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The Bilenkin Vintage is a retro Russian ride with BMW M3 underpinnings (pictures)

Russian car company Bilenkin aims to create classic cars using modern parts, at a surprisingly affordable price point.

Andrew Krok
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
Bilenkin Vintage
1 of 15 Bilenkin

The Bilenkin Vintage is, believe it or not, a modern car, despite looking like a 1960s-era Volvo P1800.

Bilenkin Vintage
2 of 15 Bilenkin

The Vintage starts out life as an E92-generation (2007-2013) BMW M3 coupe. The M3's 400-horsepower, eight-cylinder engine remains the Vintage's powerplant. Otherwise, you'd have a hard time realizing this is a new car under all that vintage sheet metal.

Bilenkin Vintage
3 of 15 Bilenkin

Can you see any direct BMW touches other than the coupe's roofline? It appears that nearly every other inch of the car is completely redone.

Bilenkin Vintage
4 of 15 Bilenkin

Bilenkin even throws the car some steel wheels and whitewall tires for that proper old-school look.

Bilenkin Vintage
5 of 15 Bilenkin

The Bilenkin Vintage also contains the BMW's active and passive safety equipment, so this retro ride still rocks multiple airbags and systems like traction control.

Bilenkin Vintage
6 of 15 Bilenkin

There are no words capable of describing the job Bilenkin did with the Vintage's interior. It's like something out of a hermetically sealed time capsule.

Bilenkin Vintage
7 of 15 Bilenkin

There are some modern touches in here, though. For example, BMW's iDrive system moves over largely unchanged, and the steering wheel looks like it was modeled after the ones in current Rolls-Royce vehicles.

Bilenkin Vintage
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Yes, you can still have your seat heaters in the Bilenkin Vintage. This is a Russian car company -- it's not about to get rid of the most popular option for cold-climate buyers.

Bilenkin Vintage
9 of 15 Bilenkin

Want your Vintage festooned with gold, diamonds and other high-end finishes? Bilenkin will make it happen.

Bilenkin Vintage
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The attention to detail is reminiscent of Singer Vehicle Design, a US-based company that does similar work with the 964-generation Porsche 911.

Bilenkin Vintage
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However, unlike Singer, where vehicles can cost nearly seven figures, the Vintage starts at €130,000 (directly converted, about $138,000, £91,700 or AU$189,000).

Bilenkin Vintage
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If you're not a fan of paisley seats, don't worry -- Bilenkin's got you covered with this darker, leather-heavy getup.

Bilenkin Vintage
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Considering the elaborate design of these details, it's no wonder the car debuted at the Dubai Motor Show this past November.

Bilenkin Vintage
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Bilenkin's attention to detail in the center stack is simply marvelous, even if the "Vintage" badge is a little overkill.

Bilenkin Vintage
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There's no word yet on specific market availability, but something tells us that if you have the money to get the project started, you'll figure out how to get it road legal.

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