1989 BMW M3 (E30) Cabriolet

Forming part of The Vault Collection - a small group of best of breed cars that have been curated by a genuine enthusiast who wanted to fill his specially built underground car facility with the best possible examples of his favourite modern classics. Iconic Auctioneers are privileged to have been granted access to the 'vault' and are pleased to present some choice examples.

If there’s one model in the history of BMW M-Sport that is representative of all convertibles of the brand, it is the BMW M3 E30 Convertible. BMW M's first mass-produced vehicle with a fabric roof, it embodies the symbiosis of high performance and luxurious convertible driving like no other car made in the 1980s. Today, this iteration of the M3 E30 is a rare and sought after modern classic and you can see why. The first convertible in M history, only 786 hand-built examples produced, a convertible with World Championship DNA, 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds and 195bhp peak power.

The BMW M3 E30 wasn’t really planned. It came into being thanks to a particular 'Group A' Motorsport regulation that meant that in order to homologate its M3 racing model for Touring Car Championship events, BMW M also had to build 5,000 units of a road-legal version.

Success on the racetrack followed in 1987, when Belgian driver, Erik van de Poele, won the overall DTM title in the M3, whilst it also helped propel German Winfried Vogt to European Touring Car Championship title glory. The crowning achievement that year was the inaugural World Touring Car Championship title captured by Italian Roberto Ravaglia behind the wheel of an M3. The M3 dominated that series from start to finish and a motorsport legend was born. As a result, the 5,000 planned road-legal versions were quickly sold and BMW M, realising it had a hit on its hands, quickly moved to cater to demand. This included the creation of rare special edition models such as the BMW M3 Evolution, the BMW M3 Cecotto, the BMW M3 European Champion signed by Ravaglia and of course, the BMW M3 Cabriolet.

Like the two-door saloon, the M3 E30 Cabriolet is derived from motorsport, combining high performance and open-top enjoyment in a way that had never been seen before. After all, the M3 E30 was the only DTM 'homologation model' that was also available in a convertible version, with its self supporting all-steel body, which is welded to the car’s floor, providing the car with greater rigidity.

The original E30 M3 was as at home on a country road as it was on a circuit, a quality shared with all BMW M cars today, however only one feature was missing, the ability to enjoy open-air motoring and the Cabriolet brought both features together at its market launch in 1988.

The E30 engine – characterised by its wide, milled cylinder head, spark plug connectors arranged in line and M Power lettering on decorative stripes, is testament to the BMW M engineers' attention to detail, whilst the water-cooled, four-cylinder, in-line unit, with its compact design, 16-valve light-alloy head, two overhead camshafts and five-bearing crankshaft bears witness to its proximity to motorsport. And so it should – the 2.3-litre engine is a derivative of the Formula 1 engine that propelled Nelson Piquet to become world champion in 1983. Initially, the M3 Convertible developed 195bhp and reached a top speed in excess of 140mph, yet weighed in at just 1,360kg. In 1988, this was an impressive power-to-weight ratio for four-seat convertibles and it still guarantees incomparable driving pleasure today.

The car presented here is a 1989 BMW (E30) M3 Cabriolet delivered new in Germany in July 1989 and sold to a wealthy German businessman, who only ever used it on dry summer days, (indeed, the service booklet only shows stamps in April and again in October!). It was imported into the UK in February 1997 via BMW specialists Munich Legends and was sold to the publisher of BMW Car magazine, Colin Wilkinson (he duly featured it in the publication - a copy is in the history file, plus a letter detailing the car’s early history).

The car had covered just 16,000 miles by this point, this mileage being accrued by just its original German owner and was still on its original tyres. In striking Misano Red paintwork, it is believed to be the only example produced with the special Ravaglia M-cloth cloth inserts in the seats and doors. It remains in wholly original condition, commensurate with that level of diligent ownership.

The history file documents and confirms the continuity of ownership, giving any new buyer huge confidence. Similarly, the service history is equally impressive, carried out by marque specialists back at Munich Legends or at BMW, with service stamps accordingly in the car’s original booklet:

Oct 2021 – 52,688 kilometres

Apr 2001 – 30,538 kilometres

Mar 2000 – 29,910 kilometres

Apr 1999 – 29,087 kilometres

Apr 1998 – 28,142 kilometres

Feb 1997 – 25,596 kilometres

Apr 1996 – 23,448 kilometres

Apr 1995 – 18,962 kilometres

Jun 1992 – 13,058 kilometres

Jun 1991 – 9,450 kilometres

Aug 1989 – 2,206 kilometres

Our vendor continued this tradition, treating the car to full Sytner BMW Inspection ll service and Health Check and in March 2025 (with a corresponding video presentation of the car and its underside) and a fresh MOT @ 54,200km, valid until March 2026 and issued with 'no advisories'.

All the ingredients are there with this car - from the ultra-cool era of BMW, a motorsport pedigree, small production numbers, originality, dutiful ownership and superb condition – make no mistake, a best of breed E30 M3 Cabriolet is a car to watch!