1992 BMW 320i E30

This car is in pretty much time-warp condition.

Bought new by its first owner (a former member of the Australian Intelligence services, no less) in 1992, the car was gifted to a family friend in 2016 when ill health necessitated a change.

That friend - the vendor - has dutifully maintained and curated the car as the first owner would have wished and now he feels the time has come for it to move on to another welcoming and equally appreciative home.

This car first crossed the 50,000 mile threshold in 2010.

Today, the odometer reads 55,759 miles.

So, as you’ve no doubt deduced for yourself, it’s had a decidedly quiet and sedentary life for at least the last two decades.

It has been serviced and maintained by the current vendor, a man who knows his way around classic cars and a toolkit, since 2016.

It has also been MoT tested every year and hasn’t had a single advisory since 2009.

Which is, frankly, extraordinary.

The original owner never introduced the car to salt or snow or rain, instead keeping it warm and dry inside if the weather was anything less than clement.

When he took it on holiday, he’d only stay at places where it could be garaged.

The vendor has followed suit.

The results of their diligent and cautious curation speak for themselves on this wholly original, authentic, never restored, just-how-it left-the-factory 320i Cabriolet.

We have driven it and can honestly say that, if you didn’t know better, you’d think Gunther and Wolfgang must have put the finishing touches to it somewhere in Munich or Regensburg last month.

It starts on the button, pulls away smoothly and powerfully, and presses on with far more enthusiasm than anything this age has any right to do.

Nothing rattles or creaks. Everything is solid. All is sound.

It really is a revelation.

The bodywork is pretty much beyond reproach and we’ve found no dinks, dents, dimples or other significant damage or aberrations anywhere.

The blue paintwork is equally age-defying and has retained plenty of shine, vibrancy and lustre.

The black hood is manually operated and goes up and down as it should.

It forms a tight, close seal with the bodywork and feels very robust.

There are a couple of very small splits to the fabric on both sides of the hood at around the centre, and these are probably a consequence of the roof being in one position for a length of time.

We imagine these could be repaired without too much expense or effort – but we don’t know.

Because it’s unrestored, original and not actually possessed of magical powers, it is not wholly perfect.

There is some blistering and bubbling to be seen in all four wheel-arches, and although it’s by no means bad, it’ll need looking at one day in the not-too-distant future.

There are also some patches of discoloured paint on the bonnet and the odd stone chip here and there.

The wheels have some scuffing and minor corrosion in places and would probably thank their next owner for being given a well-earned refurbishment.

The matching Continental ContiPremium Contact 2 tyres look to have plenty of life left in them.

The car comes with a very rare cold climate rear screen cover.

All lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings look to be in good order.

The interior, you won’t be remotely surprised to discover, is every bit as untouched by the relentless creep of entropy as its exterior counterpart.

It is more or less just as it was when it left the factory, suspended forever in a moment in time in 1992.

The full grey leather interior has yet to earn more than a few light creases, let alone any meaningful patina.

There are no signs of obvious wear anywhere, save for a little light scuffing on the top of the leather gear knob.

The vendor believes that everything works as it should, with the occasional exception of the key fob remote, which can be a little erratic and temperamental.

Faults? Well, the door card storage cubbies have grown a little discoloured – but at least they’re matching in their discolouration.

Oh, and the driver’s rubber mat is lifting slightly at one corner.

Open up the boot and you’ll find, yes, a full and original BMW toolkit attached to the underside of the lid.

That and what appears to be the original first aid kit and triangle.

Open up the glove compartment and your jaw will drop as you clap eyes on the original rechargeable torch.

No, it doesn’t work, so it’s not Holy Grail-level, but it’s still as rare as teeth on a particularly endangered breed of hen.

As well as  the original Pioneer radio, there is a spare in the boot.

The vendor, who has kept an expert eye on this car for nearly 20 years, has recently changed the oil, filters and plugs.

The engine bay looks dry and clean, if little dusty – perhaps understandably.

The undersides of the car appear to us to possess plenty of structural integrity.

The car comes with a service book full of stamps up until the time it passed into the very mechanically capable hands of the vendor in 2016.

It also has full sets of keys and its original wallet of books and manuals.

It has an MoT certificate that’s valid until the 10.7.25.

We’re pretty sure that this car must have a portrait of a rather decrepit version of itself rotting away in an attic somewhere, à la Dorian Gray.

This low-mileage example of Bavaria’s finest has been around since Nirvana released ‘Come as you are’, Sharon Stone was appealing to some very basic instincts, and Damien Hirst was pickling his first shark for the Saatchi Gallery.

There really aren’t many like this anywhere.

If we were you, we wouldn’t be waiting for a better one to come along any time soon.

We’re confident to offer this fine car for auction with an estimate of £8,000 - £12,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.