All 17 BMWs Featured In The 2025 Villa d’Este Auction
At a car meet last summer, an older gentleman rolled in with a mint-condition E9 and instantly became the center of gravity.
No burnout, no rev-battles – just the quiet confidence of a car that knows it belongs in a museum.
He mentioned once seeing a similar one glide across the Villa d’Este lawn like it was royalty.
That’s the kind of magic this event holds. It’s not just an auction, it’s a curated stage for BMW’s most elegant, eccentric, and outright legendary creations.
1. 1936 BMW 328 Roadster
Sweeping curves and open-air freedom define this pre-war masterpiece that revolutionized sports car design.
The 328 Roadster dominated racing circuits across Europe with its lightweight body and innovative 2.0-liter inline-six engine.
Finished in pearl white with oxblood leather interior, this particular example belonged to a German industrialist who hid it in a barn during WWII.
Its racing provenance includes three Mille Miglia entries during the late 1930s.
2. 1956 BMW 507 Series I
Jaw-dropping doesn’t begin to describe the 507’s timeless silhouette. Elvis Presley owned one during his military service in Germany, and this feather-blue example might make even the King jealous.
Hand-built aluminum bodywork wraps around a 3.2-liter V8 that produces the most delicious exhaust note this side of heaven.
With just 252 units ever produced, finding one is harder than spotting a unicorn. This particular car spent 40 years with a single owner in Monaco.
3. 1959 BMW 600 Limousine
Quirky charm oozes from this microcar oddity with its front-opening door and bubble-like proportions. Based on the iconic Isetta, the 600 added a side door and rear bench seat to accommodate a family of four.
Sporting a fresh restoration in period-correct pastel green, this diminutive wonder draws more attention than supercars costing fifty times as much.
The tiny 582cc motorcycle engine might not win drag races, but it’ll win every car show it enters.
4. 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL ‘Batmobile’
Racing pedigree meets German precision in this legendary homologation special nicknamed ‘Batmobile’ for its wild aerodynamic appendages.
The radical rear wing, roof spoiler, and fender fins weren’t just for show—they helped this beast dominate European touring car championships.
Finished in iconic Verona Red with gold pinstriping, this particular CSL wears chassis number 2275, making it one of the coveted first-series cars.
The previous owner meticulously documented its competition history at Spa, Nürburgring, and Silverstone.
5. 1979 BMW M1
Wedge-shaped perfection meets mid-engine thrills in BMW’s first and rarest supercar. Originally developed as a joint project with Lamborghini, the M1 became BMW’s solo masterpiece when the Italians backed out.
Painted in Henna Red, this pristine example shows just 8,400 kilometers on its odometer.
The howling 3.5-liter straight-six engine produces 277 horsepower and a soundtrack that makes enthusiasts weak at the knees. Only 453 were built, making this the unicorn of BMW collecting.
6. 1980 BMW M535i (E12)
Grandfather to today’s M5, this rare first-generation super sedan packed a performance punch that shocked the automotive world.
The factory-tuned 3.5-liter straight-six delivered 218 horsepower to the rear wheels—impressive figures for 1980.
Dressed in Polaris Silver with blue cloth Recaro seats, this particular example belonged to a German racing driver.
Modifications include period-correct BBS wheels and a discreet Alpine sound system. With just 1,410 E12 M535i models produced, these proto-M cars rarely come to market.
7. 1988 BMW Z1 Roadster
Vertical sliding doors that disappear into the sills? The Z1 wasn’t just thinking outside the box—it was reinventing the box entirely!
This limited-production roadster was BMW’s experimental playground for new technologies, including a composite underbody and removable plastic body panels.
Finished in rare Fun Yellow, this example shows just 7,500 kilometers and comes with its original tool kit and window sticker.
The previous owner, a German architect, kept it in a climate-controlled garage and exercised it only on sunny weekends.
8. 1991 BMW 850i Art Car
Pop art meets German engineering in this one-of-a-kind 850i painted by American artist David Hockney.
Unlike official BMW Art Cars that stayed in the company’s collection, this privately commissioned masterpiece features Hockney’s signature swimming pool motifs across its sleek grand tourer body.
Beneath the artistic exterior lurks a 5.0-liter V12 engine paired with a 6-speed manual transmission—a rare combination.
Documentation includes photos of Hockney working on the car and a signed certificate of authenticity from the artist himself.
