BMW E30 333i – A super rare ‘Triple Three’
There are legends, and there are Legends. This super rare and very special car isn’t technically a Munich Legend – more a Rosslyn Legend! One of the most exciting cars to come into our showroom this year, the ‘Triple Three’ was dreamed up for a race series that never happened, and 204 of these homologation specials were made at the BMW ZA Rosslyn facility as a joint project between BMW ZA, BMW Motorsport and Alpina. The result is one of the most intriguing models from this era of BMW’s history. Only a handful of these 333i have made it to the UK, making it pretty much a unicorn on UK roads.
Torque is the ‘Triple Three’s party piece. Whereas the most powerful (torque-wise) of the E30 M3s – the Evo2 (the Sport Evo has higher BHP but lower torque than the evo2) – produces 245 Nm of torque, the 333i easily outstrips it with a comparatively whopping 295, and you can feel it the minute you push the accelerator. The expression ‘shoe-horned’ is the perfect way to describe how the M30B33 engine fits into the engine bay – space was so tight that buyers had to choose between AC and power steering at the dealership, as there simply wasn’t room for both. This car has power steering. In terms of interest, rarity, performance, and history, nothing really matches the Triple Three. It is one of the rarest BMWs ever made.
This particular car left the Rosslyn plant in 1986, and was purchased by importers Westminster Car Sales and subsequently bought directly to the UK, where it was purchased by our customer, Roger, as his company car, through his independent estate agency business, and was used as his daily driver during the property boom years of the late 80s. You can imagine that Roger was pretty proud of his Triple Three, back in the days when any sort of sporty BMW was a pretty rare sight on UK roads, and the 333i would have been like an alien space craft compared to the Morris Marinas and Austin Allegros it had to share the roads with. In 1990 Roger sold his Agency to a major (just before the market crashed) and continued to drive the 333i as his daily, during his earn-out period. So, ‘the major’ technically became the second keepers of the car (if you don’t count the importers), until a change in company policy forced Roger into a lesser company car in the form of a 325i. Not to be outdone (or separated from his treasured Triple Three) Roger arranged to buy the 333i from the company and it was duly transferred back to him as now the 3rd keeper, becoming a second car for a while until Roger launched his own agency again, pressing the 333i back in to daily service until he retired in the late 90s.
For the balance of the 40-odd years of the Triple Three’s existence, it has been treasured and cared for by Roger (who liked it so much he did in fact buy a second 333i, only for it to be stolen and burned during the peak car theft years of the early 90s) who is an inveterate petrolhead and highly knowledgeable Triple Three enthusiast. We thank Roger for preserving this amazing car throughout the years!
Over the years, Roger has collected plenty of memorabilia – magazine articles, official calendars etc – on the 333i, and the car comes with a three inch-thick history file. All Triple Threes come with a cool chassis number – they all begin with 333 – and this car is number 40. With its dogleg gearbox, Alpina-tuned suspension, and of course that one-off M30B33 3.3litre straight six engine, the 333i is every bit the road racer you expect it to be, despite being clothed in a relatively sober outfit.
This wonderful and rare piece of BMW history has been kept original, with only the exhaust being a handmade stainless steel replacement for the original. Our technical team have carried out a full inspection of the Triple Three, and once they’d finished arguing about who got to road test it, have produced a report and list of recommended items to be covered prior to a new owner taking possession. The overall condition of the car is good, but unrestored, leaving the new owner to decide what the future holds for the ZA special. Perfectly useable and ownable as it is, this car would also make an incredibly rewarding restoration subject, making it one of the rarest and most desirable E30 specials in the world.
For more information on this fabulous Triple Three, or to book a visit (by appointment only please) contact our showroom on sales@munichlegends.com or call 01825 740456 (or international callers +44 1825 740456).
