Urban Green solid” on the associated social media post, we’re assuming that means it’s non-metallic or pearlescent.

    We’re loving the throwback nature of colors like Urban Green. They seem to hark the olive greens and tans of the late 70s that you’d see on an early E21 3-series or the like. They look fantastic on a thoroughly modern crossover like the XM.

    One other thing worth mentioning is the link in the post by BMW M (the post HERE). That link takes you to the BMW Individual Configurator, which makes for a great way to spend a couple hours imagining the possibilities.

  • Color Check: M3 CS in BMW Individual Signal Green Solid

    Color Check: M3 CS in BMW Individual Signal Green Solid

    Signal Green is a common name thrown out over the years. While perhaps not as ubiquitously used as say a British Racing Green, we’re guessing that Signal Green (signalgrün; non-metallic uni; P56; BMW) isn’t always the same Signal Green. Granted, Signal is usually a primary green, but whether it’s formulated the same remains to be seen. In this case, we’re talking about BMW Individual’s take on Signal Green solid.

    BMW M posted photos of this M3 CS on their social media channels earlier today. Not much is known about further spec on the car due to the nature of a short social media post. Nevertheless, the photos are a solid (ahem) indication of what a BMW Individual client will get should they specify “Signal Green” from the house of M.

  • Market Find: BMW Individual Austin Yellow 435i

    Market Find: BMW Individual Austin Yellow 435i

    While we sadly are not able to verify, this Tailored Driver screams “Auto Show special.” It’s a relatively simple concept- a manufacturer needs to maximize eyeballs in a competitive environment, so they swing for the fences. This is generally even more apparent in large markets events that are manufacturer supported, with shows like Miami and LA being the best examples. If that is indeed the case with this BMW Individual Austin Yellow (austingelb; metallic; B67; BMW) 435i, we say it’s a job well done.

    Painted in the aforementioned BMW Individual Austin Yellow paint, more commonly seen on the F80 generation M3, this 435i (VIN: WBA4B1C55GG241995) is a fairly divisive proposition. Apart from the color, BMW simply calling this a 4-series rather than a 3-series was something that rattled the enthusiast community. Thankfully, BMW quickly put that fire out by unveiling the new 4 series with it’s controversial grille.

    Getting back on topic, we’re big fans of Austin Yellow and the similar Phoenix Yellow that precedes it, and while Ivory White leather isn’t at the top of our list, we think the build works incredibly well. This Tailored Driver has covered approximately 34,000 miles since new, and is currently on offer at Hollywood, Florida’s Godspeed Motors for an asking price of $25,995. See all the details about this BMW Individual Austin Yellow 435i, here.

  • Color Check: BMW Individual Borusan Turkish Blue on M3 Competition Touring

    Color Check: BMW Individual Borusan Turkish Blue on M3 Competition Touring

    If you’re a fan of bold racing blues then it’s worth taking note of the latest set of M3 Competition Touring photos posted by BMW M to social media (HERE). BMW Individual Borusan Turkish Blue (borusantürkischblau; non-metallic; P9E; BMW) seems to fall more on the green side of the blue spectrum, almost similar to Porsche Riviera Blue.

    On social media, the folks at BMW M have gotten quite adept at regularly posting great photography of interesting tailored builds in order to promote the BMW Individual program and its many, many offerings. They’re also using it to drive traffic to the BMW Individual Configurator, which makes for a great way to spend a couple hours imagining the possibilities.

    Also, hat tip to Frank van Meet and the rest of the team at BMW M who keep building cars like a Borusan Turkish Blue M3 Competition in long roof, station wagon “Touring” guise. In a world of SUVs, driving enthusiasts can’t thank you enough.

