Moving the discussion here out of consideration for Mark at Huntingridge motors.
The question: why don't BMW collectors appreciate originality as much as say Ferrari owners.
Reason #1: BMW collectors are more focused on the driving experience over the 'showing' experience. BMWCCA is many times over more focused on competitive driving than JCNA. The only premium marque club that's similar, IMHO, is PCA where modifications are also widely accepted. Consider this, I have a number of cars that have non-sychronized transmissions. Slow, balky, difficult to drive, not great for getting FTD at an autocross. But, for me the value of these cars is in that vintage crash box experience, not how fast I can make them go. That, IMHO, is very different from what attracts most people to BMW's, which is style, and performance.
Reason #2: Perhaps people don't appreciate originality as much on E9's due to the way BMWCCA manages their judged concours events? BMW events tend more toward the "clean car" approach whilst JCNA, for example, puts a huge emphasis on originality (and of course condition). One reason people support this is that it gives sellers and buyers a uniform, objective set of criteria for assessing a vehicle's condition, configuration and value. I'm sure the value of this approach took decades to become accepted.
JCNA even standardized their autocross (slalom) for the same reasons. Sure it's fraught with issues (what's the correction factor for temperature and differences in asphalt makeup or altitude?). Nevertheless, it gives people a yardstick (as imperfect as it may be) to measure something. Once you can measure it, it's a lot easier to assign value based on the metric.
Reason #3: if you look at the value of BMW's that are truly rare and judged along side Gullwings, SS100's, 135M's etc., originality is HUGELY important. I'm not aware that it's popular to restomod 328's and 327's. E9's are still far too common for people to put a lot of value in originality.
The question: why don't BMW collectors appreciate originality as much as say Ferrari owners.
Reason #1: BMW collectors are more focused on the driving experience over the 'showing' experience. BMWCCA is many times over more focused on competitive driving than JCNA. The only premium marque club that's similar, IMHO, is PCA where modifications are also widely accepted. Consider this, I have a number of cars that have non-sychronized transmissions. Slow, balky, difficult to drive, not great for getting FTD at an autocross. But, for me the value of these cars is in that vintage crash box experience, not how fast I can make them go. That, IMHO, is very different from what attracts most people to BMW's, which is style, and performance.
Reason #2: Perhaps people don't appreciate originality as much on E9's due to the way BMWCCA manages their judged concours events? BMW events tend more toward the "clean car" approach whilst JCNA, for example, puts a huge emphasis on originality (and of course condition). One reason people support this is that it gives sellers and buyers a uniform, objective set of criteria for assessing a vehicle's condition, configuration and value. I'm sure the value of this approach took decades to become accepted.
JCNA even standardized their autocross (slalom) for the same reasons. Sure it's fraught with issues (what's the correction factor for temperature and differences in asphalt makeup or altitude?). Nevertheless, it gives people a yardstick (as imperfect as it may be) to measure something. Once you can measure it, it's a lot easier to assign value based on the metric.
Reason #3: if you look at the value of BMW's that are truly rare and judged along side Gullwings, SS100's, 135M's etc., originality is HUGELY important. I'm not aware that it's popular to restomod 328's and 327's. E9's are still far too common for people to put a lot of value in originality.
