Equipment

Ascot Grey Metallic upper paintwork, Graphite Grey Metallic lower paintwork, Anthracite cloth upholstery, 13-inch BBS alloy wheels, Recaro front seats, 5-speed manual transmission, BBS deep front spoiler, Sports suspension, 3-spoke leather sports steering wheel, Rear head rests, Electric door mirrors, Ascot Grey door mirror casings, Sunroof, Blaupunkt CD player, Hartge front strut brace, Twin exhaust pipes, Alloy spare wheel, Cigar lighter, Ash tray, Tailored overmats.

Exterior

Surely one of the best looking factory-spec E21s with its deep front spoiler, BBS alloys and two-tone paint scheme, this rare Limited Edition is in fantastic condition throughout. Available only during the E21’s final year of production and marketed as the ‘Edition S’ in Europe, the 323i LE was the rarer right-hand drive variant with only around 170 units supplied new through UK BMW dealers. Having been fully refreshed in recent years the paintwork on this presents to a great standard with only a few small chips and marks including some on the boot lid, bonnet, and under the front splitter. The glass is BMW-etched all round and the chrome bumpers remain in excellent order with a great mirror shine.

VIEWINGS WELCOME BY APPOINTMENT ONLY /// ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Interior

The original Recaro sports seats look and feel amazing, both still very supportive with remarkably little wear to speak of; the rear seats are also very well preserved with no rips or tears. The carpets and door cards are free from any major marking or discolouration, and the headlining is immaculate. Having been garaged for much of its life there are no large cracks on the top of the dash from overexposure to the sun, and we’re pleased to report that the leather sports steering wheel and gear knob also remain in superb original condition.

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

At its heart is the venerable 2.3-litre M20 straight six producing in excess of 150hp thanks to a full engine rebuild with uprated internals; this work was carried out by BMW performance specialists, ARM, in 2018. After a quick tune-up on arrival with us the car starts first turn of the key, idles up to temperature without fuss, and performs admirably on test – even by modern standards. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual ‘box allowing smooth and precise gear changes throughout the rev range.

History File

First registered in September 1982 this bonafide 323i LE is one of only 170 UK-supplied examples. It has now driven just shy of 113k miles in the hands of 9 registered keepers, all documented in the accompanying paperwork. The current enthusiast owner purchased the car back in 2012 and has spent a number of years sympathetically returning it to its former glory. Included in this work was a full engine rebuild by noted marque specialists and a professional repaint in the correct LE two-tone colour scheme. With the intention of keeping the car as original as possible, brand new parts were fitted only where necessary with most items sourced directly from either BMW or from specialists in Germany. The result is what you see here, a very sharp E21 in one of the rarest factory specifications. Not a concours example but a particularly fine 323i that looks as good as it drives.

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