1972 BMW Bavaria 3.0 S, AC, Sunroof, Manual Trans, Polaris Silver

1972 BMW Bavaria 3.0 S

Looking for a vintage American market Ultimate Driving Machine but only finding 2002s for sale? MotoeXotica Classic Cars may have the solution for you. We are proud to present this 1972 BMW Bavaria 3.0 S model that is in exquisite overall condition! The 1972 model year was the first year of the big six 3.0S sedan available to the US and this example was one of the first 3.0S sedans sold state side at Gerhard Motor Company of Albuquerque New Mexico on September 21st of 1971. It was produced and completed on July 1971 at BMW's Munich, West Germany factory. A physician who eagerly anticipated the big 3.0 sedan ordered the car new and owned this 3.0S for almost 40 years in dry Albuquerque, New Mexico and it has been garaged since. The New Mexico Certificate of Title is dated December 8, 1971.

Finished in Polaris Silver (code 060), the car's paint and trim are in overall excellent condition especially considering that most of it is original, there are some very minor blemishes visible upon close inspection. The windows are clear and intact and the car's lights, chrome bumpers and grills are in overall very good condition including those famous BMW kidneys.

This particular BMW rides on Pirelli P4 radials, size 195/70R14, at all four corners. The tires surround factory steel wheels with correct BMW wheel covers. The tires are in great condition and the wheels look fantastic. All of the car's body panels are straight and solid and this model even comes with a factory Golde sliding sunroof. The engine bay is extremely tidy; the trunk is tidy and includes the factory original tool kit and intact first aid kit.

Under the hood is the 170HP 3.0L inline SOHC six-cylinder engine with upgraded dual Weber 32/36 DGAV carburetors and triple-hemispheric combustion chambers. Backing that engine is the original and correct BMW four-speed manual transmission and a 3.64:1 rear end. Driver convenience features include a sunroof, worm and roller steering with power assist, factory air conditioning and power four-wheel disc brakes. The hose leading to the air-conditioner's compressor is not connected.

Inside, the rich, dark blue interior is eye-catching and in overall excellent condition that is almost impossible to believe that it is all original! The front buckets and rear bench seats are in very good condition, as is the matching carpet and contrasting, neutral headliner. The dark blue instrument panel, with its VDO gauges, has a few minor blemishes on its padding but is in overall good condition. A factory, three-spoke steering wheel faces the driver and echoes the condition of the rest of the interior. The inner door panels, mirror glass, center console and shifter are all in excellent order. Car comes with a factory radio delete plate, indicating this is a factory radio-delete model along with no external antenna ever mounted.

The big-bore, dual-carbureted BMW 3.0 S was introduced in late 1971 for the US, being a more powerful and expensive model than the 2800; a fuel-injected version was also made. With a fully independent suspension along with four-wheel disc brakes, the E3 was well ahead of its time in the early 1970s. The body was surprisingly light for its size, weighing less than the smaller E9 coupé. Vision is also good, with narrow roof pillars and no less than 27 square feet of overall glass area.

In the U.S. market, the 2500 and 2800 were introduced in 1969. The 2500 was shy of many of the luxury features included while the 2800 sedan was heavily optioned with items like full leather interior, power windows and power sunroof.

For the 1971 model year, Max Hoffman, the BMW importer for the USA, convinced BMW AG to build the 2500 configuration car but use the 2800 engine — i.e. the classic "American hotrod" formula of taking the lower option, lighter weight chassis and fitting the largest engine. This new E3 configuration was called the "Bavaria" and was unique to the U.S. market. The new Bavaria soon replaced the 1971 2500 and 2800 models. The Bavaria is generally considered the forebear of the modern BMW high-performance sedan as it combined excellent acceleration, good fuel economy, plenty of room for four people and a large trunk. The majority of them were sold with a four-speed manual transmission, reflecting the sedan's sporting nature.

Road & Track magazine called the later Bavaria "delightful" and "superb, "? concluding that it was "one of the world's best buys.”

Documentation includes original owner's manual, original troubleshooting guide and service record, BMW dealer service records and copy of original certificate of title.

Competition to this car in 1971 included Buick's Centurion sedan, Chrysler's New Yorker Hardtop Sedan, Mercedes-Benz's 300 SEL 3.5 and Mercury's Marquis Brougham.

By BMW 3.0S vin numbers (3100001 to 31300001 for 3.0S 1972 models) this car #3100224 is technically a 1972 BMW but the state of New Mexico titled it as a 1971 because it was purchased and titled by December 8th 1971. This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 51,668 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

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VIN: 3100224 Engine: +6791586+

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