BMW is believed to have built more than 1.3 million examples of the E21-generation 3-Series, but you’d be hard-pressed to find one in the US in the same kind of pristine condition as this one. Offered at auction through Bring a Trailer, this E21 has been driven just 9,000 miles (roughly 14,500 km) and looked to be in excellent condition given its age.

Read: What’s The One Generation Of 3-Series You’d Call Peak BMW?

The coupe was originally delivered in 1977 by Boulder European Autos in Boulder, Colorado, and apparently remained in the possession of the original owner, Dr. Warren Valencia, for more than 40 years until his death in 2020. It was then acquired by the current owner in 2024 and has been serviced in preparation for sale, receiving a new thermostat, coolant hoses, spark plugs, battery, drive belts, and tires.

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One of the nicest aspects of this E21 is the gorgeous Fjord Metallic paint finish. It sits on the original 13-inch turbine-spoke alloy wheels, now fitted with Kumho Solus tires. Found inside are a set of hugely desirable Recaro sports seats from the time, which, despite their age, show impressively few signs of wear, indicating the car has been very well cared for over the decades, even if it wasn’t driven much.

Still Rocking The Original Engine

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Driving this 320i is BMW’s 2.0-liter M10 naturally-aspirated four-cylinder, producing 110 hp and 112 lb-ft (152 Nm) of torque. This engine works alongside a four-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential.

A look at the original window sticker shows the car sold new in 1977 for $9,620, which works out to just over $53,000 in today’s money. That lands close to the MSRP of an all-new BMW 330i xDrive Sedan, which starts at $50,000. Bidding on this E21 reached $20,000 but fell short of the reserve, so the car went unsold.

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