The car that never was

[blunderthumbs]

BMW produced an E34 roadster in 1989 and intended to show it at the Geneva motor show. However it decided to scrap the idea as it thought it would affect their sales of the M3 roadster . What an absolute shame . Awesome motor.

 

[M340]

Always loved that prototype. Would have been a winner

 

[Flyingfifer]

Anything bigger than a 2 seater has absolutely no right being convertible :thumbsdown:
I just see "I'm late middle aged, wanted a convertible but had a bunch of kids and cant have a proper one"

 

[minimental]

I like that...but there is something that is wrong about it that i cant put my finger on, I feel a big cabrio like that suited the contemporary Merc e class much better...although a 2 door coupe (6 series i guess) would have been awesome!

 

[mmm-five]

The standard e34 M5 was a boat, so not sure how much extra bracing they'd have had to put into this to stop it making you sea-sick.

There was an e34 M5 special on the BMW Group Classic youtube channel, but it doesn't show the prototypes - just the saloon, touring and Ring Taxi (which I've been in with Sabine - and one of the reasons I bought an e34 M5).

[youtube]S8joGW0CeG8[/youtube]

 

[Ed.Straker]

Anything bigger than a 2 seater has absolutely no right being convertible :thumbsdown:
I just see "I'm late middle aged, wanted a convertible but had a bunch of kids and cant have a proper one"

Ouch...

I guess you are

Not middle aged
Have no children
Don’t have to explain your actions to others

Maybe all 3 ?

 

[enuff_zed]

Anything bigger than a 2 seater has absolutely no right being convertible :thumbsdown:
I just see "I'm late middle aged, wanted a convertible but had a bunch of kids and cant have a proper one"

Ouch...

I guess you are

Not middle aged
Have no children
Don’t have to explain your actions to others

Maybe all 3 ?

Or bought a car designed with no roof, but went for the tin top option and is now feeling jealous.

 

[Flyingfifer]

Ouch...

I guess you are

Not middle aged
Have no children
Don’t have to explain your actions to others

Maybe all 3 ?

Correct on all counts
I see things like 3 series convertibles and just cant help but see these..



Makes me cringe like fk

 

[Crazy Harry]

Anything bigger than a 2 seater has absolutely no right being convertible :thumbsdown:
I just see "I'm late middle aged, wanted a convertible but had a bunch of kids and cant have a proper one"

Yep If you can't touch the boot lid from the drivers seat its not a roadster its a charabanc :lol:

 

[Argyll Andy]

Anything bigger than a 2 seater has absolutely no right being convertible :thumbsdown:
I just see "I'm late middle aged, wanted a convertible but had a bunch of kids and cant have a proper one"

Ouch...

I guess you are

Not middle aged
Have no children
Don’t have to explain your actions to others

Maybe all 3 ?

[ref]Flyingfifer[/ref],

No one will have him Ed, the not middle aged is just luck......... at the moment, but it’s coming

 

[Flyingfifer]

Yep If you can't touch the boot lid from the drivers seat its not a roadster its a charabanc :lol:

BMW 4 Series Convertible (1).jpgew_u_6.jpg

100%

[ref]Flyingfifer[/ref],

No one will have him Ed, the not middle aged is just luck......... at the moment, but it’s coming

Still wont reduce myself to driving a Charabanc

 

[Nictrix]

I have always thought they look too long and the people in the rear seats dont look like they are enjoying it.

 

[Ed.Straker]

I have to say that it’s amazing how cutting the roof off improves the look of so many cars...not withstanding issues of age/financial autonomy/fertility...

 

[Dark Diggler]

Anything bigger than a 2 seater has absolutely no right being convertible :thumbsdown:
I just see "I'm late middle aged, wanted a convertible but had a bunch of kids and cant have a proper one"

You’d get 2 kids in the back but not sure about 2 late middle aged mates

 

[Wyldie85]

Oops, clearly I broke the rules then. I’m not middle aged and don’t have children.

As per the original OP, if it was meant to be, it would have happened and it allowed the 3 series cab to shine.

 

[Flyingfifer]

You’d get 2 kids in the back but not sure about 2 late middle aged mates
AF3301F6-C3C5-42D6-811F-1E57D82EC070.jpeg

What even is that (apart from a waste of a perfectly good car)

Oops, clearly I broke the rules then. I’m not middle aged and don’t have children.

As per the original OP, if it was meant to be, it would have happened and it allowed the 3 series cab to shine.

Never said it was a rule just that when I see anyone with a car like that I think as previously stated :idunno:
Completely pointless imo, if you want a 4/5 seater get one, if you want a convertible get one but dont try and combine the two as 100% of the time it looks dire and results in a car thats worse than the ones that havent been chopped to bits :idunno:

 

[Dark Diggler]

You’re right my example is awful

 

[dhobbs]

Some of the classic American convertibles are cool. Do they classify as two seaters, one bench seat at the front and a bench seat in the rear. :wink:

Wouldn't work with the UK weather though.

 

[Mr Tidy]

I think that E34 Cabriolet (I would never call it a Roadster!) looks good, and might have made a nice wafty convertible with a production straight 6 and probably as an Auto.

But I can't imagine one with an M5 engine handling like an M car of that era should!

From what I have read even E46 M3 Cabrios don't handle anything like as well as the Coupe, so I would be surprised if an E34 without a roof wasn't a bit floppy. :lol:

 

[mmm-five]

I think that E34 Cabriolet (I would never call it a Roadster!) looks good, and might have made a nice wafty convertible with a production straight 6 and probably as an Auto.

But I can't imagine one with an M5 engine handling like an M car of that era should!

From what I have read even E46 M3 Cabrios don't handle anything like as well as the Coupe, so I would be surprised if an E34 without a roof wasn't a bit floppy. :lol:

The straight six in the 3.8 M5 was quite a comfortable cruiser, and whilst not turbo-diesel levels of torque, it was quite happy to bumble along at 2000rpm (I had to nurse mine home from Germany with a 2000rpm max to stop the crank damper falling off).

Of course, it's much happier at 3500rpm+ up to it's red-line - but it's not as peaky as the S54 in the M3/Z4M - it's also not as efficient (28mpg if you drive it very carefully, but more like 22mpg average the way I drive). But the benefit of a 90L tank was 500 mile range - the downside being a twice-daily €150 fill-up at the Nurburgring.