9. 1995 BMW M3 GT (E36)
Racing homologation specials always draw collector interest, and this British Racing Green M3 GT represents the rarest of the rare E36 generation.
Only 356 were built to satisfy motorsport regulations, each featuring aerodynamic enhancements and a power bump to 295 horsepower.
The interior continues the racing theme with cloth Recaro seats featuring red accents.
This particular example, number 123 of 356, comes with complete service history and the original window sticker showing its eye-watering price when new.
10. 2001 BMW Z8 Roadster
Movie star good looks made the Z8 an instant classic when it debuted as James Bond’s ride in “The World Is Not Enough.”
Designed as a tribute to the legendary 507, this aluminum-bodied roadster combines retro styling with modern performance.
Finished in Titanium Silver with a red leather interior, this example shows just 3,200 kilometers on the odometer.
The previous owner, a Swiss watch manufacturer, kept all original accessories including the hardtop, car cover, and wind deflector in pristine condition.
11. 2003 BMW M3 CSL (E46)
Carbon fiber roof, no radio, and fabric door pulls—the CSL wasn’t built for comfort, but for pure driving thrills!
This lightweight special edition shed 110 kg compared to the standard M3 through extensive use of carbon fiber and removal of sound insulation.
Finished in rare Silver Grey Metallic, this example comes with the original carbon fiber intake still intact—often replaced by owners seeking more induction noise.
With just 1,383 CSLs ever built, these track-focused specials have become holy grail collector cars for the PlayStation generation.
12. 2010 BMW M5 CSL Prototype
Factory unicorns don’t get rarer than this—a one-of-one M5 CSL prototype never officially released to the public!
Developed as a lighter, more powerful version of the V10-powered E60 M5, this skunkworks project was shelved before production.
Finished in Silverstone Metallic with carbon fiber accents, this prototype features a 580-horsepower version of the standard 5.0-liter V10.
BMW’s M Division secretly built three prototypes, with this being the only example to escape the crusher when the program was canceled.
13. 2011 BMW 1M Coupé
Pocket rocket perfection arrived when BMW stuffed M3 suspension and a twin-turbo straight-six into its smallest body shell.
The resulting 1M became an instant cult classic with its flared fenders and take-no-prisoners driving dynamics.
Dressed in Valencia Orange with black leather interior, this example shows just 2,800 kilometers on the odometer.
The previous owner added tasteful modifications including a titanium exhaust system that amplifies the delicious inline-six soundtrack. Only 6,309 were built during a single production year.
14. 1928 BMW R57 Motorcycle
Long before four wheels became BMW’s bread and butter, this gorgeous R57 motorcycle was turning heads with its 500cc boxer engine.
The polished aluminum tank gleams like it just rolled off the assembly line yesterday.
Restored by a Swiss collector who spent three years tracking down original parts, this beauty purrs with mechanical perfection.
Only 1,006 were ever made, and fewer than 20 survive today.
15. 2016 BMW M4 GTS
Water injection in a production car? The M4 GTS brought Formula 1 technology to the street with its innovative water-injection system that sprayed a fine mist into the intake plenum to cool incoming air and boost power to 493 horses.
Finished in Frozen Dark Grey with Acid Orange accents, this track-focused special edition features a roll cage and carbon-ceramic brakes. T
he adjustable suspension can be configured for street or track use. Only 700 were produced worldwide, with this being number 286.
16. 2018 BMW M2 CS Racing
Straight from the racetrack, this factory-built competition car represents BMW’s customer racing program at its finest.
Never registered for road use, this M2 CS Racing has competed in just three gentleman driver events before being retired to a private collection.
Safety equipment includes an FIA-approved roll cage, racing seat, and fire suppression system.
The 3.0-liter turbocharged engine produces 365 horsepower in its current configuration but can be adjusted to various power levels depending on the racing series regulations.
17. 2023 BMW 3.0 CSL Tribute
Retro meets modern in this ultra-limited 50th anniversary tribute to the original ‘Batmobile.’
Hand-built by BMW’s most skilled craftsmen, each 3.0 CSL required 30 days to complete, with custom carbon fiber bodywork and a bespoke interior.
Wearing the iconic white paint with M-color stripes, this is number 7 of just 50 produced worldwide.
The 560-horsepower twin-turbo inline-six is paired with a six-speed manual transmission—a purist’s dream in today’s automatic-dominated market. Never registered and showing delivery mileage only.