From the Archives
Ronnie Fieg, the founder of Kith, fully restored two vintage BMWs in a color that defined an era. It was in the 1970s that BMW made Inka Orange, paint code: 022. This color was introduced in 1971 for the 02 series of BMWs, which included the 1502, 1602, 2002, and 2002ti. Following that, BMW expanded its offering of Inka Orange to other models like the E3 sedans and E9 coupes, the latter being one of Fieg’s canvases.
The BMW 3.0 CSi owned by Fieg is a 1972 model that historically came in BMW’s archival color. However, the 1987 BMW M6 E24 was never painted Inka Orange. The kicker is, neither car Fieg used as canvases for his latest project with BMW was originally painted in Inka Orange.
This is the fourth time that Kith’s Fieg and BMW have collaborated. In 2020, the first collaborative effort was made with BMW, with Fieg’s 2021 M4 Competition wearing Cinnabar Red, a factory color that had historic ties to the BMW E30 M3. From there, more projects came about, with the next colors being Vitality Green, Techno Violet, and now Inka Orange.
Inka Orange
Fieg’s love for the BMW brand runs deep. Kith’s founder is noted to be an avid collector of the brand, tracing his roots back to his early years. Since 2020, he’s been able to collaborate with BMW itself, bringing cars back to life and his visions into reality (several times over).
Inka Orange was a famous hue that defined a generation of performance cars for the Bavarian brand in the 1970s. It’s an extremely visible color that signaled excitement and, in later years, an air of exclusivity.
I can’t help but associate orange with other limited-run BMWs. Off the top of my head, the BMW E92 M3 Lime Rock Park Edition springs to mind, and so too does the 1M. Both of these cars aren’t Inka Orange, but they create a very distinct and similar visual impact, at least to me.
Kith Builds BMWs
Before anything, both of these cars are part of Fieg’s personal collection, so don’t expect them to end up on auction lots in the near future. In addition to being a collaborative project with BMW, these two cars were built with Kith NY’s 15th-year anniversary in mind, celebrating a decade and a half of Fieg’s worldwide success in the industry as a designer.
Fieg’s attention to detail continues with his latest restoration project, even down to the age gap between the two coupes. Separated by 15 years, Fieg spared no expense to bring his vision to life, opting to strip the cars down to bare metal and mount them on a rotisserie to get every nook and cranny in Inka Orange. The cars were subsequently rebuilt to Fieg’s exacting standards, keeping the vintage details intact while adding a few tasteful personal touches.
There are no wild engine swaps and horsepower figures to speak of here, unlike another of Fieg’s projects. Instead, the two BMWs were treated to a period-correct mechanical restoration, which included the M30 straight-six for the E9 3.0 CSi, and the S38 inline-six for the E24 M6.
The interiors of both cars are wrapped in caramel leather with Kith branding sprinkled around the cabin, and even on the radio; in the case of the E24, the M6 has a little “Kith E24” programmed into the LCD screen.
The Kith E9 and E24 are both echoes of each other, separated by a period of 15 years, and restored to an immaculate level. The original components that Fieg used in the restoration of these two cars, plus the Kith monograms spread throughout, make these two a one-of-one pair. Will we see another BMW collection from Kith come up for the second half of 2026? I’d like to think so.
