RM Sotheby’s announced The Bavarian Collection of top BMWs, including a BMW 507 Roadster and M1, for the Munich sale in November 2022.
The Bavarian Collection of 32 cars and motorcycles from the BMW Group was announced for RM Sotheby’s new Munich sale on 26 November 2022. The two top cars from this group that will be offered without reserve are a 1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II and a 1980 BMW M1. The cars on offer include models from nearly all eras of BMW’s more than a century history as well as further interesting cars from the BMW Group brand marques Mini and Rolls Royce.
RM Sotheby’s Munich 2022 Classic Car Auction
RM Sotheby’s returns to the German market with an all-new sale in the surroundings of Motorworld in Munich (München) on 26 November 2022. The event should become an annual fixture in the European auction calendar to expand RM Sotheby’s footprint back into Germany. Around 60 cars are on offer.
RM Sotheby’s most memorable German auction was of course the special, one-off sale of the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold for $143 million at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart in mid-2022.
Marcus Görig, Car Specialist, Germany, says: “I am delighted that RM Sotheby’s has been entrusted with the sale of this significant private BMW collection. Being able to sell such an incredible variety of BMWs at a single auction, all without reserve, and in the hometown of BMW Group in Munich, makes this a very special match. This collection continues to underline our reputation as the auction house for large, single-owner collections.”
Bavarian Legends Collection at RM Sotheby’s Munich 2022 Sale
RM Sotheby’s announced the Bavarian Legends Collection, offered entirely without reserve, as a centerpiece of RM Sotheby’s inaugural Munich auction. The collection spans a remarkable selection of 32 vehicles from throughout BMW’s 106-year history and is likely to be well received in the hometown of the famous German carmaker.
In addition to the BMW classic cars, the collection includes many newer youngtimers and late 20th-century cars — a group that performed strongly at auctions in recent years.
Top BMW Cars at RM Sotheby’s Munich 2022 Auction
Some of the top BMW cars on offer from the Bavarian Legends Collection at the RM Sotheby’s Munich 2022 classic car auction include:
The 1958 BMW 507 Roadster Series II is one of just 252 examples produced. The 507 is unquestionably one of BMWs finest creations and a model highly coveted by collectors, being one of the most flamboyant of BMW’s post-war designs and the epitome of a stylish 1950s roadster. Finished in cream over a red leather interior, the 507 was BMW’s flagship in the late 1950s and will undoubtedly attract huge interest from collectors today (Estimate: €1,600,000 – €2,000,000). At least four BMW 507 Roadsters sold for over two million euro thus far this year including at The Zoute in Belgium and Audrain in Newport, USA.
Among the pre-war BMWs on offer is a beautiful 1936 BMW 319/1 Roadster, a highly capable car, and the model which established BMW as a leading manufacturer of highly engineered, refined, and fast sports cars. The 319/1 really formed the basis upon which BMW developed the legendary 328 roadster, of which one is offered in the sale. The 319 remains a highly regarded and very collectible pre-war sports car. The lovely example on offer is presented in two-tone grey over white with a red leather interior (Estimate: €150,000 – €200,000).
Modern Classics at Munich 2022
If the 507 was an avant-garde design in-period, the 1980 BMW M1 positively threw the BMW design rule book out of the window. Mid-engined and with stunning Giugiaro styling, the timeless design seems to have barely aged and represents BMW’s first genuine foray into the supercar market. Designed for both competition and for road use, the M1’s supreme engineering and powerful 3.5-liter straight-six engine allowed the car to create a lasting motorsport legacy and revered reputation. The car on offer was built for the head of BMW Motorsport, Jochen Neerpasch, and was finished in the unique color combination of Grey over a Brown interior. (Estimate: €575,000 – €725,000).
The 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL ‘Batmobile’ is another instantly recognizable sports car that represented the peak of BMW performance road cars in-period. The 3.0 CSL ‘Batmobile’ was the ultimate performance derivative of the 3.0 CSL, the lightweight aluminum-bodied variant of the standard 3.0 pillarless coupé. Today, this BMW remains an impressive performer on the road (Estimate: €180,000 – €220,000).
Top Young Timers
Elsewhere in the collection, there is a series of three consecutive generations of BMW M3s, including an E30-generation 1989 BMW M3 (Estimate: €45,000 – €65,000), an E36-generation 1997 BMW M3 (Estimate: €20,000 – €40,000), and an E46-generation 2003 BMW M3 CSL (Estimate: €30,000 – €50,000), all of which are offered with low miles.
Also offered is a pre-production 1990 BMW 850 CSi that was first owned by BMW for testing purposes, providing fascinating provenance for marque enthusiasts. The car’s second owner was the BMW racing driver and Ayrton Senna’s teammate, Johnny Cecotto. Undeniably one of the most coveted E31 BMWs in existence and is offered in the stylish color of Drake Brown Metallic (Estimate: €110,000 – €140,000).
The collection continues to offer some exceptional examples of some of BMW’s most interesting models and also features a 1999 BMW Z8, a car that has never been road registered, and which has covered only 105 kilometers. This is arguably as close as one will ever get to an as-new example of BMW’s V-8 powered ‘90s super-roadster (Estimate: €130,000 – €200,000 but careful of the “new car” VAT trap in some countries).
BMW Group Cars at RM Sotheby’s Munich 2022 Sale
The collection also features a selection of marques representing other areas of BMW’s business. This includes a highly desirable 1966 Austin Mini Cooper S Mk I, very much the original Mini to have (Estimate: €30,000 – €40,000), as well as a 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Owen Drophead Sedanca Coupé with Coachwork by Gurney Nutting, which is believed to be one of just 12 produced (Estimate: €350,000 – €500,000).
Also of historic interest is the 1928 Dixi 3/15 DA-1 Open Tourer, the Austin 7 variant that was the genesis of BMW’s motor car manufacturing (Estimate: €20,000 – €30,000) and a 1959 BMW Isetta 250 — the car that helped the company survive in the 1950s.
The RM Sotheby’s Munich 2022 auction will include top cars from many other brands and not only BMW. Some cars announced but with details unconfirmed include a 2001 McLaren MP4-16 Formula 1 racing car driven by David Coulthard, a 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster, a 2008 Lamborghini Reventon, a 2006 Porsche Carrera GT, and a 2017 Ferrari F12tdf.
