E46 Hartge H50 experience anyone?

[iguana]

Anyone had one, or have much experience of one?

Mate is interested in one, loved my V8 & I said try an Alpina B8, but the fact that they dont appear to make 'em in E46 & while in E36- which hes doesnt really want anyway I think they did just the one RHD has sorta scuppered that.

www.hartge.de/html/e46m3uk.html


I really rate Alpina products over & above BMW's own M's but know nothing really of Hartge.

[marksg]

Iguana,

I have to admit to having no direct experience of this vehicle (apart from wanting one!). But Birds are the UK agents for this conversion. The link below provides some more information:

www.birds.uk.com/1-PDFs/E4611460400.pdf

Someone will shoot me down if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that you have to provide an E46 M3 plus £50,000 (+VAT) for this conversion - so I'm guessing there aren't going to be many around!

Think there was an article in BMW car magazine about the conversion a while back.

[liquidken]

It was my understanding that you could buy the complete car. Not too sure about UK dealerships though.

And yes, they are a phenomenal amount of money. But its a phenomenal car.

[iguana]

Aye currumba E46M3+ £50k blimey a tad pricey, depreciation perhaps a tad steep too I guess.

Then again he is sniffing round used 550M's at the mo, so in a strangely twisted way the Hartge is perhaps a more practical choice!


Yip personally I love the whole idea if not the price of the H50 too & I think for me in a few yrs- finances allowing, an E46M3 with a blown engine picked up relitivly cheaply & replaced with an E39 M5 V8 & suspenion stiffened a tad to suit, would be a near perfect companion & a cutprice H50 'alike'

[hughjayteens]

Birds had one in their demo fleet at £88k IIRC - I am sure it is a wonderful car, but not for that kind of money! Guess the same could be said of mine, hence why only 3 were built!

Will make a good used buy in 7 years time though!

[geoff_33]

Autocar did a write up on the Birds car a couple of years ago. I think the only downside was you could have an M3 and an M5 for the same money. Appear from that, it accelerated sooooo fast that the guy had to readjust his driving accordingly.
He also only took it up to 150-150ish, but the top speed was quoted as over 186mph.

A wolf in M3 clothing.