If you haven’t heard of Hartge, the German tuning company, you’re probably not alone. Outside of Germany, Hartge isn’t as well known in the tuning community as other BMW tuners, such as AC Schnitzer or Dinan. However, Hartge has made some really cool Bimmers over the years and this E30 3 Series that was imported from Germany to the U.S, is one of them.
This specific Hartge-tuned E30 3 Series just sold on Cars and Bids for a whopping $20,250. That might not sound like much, considering E30 M3s can go for nearly $100,000 more than that, it’s quite a bit for a standard E30 3 Series, regardless of who tuned it.
It started out life as a BMW 323i but its upgraded 2.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-six makes more power, thanks to an upgraded crankshaft, new intake manifold, and a full Supersprint exhaust, with a Hartge muffler and tips. It also has a Hartge valve cover, 16-inch wheels, and body kit, giving it a unique look. This one is also painted in Macao Blue Metallic, which looks mostly purple in sunlight and is fantastic. The white stripes down the sides of the car give off ALPINA vibes but this isn’t as heavily upgraded as an ALPINA-tuned car.
Inside, it has a unique four-spoke steering wheel and shift knob, which both aren’t as good looking as the stock units. Its seats are also upgraded as well, with chunkier bolsters and cushions. There are some minor upgrades as well, such as the Blaupunkt head unit, upgraded speakers, and amplifier.
The E30 is one of the most fun, chuckable little classic Bimmers you can find and their simplicity and easy maintenance help make them highly desirable. Which is why even decent normal E30 3 Series’ cost $10,000. So the fact that this rare, tuned, and incredibly unique Hartge-tuned car sold for just $20,250 is kind of interesting. Either bidders just weren’t well aware of Hartge and didn’t feel that its tuning package was worth much more money or its upgrades weren’t as loved as we might have thought.
There was the issue of its mileage, though. The odometer reads 1,000 miles, as its engine was rebuilt and that’s how many miles were driven since. However, the state of Massachusetts, where it’s registered, gave it a Not Actual Mileage title, indicating inaccurate mileage. And while the car does look really good, there’s no way of telling how many miles it’s been driven. Hopefully its new owner has no issues and enjoys their new car.
[Source: Cars and Bids]
