Question: I have a late build 88 328GTS that has the black plastic surround on the exterior door handles, the interior door handles are in the armrest, my mirrors are rectangular with the small logo on the back side. This car does not have the surround on the experior handles, no door handles on the armrests, and the mirrors are not rectangular yet they have the logo on the back. They look more modern. Also, this car has the red lights in the muffler skirt and mine does not. I wonder what year this is, and are those feature I mentioned typical of a European 328 or has something been changed?
I think I can read the last five digits of the serial number as 69697 which would make it a late 86 to early 87 model. The features you mentioned (red lights in the rear, oblong shaped mirrors) are typical of the euro model. The door relase on the armrest was added beginning with chassis number 71597 and the black surround on the outter door handles was added beginning with chassis 75929.
Also I (ownwer of 328 GTS 02-1987) see a difference at the back. It has a opening in the bodywork just under the back plate. Mine does not have this opening. from what serial number this gab is introduced? I have serial no 73513 original european car. Image Unavailable, Please Login
The extra opening is to allow more cooling of the exhaust system. Unlike other Euro cars, Swiss market cars came with a "catastrophic" converter (more heat generated). That's the reason for the extra gap. It's not a question of starting at a certain serial number. Unfortunately because of the converter and some other different parts the Swiss market car produces only 255 horse power while "the rest of Europe" has 270hp.
The red lights in the rear are for use in fog (mandatory addition for certain/maybe all European markets. They are as bright as the brake lights (21 watt bulbs). In Germany I believe you must turn them on in fog if visibility is less than 50 meters (and off when visibility is greater). Also, you must not have them on if you're exceeding 50kph and they must be wired to turn off if the high beams are turned on. Most/all cars? in Europe no longer have two red fog lights in the rear. I believe this was done so there would be less confusion for the driver behind (so as not to mistake red fog lights for the brake lights). The single red rear foglight is always on the driver's side of the car (so in Britain, for example, it's on the other side like the steering wheel).
Thanks for that info. Mine is #76289. Re: the oblong mirrors, I think that that small logo on the back of the mirror may have been added. I don't think that any 328 had them in '86. It looks a little misplaced in the pics. Maybe I'm wrong tho.
If you have a U.S. spec. car then it seems someone put on Euro mirrors at some point. I believe they were not allowed in the U.S. because the glass area was considered too small for good vision rearwards. Therefore the U.S. cars got the "flag style" mirrors. Don't know about when the logos were added or if they were on all Euro mirrors.
...and they have a spare engine for cheap: http://www.bahmancars.ch/autos/lanciathema.htm Now that is a rare find in that condition - looks pristine
Guys, I have an '86 328 GTS (Euro) that has the oblonged mirrors with the logo on them. With a VIN number of #59649, I am guessing that all 328's had them starting from the first day of production. Also, mine has the fog lamps on them. See attached pics. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Euro cars got the oblong mirrors with the logo on the back since at least the 308QV model and maybe before. U.S. cars got the logo on the bigger U.S. spec mirrors beginning with chassis number 75929 (this could have been optional as the parts manual lists both with and without horse available).
Very intersting on the logos and the oblong vs. rectangular mirrors. I guess the logo is the forerunner to the shield.
