European Market Finds
EU Market Find: Volkswagen Mk1 Cabriolet Toscana in Rare Copper Metallic
For the most part, Volkswagen doesn't have an in-house tailor, but this German economy brand is rife with special editions, ranging from sticker pack mediocre to truly special. We'd weight the Golf Cabriolet Toscana special edition more on the truly special side of that spectrum.
EU Market Find: Rare Green-on-Green 1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Targa
While the Porsche 911 964 generation was definitely sold in the United States, the last of the primarily hand built and upright headlight air-cooled 911s has become a rare and valuable commodity thanks to the likes of Singer and RWB conversions. Given that, seeking out cars in Europe can not only net more selection, it can also pay a bonus with rare specifications most American buyers weren't likely to order. We think this green-on-green 1991 911 Carrera 2 Targa qualifies.
EU Market Find: BMW Individual Atlantis Blue Metallic 520i Touring
Will·
While it's easier to attain a Tailored Driver if your wallet is thick enough to require chiropractic intervention, we think it's more fun when Tailored status is within reach of the everyman or woman. At €3,500 (about $3700 USD, plus shipping) this E39-generation 520i Touring painted in BMW Individual Atlantis Blue Metallic and paired with the frankly wild Boa Boa cloth interior and a timeless 5 speed manual transmission is exactly that- fun.
Speed Yellow Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8 Hits RM’s Private Sales Department
Unlike the much more common Porsche 911 Carrera RS of the 964 era, the 911 Carrera RS 3.8 is an actual homologation special. Okay, technically the “plain” Carrera RS boasted a lot of changes consistent with the then-current Carrera Cup series, but the 911 Carrera RS 3.8 was built literally to homologate the car for international GT racing requirements.
EU Market Find: 1997 BMW 750i with BMW Individual Blue Leather
Will·
Want luxury? The BMW Individual Blue interior on this E38 has no shortage of it, from the Lay-Z-Boy style front buckets, to the center console mounted telephone, and the certainly very out of date Navigation/Cassette player combo. Love internal combustion? Great- twelve cylinders mean fuel will combust internally quite often.
EU Market Find: BMW Individual Velvet Blue Metallic 528i
Will·
Europe in the 90's, man. What a strange time. The kind of time, in fact, where a well-to-do professional would put down real money for a brand new 528i, opt for BMW Individual Velvet Blue Metallic (great!), and also check the box for whatever this two-tone blue and beige, umm, statement piece is.
1991 “Oppenheimer Commission” Singer DLS Goes Sealed Bid with RM Sotheby’s
"The Oppenheimer Commission" was named for the Oppenheimer Blue diamond and not for the nuclear physicist.
1 of 25 Subaru Impreza P25 Reimagined by Prodrive
If you were going to pick the ultimate company to reimagine Subaru's first-generation Impreza Coupe (type GM), then we suspect Prodrive would be the likely choice.
EU Market Find: 2000 Evergreen “Clownshoe”
This particular BMW M Coupé isn't low mileage, though not hatefully high. It's not a one-off BMW Individual paint, though it is fairly rare. At the time, BMW offered Evergreen with dual-tone black and green interior. That was the late 1990s / early 2000s when such combinations were kitsch cool for those in the know. The take rate wasn't high, which made them rare. And Evergreen, we'd argue, should be due to have its day again given the uptick in pastel colors we've been seeing in paint to sample catalogues.
EU Market Find: VW T3 Multivan “Limited Last Edition” Oettinger WBX6
Known as the "Vanagon" in the United States, the Volkswagen T3 may be the 964 or 993 of the VW van lineage. While note quite as elegant as earlier T1 and T2 versions (a.k.a. Microbus), the more modern boxy shape retains the same rear-engine configuration that put Volkswagen (and Porsche) on the map. Also, its production run from 1979 to 1992 (practically the same as the Mk1 Golf/Rabbit Cabriolet) makes it a darling of the budding "rad era" car collector segment, while it was also a staple in the early #vanlife movement. All this combines to make for a robust collector market for T3s, meaning rare and special examples have realized appreciable gains. Throw in a special edition breathed on by a relevant remaster like a period German tuning house and you definitely have our attention.