  • Market Find: BMW Individual Pyrite Brown Metallic X3M Competition

    Market Find: BMW Individual Pyrite Brown Metallic X3M Competition

    Though the fantasy of the tailored automobile is likely that of an exotic sportscar or super luxurious grand touring sedan, the reality is that most of us live life in a more practical daily driver. Car manufacturers like BMW recognize this, creating do-it-all products like the X3. If you need performance, you might choose the X3 M Competition, and if you’re also discerning you might choose a tailored BMW Individual specification like this Pyrite Brown Metallic (pyritbraunii; metallic; P86; BMW) example.

    If you’re impatient, don’t want to wait for a custom build or wish to enjoy the benefits of some depreciation, you could go one further and try to locate a specification like this on the used market – even better the certified pre-owned market. That’s exactly how this 2,260mi specimen (VIN: 5YM13EC02R9W97255) sits at BMW of Murray, Utah.

    You can find more on this listing over at BMW of Murray’s website HERE. Looking at that listing, including Competition Package, Executive Package, and Driving Assistance Professional Package, all listed with specific content broken out, we’d just like hat tip BMW and their dealerships for making evaluation of their cars that much easier. There’s no word salad of options mixed in with mundane equipment like “leather seats”. Ads like this make it easier for savvy shoppers who know what they’re looking for to quickly identify the specification details of the car. Although, the listing still says “Special Order Color”

    So how’d we know it was Pyrite Brown? We’ll share a secret with you. The car was posted by a moderator on the BMW Individual market and discussion group over on Facebook (HERE). We’re still waiting for car dealers to start listing paint names in their ad listings. Until then, groups and forums such as this one help enthusiasts locate tailored cars and we can’t thank them enough.

  • Market Find: BMW Individual Frozen Blue Metallic M3 Coupe

    Market Find: BMW Individual Frozen Blue Metallic M3 Coupe

    A few years after Ken Block flipped the automotive world on its collective head with his matte black Mercedes CLS, it became quite clear that some folks in Munich were big fans. BMW went on to release more than a few “Frozen” editions during the E90-generation, and this Market Find counts itself among them. In 2013, BMW brought a reported 150 of these to the US, and 72 of them were painted in their Individual Frozen Blue Metallic (frozenblau; metallic matte; K5J; BMW) color.

    Having covered approximately 50,000 miles since new, this BMW Individual Frozen Blue Metallic M3 (VIN: WBSKG9C55DJ594559) retains the matte finish that made it special- a clear indication that this car was well cared for, at least aesthetically. You see, Frozen paint requires a more complex operation when washing as to not ‘dull’ the matte and turn it back to a more traditional glossy finish.

    This BMW Individual Frozen Blue Metallic M3 Coupe is currently on offer at Scottsdale, Arizona’s Proper Performance Motors at an asking price of $51,995. When looking at the current state of a softening overall market, we feel this still represents a solid value, with scarcity more than making up for the approximately +20% premium.

    See more details about this Tailored Driver, here.

  • Market Find: BMW Individual Slate Green Metallic M3 Coupe

    Market Find: BMW Individual Slate Green Metallic M3 Coupe

    Woof. When this BMW Individual Slate Green Metallic (slategrün; metallic; 449; BMW) M3 Coupe (VIN: WBSBL93422JR16526) popped up on our radar, we were quite simply floored. A claimed 1-of-1 spec in a color that may have raised more than a few eyebrows in Munich when ordered, Slate Green Metallic paired with Cinnamon leather and Style 163M wheels commonly found on the Competition package is peak M3.

    Currently on offer at Ryan Friedman Motor Cars, this M3 has covered just 8,947 miles since new. That works out to be about 406 miles annually, which means the car really was never used, and likely never really will be either. So what we have here is genuinely a real contender for best E46 M3 in existence, which will go on to be a crown jewel in someone’s private collection, or become s centerpiece at one of the world’s more prestigious museums.

    If you’ve got the means, do not hesitate to give Ryan Friedman Motor Cars a call, or if you’re feeling frisky just click the Buy It Now button on their site and work out the details later. After all, this is one that you likely won’t see again. Check out the full listing for this Tailored Driver, here.