RE: BMW Hands Over First Full Factory Restoration
Friday 13th August 2010
'It's lovely - but I was 25 when I ordered it...'The folks at the BMW Welt showroom-cum-museum recently handed over an effectively brand-new 3.0-litre BMW coupe to a happy customer.
BMW Hands Over First Full Factory Restoration
1972 3.0 CSi goes back to owner as good as new after factory refit - we're so not jealous
'It's lovely - but I was 25 when I ordered it...'
Ordinarily, this would not really be news - BMW must do this tens of thousands of times a year - except that this car was a 1972 BMW 3.0 and the first to be restored to original showroom condition by the BMW Classic Customer Workshop, part of the BMW Classic Centre.
If you're going to get your classic car restored, it's always best to get it done by professionals, we suppose - and who could be more professional than BMW itself?
"We have the theoretical knowledge of the vehicles, the technical expertise, original BMW Parts, and the requisite infrastructure to systematically link it all up," says Ralf Vierlein, BMW Group Classic's boss of sales and aftersales, with some magnificent German understatement.
As well as a complete overhaul of the car - including substantial bodywork repairs - the owner wanted to swap the four-speed manual for an auto, something that had previously been done only with two prototypes of the BMW 3.0 CSi.
BMW isn't mentioning how much the whole shebang cost its customer, but we would imagine more than a couple of euros will have changed hands in return for the restoration...
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Discussion
ha ha ha 
Nice write up though. And it always amazes me why car makers and dealers don't specialise in classic range. Seriously how cool would it be to walk into a Jag showroom and have some mint examples of E-Types and MKII's line up next to the new ones. All available from the "factory" as it were. I'm sure there'd be a market for it and it'd promote brand loyalty.
article said:
The folks at the BMW Welt showroom-cum-museum recently handed over an effectively
Wouldn't "come" have been a more appropriate word here??? Nice write up though. And it always amazes me why car makers and dealers don't specialise in classic range. Seriously how cool would it be to walk into a Jag showroom and have some mint examples of E-Types and MKII's line up next to the new ones. All available from the "factory" as it were. I'm sure there'd be a market for it and it'd promote brand loyalty.
Brian McGee said:
More importantly..is that place all indoor!
It looks huge.
BM
Yup don't do Beemers but have been there. It has a lovely caf... err restaurant as well. It looks huge.
BM
More pics here ;-http://www.bmw-welt.com/web/portal/en/index_narrowband.html?content=http://www.bmw-welt.com/web/portal/en/home.html
or here http://tinyurl.com/ll6k6w
It is right next to the Olympic village & the Olympic Tower has a restaurant at 181metres from the ground that rotates. Took the Mrs to Munich for her 50th & dinner there was an eyewatering amount!
hornetrider said:
Great idea - a factory refresh must cost a packet though. I wonder if the suspension components are 'period' or whether they put in more modern items.
For German market would have to be TUV approved but they maybe a more modern "equivalent"I wonder what changes are permissable before the german system deems it a new car?
300bhp/ton said:
And it always amazes me why car makers and dealers don't specialise in classic range. Seriously how cool would it be to walk into a Jag showroom and have some mint examples of E-Types and MKII's line up next to the new ones. All available from the "factory" as it were. I'm sure there'd be a market for it and it'd promote brand loyalty.
Good point. Sadly though some/many of the great British classics could not go through a similar process due to the disappearance of the manufacturer- Triumph TR range/Stag etc.(moe if you go back into the 50's etc) There is that company, KW Engineering I believe, who do a pretty good job on XJ V12's & Eagle who do E Type recons. 300bhp/ton said:
ha ha ha
is this a whoosh? Cum is exactly the correct word. "An English linking word, derived from the Latin word for 'with.'"article said:
The folks at the BMW Welt showroom-cum-museum recently handed over an effectively
Wouldn't "come" have been a more appropriate word here??? Brian McGee said:
More importantly..is that place all indoor!
As stated already, it's BMW Welt in Germany. I've been there a couple of times and it is a fantastic place, and the BMW museum there too. The ramp that chap is driving down really is that big, and is more regularly used for people collecting their new car. Pop in if you are ever over that way, it's worth a look.
you know when your sitting there at your desk, still a bit hungover from thursday night drinks aftr work, and your sitting there, hurting and too knackered to answer that letter on your desk that needs doing. you read this sort of article and just think, "my god some people have got good jobs" Can you imagine the people who work at BMW classic getting up totaly pissed off about having to go to work.... No nor can I. It must be like a kid in willy wonkas chocolate factory working there. All that heritage and the ability to do a job as amazing as that. I'm jealous. Should be good when the E30 M3 they have there is done too, i read elsewhere that they are also working on restoring an original M1 for a customer too.
FWDRacer said:
The cheesiest hand over photo in living memory. All it needs is a moustache/mullet combo for full effect 
Great idea tho' - and as for the poster suggesting 40K? I'd wager double that.
Double that 40k at an absolute minimum ..... probably very close to 6 figures I'd bet.Great idea tho' - and as for the poster suggesting 40K? I'd wager double that.
I'm surprised BMW haven't done this years ago tbh, as Mercedes have had there 'factory' restoration unit operating for some years now, as does Porsche IIRC.
And of course, you've also been able to have your Aston or Lambo restored by the factory as well for some years now.
sprinter1050 said:
300bhp/ton said:
And it always amazes me why car makers and dealers don't specialise in classic range. Seriously how cool would it be to walk into a Jag showroom and have some mint examples of E-Types and MKII's line up next to the new ones. All available from the "factory" as it were. I'm sure there'd be a market for it and it'd promote brand loyalty.
Good point. Sadly though some/many of the great British classics could not go through a similar process due to the disappearance of the manufacturer- Triumph TR range/Stag etc.(moe if you go back into the 50's etc) There is that company, KW Engineering I believe, who do a pretty good job on XJ V12's & Eagle who do E Type recons. I just reckon it could be quite lucrative, as well as very cool
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