8 Series Convertible

Make
BMW
Segment
Compact

The BMW 8 Series, built from 1989 until 1999, remains to this day one of the greatest vehicles to ever roll out of Munich. Not surprisingly, a reborn 8 Series is on the way. A grand tourer with either a V8 or V12, the 8 Series has become a sought after collectible even though more than 30,000 examples were produced. However, there's an even more special 8 Series out there not enough people are aware of, the Alpina B12. Only 97 examples were built by Alpina, and one of them is for sale for around $92,000, or 85,000 euros.

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Oh, and you'll have to travel to the Czech Republic if you want to see it in the flesh. This particular B12 is number 57, built in January 1992, and has just over 81,000 miles on the clock. First discovered online by Bring A Trailer, the seller, RacingPal, claims all components are fully working and over the past few years it's been a part of a private collection. It was regularly started up to ensure it remained in working state. Power comes from a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V12 producing 350 hp and 361 lb-ft of torque, and is paired to a four-speed automatic transmission, which Alpina reprogrammed so that full-throttle downshifts made the most of the rev range.

Zero to 62 mph happens in 6.8 seconds and top speed is over 170 mph. Not amazing number by today's standards, but this was 1992, after all. Take note of the big Alpina turbine-style wheels and big exhaust, as well as the subdued Alpina stripes along the sides. Why would this be so special to own, especially in the US? Because not a single Alpina B12 was earmarked for the US market. And, low and behold, 2017 marks 25 years since this car was built, meaning one can legally import it stateside now.