The BMW 3 Collection turns 50 this 12 months, and throughout Europe the anniversary is being marked not simply with traditional icons, however with private tales—particular person vehicles that outline what the three Collection means to actual house owners. Within the Netherlands, a type of standout vehicles belongs to Dirk Fraterman, who has spent the previous decade driving and preserving a 2002 BMW 318Ci Convertible completed in one of many rarest manufacturing facility colours of its period: Tourmaline Violet Pearl Impact. It’s a automotive that catches the attention instantly, however for Dirk, the story begins lengthy earlier than he noticed this E46 at a neighborhood dealership. His connection to BMW is one thing of a household custom.
A Household Story Rooted in BMW Heritage
Dirk grew up surrounded by BMWs. His grandparents had been early adopters of the model within the Netherlands, and his grandfather—a businessman—was a loyal buyer who typically performed golf along with his BMW seller. “One factor led to a different,” Dirk remembers. “First an E36 Touring for my grandmother, then a number of 5 Collection and seven Collection fashions for my grandparents. By the point I used to be born, each my dad and mom had been already driving BMWs. You possibly can guess how that turned out,” he provides with a smile.
It’s no shock, then, that many years later, he would add his personal chapter to the household’s BMW story.
A Dream Automobile Discovered by Probability
Practically ten years in the past, Dirk got here throughout a BMW 318Ci Convertible at a small native dealership—nonetheless lined in transport mud, freshly arrived from Germany. Somebody had tipped him off about it, and he wasted no time getting there. “The second I noticed it, even unwashed, I assumed it was lovely,” Dirk says. “Tourmaline Violet Metallic was by no means frequent within the Netherlands, but it surely had a little bit of a following in Germany, the place this automotive was first registered.”
A single check drive confirmed what he already suspected: this was the automotive he’d been dreaming about. And in contrast to many long-imagined dream-car experiences that finish in disappointment, this one lived as much as the expectation. The acquisition was finalized rapidly.
A Particular E46 for a Particular Anniversary
As a part of the fiftieth anniversary of the three Collection, BMW Netherlands has been highlighting distinctive, characterful examples from the mannequin’s historical past. As an alternative of focusing solely on high-performance variants, the highlight has turned towards vehicles that inform a richer, extra private story.
Dirk’s 318Ci Convertible matches that transient completely. Its deep violet paint nonetheless turns heads in the present day and serves as a reminder that daring BMW colours—now celebrated via BMW Particular person—have deep roots. Tourmaline Violet Pearl Impact (coloration code 897) now not seems even within the in depth BMW Particular person Visualizer, but it surely was as soon as accessible via particular order, making vehicles like Dirk’s more and more uncommon.
The Forgotten Engine: BMW’s N42
Behind the modest E46 kidney grille lies a powertrain that not often will get the headlines. Whereas lovers are likely to gravitate towards the E46 M3 or the 330Ci, Dirk’s automotive makes use of BMW’s N42 engine—a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder producing 143 horsepower and 200 Nm of torque. By trendy requirements, the numbers are humble. Even again in 2002, the 0–100 km/h time of 10.2 seconds (11.1 seconds with an computerized) didn’t draw consideration. Its DIN curb weight of 1,540 kilograms made it unexpectedly heavy in comparison with its sedan and coupé siblings.
However for Dirk, the driving expertise is precisely what he needs from an open-top E46.
“As a pupil again then, I appreciated that it didn’t use an excessive amount of gas,” he explains. “Through the years, I’ve come to like the character of the four-cylinder much more. This automotive is made for relaxed cruising. I dwell in a good looking, hilly space, and Germany is simply across the nook. An amazing drive is at all times close by.”
A Convertible for Truthful Climate Solely
In the present day, Dirk now not makes use of the 318Ci as his each day driver. That responsibility goes to an E38 735i—one other household nod, as his grandfather as soon as owned the identical mannequin. The E46 Convertible, in the meantime, leads a pampered life. “My Convertible sleeps indoors,” Dirk says. “It retains the automotive in nice situation. It solely comes out on sunny days.”
When it does, fellow lovers at all times discover. Just lately, somebody driving a high-end British automotive stopped to supply a stream of compliments. “When this mannequin got here out, it was already particular,” Dirk says. “Now that they’ve grow to be rarer, they stand out much more—particularly once they’re unique and effectively cared for. The right mixture of traditional and trendy. And no, I’m by no means promoting it.”
You possibly can watch the video right here.
[Photos: BMW Netherlands]
