BMW sold the original 3 Series only as a two-door sedan, but back in the day, there was a way to buy a convertible. A German coachbuilder filled that gap in the E21’s lineup with the TopCabriolet (TC1), which featured a rear soft top. Although the subsequent E30 generation did get a factory-built convertible, the Stuttgart-based niche brand still launched its own version, the TC2.
But the oddest member of the TopCabriolet family didn’t arrive until the E36. Yes, this is a four-door 3 Series with a fabric roof that folds down. The TC4 was more of a landaulet than a true cabriolet. BMW Classic is now offering a rare look at this elusive four-door convertible, one of only 311 units ever made.
It’s a peculiar-looking machine. From the sides, it still resembles a standard E36 since the rear doors remain intact. Things change dramatically at the roof, where two fabric panels stretch from the windshield frame to the trunk. The front panel is removable, giving the driver and front passenger an open-air feel.
The larger of the two fabric sections folds down like a traditional soft top, though it looks a bit clunky when stowed ahead of the trunk lid. Baur retained the B-pillars, so the TC4 was more sedan than convertible. Unlike most drop-tops that seat two or four people, this one accommodates five. After all, it’s still a 3 Series. A central roll hoop runs between the B-pillars, offering extra protection in case of a crash.
While it was a neat idea, it’s easy to see why it never caught on. Not only was BMW already selling a 3 Series Convertible, but this conversion didn’t come cheap. In 1992, Baur charged around 7,000 German marks to convert an E36 to TC4 specification. That’s roughly $16,000 in today’s money.
It’s worth noting that Baur wasn’t some obscure company. It had already proven its engineering expertise by assembling the BMW M1 and building the Porsche 959 between 1986 and 1993, so around the same time as the TC2 and TC4. In 1999, Baur was absorbed by IVM Automotive, a subsidiary of Sweden’s Semcon (Scandinavian Engineering & Marketing Consultants).
