A Bitter Cabriolet

Rare (and noisy) 1990 cabriolet created by a man named Mr Bitter for sale

Natty Kensington dealer Graeme Hunt is known for selling the finest cars, but currently he has something extremely rare, a convertible created by the little known firm Bitter.

Founded by a former racing driver named Erich Bitter in Schwelm, Germany in 1971 after he ended his “short, sour and expensive” time importing what his biography describes as “poorly built” Italian cars named Intermeccanica, Bitter’s desire was to create “beautiful fast cars” which “[one could also] get in and drive away.”

In the ensuing years Bitter built over 880 cars, of which just 22 were cabriolets. Now Graeme Hunt is offering the final one built, a 1990 Bitter SC for £77,500 ($94,000, €84,000 or درهم344,000).

Owned from new until 2005 by a “very successful baker” named Mr Pawlak, the original 3.0-litre Opel Monza engine of the car “gave up the ghost” in 2008. It was replaced with a LS2 V8 of 6.0-litre capacity from a Holden Mareno and mated to a 6-speed manual Tremec gearbox.

Having covered 3,500 miles in the time since, Hunt describes the car as “starting on the button, never grumbles in traffic, looks terrific and sounds even better.” He adds: “Everyone loves the look and noise and so many people, even though they don’t what it is, are blown away by how pretty she is.”

Erich Bitter’s company ceased trading in 1997, but continues to collaborate with Opel. His official website reports that a showroom and museum is due to open this year in Rüsselsheim and that a “dedicated restoration company for Bitters  and old Opels is under investigation.”

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