After the second World War, the entire world was in recovery mode. The world’s biggest conflagration saw nations around the globe scouring for resources and investing it all in weapons and ammunition. That meant car makers were facing a shortage of supplies of materials, like sheet metal for example, to build their cars. Some innovative solutions were brought on and BMW launched a series of cars that wouldn’t be instantly recognized as BMWs by today’s standards. Then the 1960s came by and the 02 Series was launched, putting BMW back on the map.

The 02 Series was made up of a beautiful range of vehicles which, with some small exceptions, weren’t particularly fast. The 2002tii was probably the most known desired model back then but other choices were also available for those wanting to cruise around, maybe without a roof on. The BMW 1600 Cabriolet was one such car, using a rather small engine but offering an interesting cruising sensation.

It was a rather expensive car back then but it did come with a certain flair to it, one that made it stand out in the crowd thanks to its stylish design and elegant shape. With only 1,672 units ever made, the 1600 Cabrio was and still is a rare bird. But does that justify the price tag the people from Silverstone seem to be asking for? The car shown in the photo gallery below will go on auction during an event held on November 10 – 11. The expected price to reach is set at about £50,000 – £60,000 ($66,000 – $79,000 at today’s exchange rates) and that’s, as you might know, brand new BMW M3 territory.

Sure, the two can’t be compared in terms of performance but what about value? Well, the car apparently only has 9,600 miles on the clock, the engine was taken care of and the transmission is in impeccable standing. Furthermore, this is the only 1600 Cabriolet in the UK but to my taste, that might just not be enough to justify such a high price tag. But then again, that’s just me and since Silverstone says it will sell for that much money, I’m sure they know what they’re talking about.

[Image by BMW Group Classic]