1976 BMW 530i E12 in Chamonix with 4-Speed Manual and Red Leather
About this vehicle
BMW's 5 Series traces its roots to the E12, which arrived in 1972 — and for American buyers, the 530i occupied the top of that inaugural generation, bringing M30 inline-six power, Bosch fuel injection, and genuine sport-sedan character along with it. This one's a Canadian-market 1976 530i wearing Chamonix paint over a factory special-order red leather interior, fitted with a 4-speed manual gearbox and showing roughly 48,000 miles.
Paint is claimed original. Touch-ups addressed a handful of rock chips, but there's no bodywork to speak of, and paint-meter readings taken around the car are in the gallery for anyone who wants to scrutinize the numbers. The US-specification anodized aluminum bumpers are intact. A chrome mirror cap and chrome door handles are present. Riding on 14-inch steel wheels with trim rings and hubcaps, the car wears 195/70 Michelin tires the seller calls like-new.
That red leather cabin was a special-order at the factory, and it still sets the interior apart from every beige or tan alternative. Salt-and-pepper carpets, wood trim, a leather-wrapped four-spoke steering wheel, a manual sunroof, and manual roll-up windows all reinforce the period character. A Blaupunkt AM/FM/cassette stereo handles audio duties. The dashboard does show cracking — typical for these cars at this age, but worth knowing going in.
Under the hood sits the 3.0-liter M30 inline-six fed by Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, factory-rated at 176 HP and 185 lb-ft of torque. Drive reaches the rear wheels through a Getrag 242 4-speed manual and a 3.64:1 differential, with recirculating-ball power steering and vacuum-assisted disc brakes rounding out the mechanical picture. Recent work includes new brakes and rotors along with an oil and filter change, and some BMW service records transfer with the car. After a period of storage, a minor transmission leak was identified; the seller is currently addressing it.
The sale includes a British Columbia registration, an extra driver-side window glass, a BMW booklet, and two keys.
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