Internally codenamed E3, BMW’s “New Six” lineup sold from 1968 until 1977 comprised sedans and coupes but never a wagon. While there was an in-house Touring conversion, these cars served as service/support vehicles for racing teams. Some coachbuilders saw an opportunity to fill the gap and decided to build a wagon version based on the E3.
One such company was FLM Panelcraft, based in London. It is believed only 12 cars were ever made, and one of them is rotting away in a garage in Manchester. The Late Brake Show’s Jonny Smith had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the “barn find” and discover its interesting story. It would seem the tailgate was borrowed from an Austin Maxi combined with a section of the E3 sedan’s trunk lid. Fun fact – the car’s current owner replaced the tailgate by sourcing the panel from an Austin Maxi donor car.
A former mechanic, Harry Taylor, the owner of this ultra-rare BMW Touring, has had the car for over 40 years, having bought it in November 1982 for the princely sum of £400. It was in rough shape back then, having partially burnt out. The car is based on a right-hand-drive 2500 model built in 1973 with an inline-six 2.5-liter engine linked to an automatic transmission.
Although partially dismantled, everything missing is inside the garage. In theory, the coachbuilt wagon could be fully restored but removing all that rust will take a while. Sitting some 35 years in an extremely humid garage has taken its toll on the car’s bodywork, although the underbody doesn’t look terrible.
Harry is interested in parting with the obscure vehicle, provided the new owner is willing to bring it back to its former glory and retain the license plate. In its heyday, the E3 Touring was used as a family wagon, which included a lavish trip to the lovely Saint Tropez in southern France.
Source: The Late Brake Show / YouTube
