Can anyone identify this model BMW?

I recently saw a BMW that I had never seen before. I talked to the owner and
he said it was an original European import model. It was a 1986 325i
semi-convertible. The best way to describe it is to saw the roof looked like a
Lancia Zagata's roof. Kind of a combo targa top/convertible. It was really odd
looking.

(ErikMcComber) haute in die Tasten:

> It was a 1986 325i
> semi-convertible. The best way to describe it is to saw the roof
> looked like a Lancia Zagata's roof. Kind of a combo targa
> top/convertible. It was really odd looking.
>

Maybe you saw a BMW Baur Topcabrio

http://membres.lycos.fr/photos6enligne/photos/baur3.jpg

Baur is a german coachbuilder with a long reputation in building
customized bodies. Since pre-war times Baur used to deliver bodies for
certain BMW chassis, many of them convertibles. In the 60's all Euro car
makers were quite uncertain about the future of convertibles and
roadsters. Most of them lacked a rollover protection, and guys like Ralph
Nader claimed travelling in a convertible as being terribly unsafe. Many
european manufacturers expected that the USA soon would abolish
conventional convertibles (the USA were the main market for these cars in
these days). In 1965 Porsche showed a reaction and introduced the first
911 Targa with big rollover protection bar. When BMW introduced the '02
series, Baur soon started to make convertibles out of it. However being
very beautiful, the early '02 full convertibles suffered from body
torsion. Then Baur introduced the Topcabrio system: A combination between
a fold-down rear roof sector and a detachable roof part over the front
seats. Baur made Topcabrios from the '02 models, from the E21 and from
the E30. BMW showed a lot of cooperation, they delivered pre-assembled
basic cars, ready for the conversion. The cars sold quite well, because
they were the only way to buy an open BMW from the BMW dealer and with
full BMW factory warranty. In 1986 BMW introduced the E30 convertible,
which affected Baur Topcabrio sales figures dramatically. Later Baur
tried to come into business with BMW again and secretly developed a 2+2
sports coupé based on the E30, but BMW introduced the Z1 and declined to
cooperate with Baur on this project. When BMW introduced the E36, Baur
made a 4 door topcabrio based on the E36, but they did not sell much of
them. Baur went bancrupt in the late 90's, just a few months ago the Baur
facility in Stuttgart was torn down by some caterpillars. Baur made some
very famous bodies. They made the bodies for the Porsche 917 as well as
for the BMW M1, but now they are history.

Topcabrio owners claim that their cars show less body torsion than usual
BMW cabrios, that they are safer in case of an accident and that you have
several choices to control the degree of openness. Besides that you could
have the Baur with all options, which were available with the E30 two
door sedan, but not with the E30 . I have seen several Topcabrios based
on 325iX AWD cars. Having experienced a ride in a beautiful 2002
topcabrio, I have to admit: Compared to a real convertible, a Baur
Topcabrio feels like sex with a condom: Sort of a similar feeling, but -
let's stay honest - it is not the same.

Frank

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>Maybe you saw a BMW Baur Topcabrio
>
>http://membres.lycos.fr/photos6enligne/photos/baur3.jpg
>

That is exactly what I saw. Thanks !!!
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