The rarest BMW vehicles are also the most popular and sought-after vehicles for several reasons. For starters, these cars were either one-off wonders like the limited-edition models we see today or only sold in select markets worldwide. All in all, their rarity made their appeal that high, and people started loving them for their uniqueness. Nowadays, it is difficult to get your hands on them, but if you are lucky you might be able to acquire one at an auction.
Let’s take a look at some of the rarest BMW cars of all time and admire their remarkability.
1. BMW E34 M5 Touring:
BMW Touring cars are always a treat to drive, and the E34 M5 is no exception. BMW produced a mere 891 units of the model for their Italian customers. Nearly 1/4th of the cars got a higher-performance power unit, which was the 3.8-liter engine that produced 340 hp. The highly capable motor was paired with a 6-speed transmission, and the result was a lightning-fast BMW.
However, out of all the 891 cars, only 20 were named Elekta. That is the variant that is most rare and sought after by BMW lovers around the world.
2. BMW E21 Baur:
We all know the brilliance of the BMW E30 and that car’s exploits on the road. However, long before the E30 became a thing, BMW manufactured the E21 3 Series. The BMW E21 was the combined product of BMW and Baur – a coachbuilder based in Stuttgart, Germany. The folks at Baur convinced BMW that a unique convertible-cum-sedan design would work well, and people would throng the markets to buy the vehicle.
The result was a Targa top BMW. But the roof would only come off partly and only at the back where the C-pillars should have been. The unusual-looking BMW was not a hot seller, but it sold enough that Baur went on to produce similar versions for the BMW E30 and E36 models.
3. BMW E36 M3 GT:
The BMW M3 is a well-known car in the company’s line-up. It is already a performance-based car, so it seemed odd that BMW introduced the ‘GT’ emblem on the vehicle. But the reason behind that was BMW’s idea of bringing track performance to the streets. So, the German manufacturer built 3 units of the BMW M3 GTR E46. These three cars were used for testing and development purposes, and the company hoped to make 10 more of the same. However, the project was scrapped a few years into development and only 3 units were built for sale.
This car had a mighty 4.0-liter 8-cylinder power unit that eked out 450 hp. But on the street-legal variant, the power was reduced to 380 hp.
4. BMW 530 MLE E12:
BMW is a German automotive brand, but surprisingly some rare models weren’t produced in Germany. A good example is the 530 MLE E12. This vehicle was the brainchild of BMW South Africa, and it was produced four years before the first-ever M-badged cars went out to the dealerships. That was back in 1976, and perhaps the folks back in Germany took a few pointers out of the success of the BMW 530 MLE and made their very own version later down the line.
The Motorsport Limited Edition (MLE) E12 had several performance upgrades, but the supreme among them was the 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine- fine-tuned for more power. As a result, the BMW 530 MLE became one of the fastest street-legal cars of its time.
5. BMW 750iL Touring:
Full-size luxury sedans are not BMW’s thing, but the company still makes them and excels. A great example is the BMW 750iL Touring, which is a beautiful vehicle made by the brand back in 1986. The German company produced 311,068 units of the car. Unfortunately not many are in good condition nowadays. Therefore, a pristine second-generation 750iL is a rare car to find.
It had all the bells and whistles one would expect to find in a luxury automobile. BMW added traction control, active suspension, dual climate control, xenon headlights, and other innovative upgrades to the car.
BMW also made a station wagon body style 750iL, which is incredibly rare.
6. BMW 328:
Unfortunately for BMW, World War 2 marred their plans to become the leading automobile manufacturer in the world. They produced a beautiful car called the 328 back in 1936. At that time, the country was coping with the effects of the First World War, and they were unknowingly preparing for the next.
However, the 328 came as a blessing for BMW as their car was voted as one of the Top 25 Cars of the Century. This vehicle won numerous accolades in the field of motorsports, starting with a victory at the Nurburgring. The 328 went on to win many more racing championships, including a win at the 24-Hour Le Mans in its class, the 1939 RAC Rally, the Alpine Rally, and the Mille Miglia. And if that wasn’t enough to prove the car’s brilliance, the BMW 328 won another competition decades later in 2004, when it was victorious in an exhibition race between classic cars.
7. BMW Z8 Alpina:
The BMW Z8 is a pretty famous vehicle, which was known for its strikingly attractive exterior. The car was designed by none other than Henrik Fisker, who is a well-known figure in the automotive fraternity.
BMW knew that apart from the design, something was missing in the car. It was not as exciting as it should be and so BMW’s performance subsidiary Alpina took it upon itself to improve the vehicle. Alpina made a touring version of the Z8 and added a 4.8-liter V8 in place of the larger 4.9-liter V8. Apart from that, some bespoke wheels were also added. The BMW Z8 Alpina is an incredibly rare car since only 555 units of the vehicle were built. You would be hard-pressed to find one in good condition nowadays.
Final Thoughts
Several other BMW vehicles deserve to be mentioned here but let’s leave the list at what it is and discuss the others another time.