BMW regularly took turns down dead-end roads, and this strange and wonderful car is one of them
Chassis number: V0010
Engine number: V00102800
Coachwork by Carrozzeria Berton
The concept, or show, car emerged after World War II as a means of generating publicity and gauging the public’s reaction to often-radical ideas for new models. They were built as design proposals, rolling laboratories, marketing experiments, automotive provocations and everything in between. The BMW offered here, “Spicup” — the name arises from the concept: half Spider, half Coupe — originates from an important European private collection and was shown for the first time in 1969 on the Bertone stand at the Geneva automobile salon. Contrary to many studies and prototypes then and now, Spicup was without reservation ready to drive and is based on a shortened BMW 2000 CS with the 2.5-liter BMW inline 6-cylinder engine.
First registered in the Netherlands and used for ten years as a daily driver, the car was stored for 20 years before it was given to the company Carrozzeria Granturismo in Milan for a complete restoration. The entire chassis and body structure were renewed, including the sills and a large portion of the doors.
New forms were made to re-manufacture the glass, which had been broken. After a thorough cleaning, the interior revealed the original spectacular color combination.
Many of the original parts were re-manufactured with the utmost care. Following the restoration, the body returned to a lacquer finish in the original green metallic color with silver gray accents. The technical director of Carrozzeria Granturismo, Aldo Goi, put extreme value on all the unique design characteristics of Carrozzeria Bertone, including the special roof mechanism and the interiors.
All parts of the entire drivetrain were overhauled by the specialists of Talk Willow Racing in the Netherlands. This beautiful car is in concours condition and already has been shown at the 2009 Concorso Villa d’Este and in the BMW Museum in Munich during the summer of 2010. It certainly has the potential for an invitation to the Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance or Amelia Island.