German auto customiser Everytimer has found a way to combine the best of retro BMW styling with a modern platform
The new automotive market might not be as flooded with retro-styled machines as it was back in the early-2000s, but custom throwback builds are still widely admired. German father-son team, Everytimer Automobile, specialize in BMW builds, and their BMW ETA 02 Cabriolet is a combination of retro styling, and (somewhat) modern BMW ingenuity.
The duo that founded Everytimer, Harald Käs and son Michael, have quite the background when it comes to restoring old BMWs. While Harald began his work back in 1981, his son trained and worked as a master technician, running his own electrical company until last year.
In his spare time, Michael would indulge in his passion for old cars and would restore them when not at work. He also trained as a mechatronics technician for BMW, and passed his master’s exam at the age of 19.
It wouldn’t be until 2014 that Everytimer Automobile GmbH was officially formed, and in 2018, they would present their first customized car, the ETA 02 Convertible, at Retro Classics in Stuttgart.
"We didn't want a simple copy of a historical model," says Michael Käs, Managing Director of Everytimer. "We have created a car in retro design with modern technology that brings back memories of the past while offering safety, reliability and comfort at today's level. And at the same time fully suitable for everyday use."
An expected 30 of these cars are going to be built each year, and they take the technology and foundation of a BMW 1 Series convertible, and give it the bodywork of a BMW 02 Cabriolet that was originally available from 1968 to 1971.
Everytimer replaces exterior and interior components of the 1 Series, without compromising the structure or technology of the car. The effort to make the body independent is quite the undertaking, as are some of the practical considerations.
One thing they wanted to maintain was the car owner’s ability to have their car serviced through BMW technicians. Käs explains that, “Every BMW workshop can take over the service and carry out repair work,” Käs continues, "This gives customers access to a worldwide network of workshops. The car only comes to us for major body work".
Since the ETA 02 convertibles are classified as registered conversions, insurance remains the same as it would for the BMW 1 Series Convertible. Another bonus is, owners of a 1 Series don’t have to buy a new car for the conversion, they can simply have their current one converted.
Those who are lucky enough to get one of the 30 annually converted cars will have to pay a princely sum to get one though. The most basic package will cost more than $68,000 (€60,000), and a complete version based on the BMW 135i will run over $121,000 (€107,000).
As far as other models being designed in a similarly fashion, Harald offered that the idea has been tossed around, but there’s no concrete plans for anything else as of now.
Source: Motor1
