Referring to a car as a Ferrari fighter when it has half the number of cylinders and 2/3 the horsepower of the Ferrari that it’s often mistaken for may seem like a stretch, but the look of this 1985 Bitter SC 3.9 Coupe would fool most casual cars and coffee attendees. This lookalike can be found posted here on craigslist just south of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the seller is asking $13,900. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Mitchell G. for sending in this tip!
The Ferrari that I’m referring to is the 365 GT4 2+2 and related 400/412 models. I think it’s one of the most-interesting Ferraris ever made even though they were made for four passengers and later models were the first Ferraris to use an automatic transmission. This Bitter SC (Senator Coupe) is even rarer than the Ferrari, with only 461 having been made compared to 524 Ferrari 365 GT4s. We all know which one is more valuable, so the old saying that “just because something is rare doesn’t mean that it’s valuable” is true once again.
Former race car driver, Erich Bitter, started out by making racing equipment and his company went on to produce cars with Intermeccanica. He wasn’t happy with the results so he based his new car on an Opel Senator and named it the Bitter CD. The replacement, the SC, was offered beginning in 1979 and for the next decade, they offered this interesting car in coupe, convertible, and a very rare four-door sedan model, of which only five were built. Only around 223 SC Coupes made it to the U.S. and Canada with the rest staying in Germany and Europe, with a dozen or so going to other countries. They were priced at $45,000 in 1985, the equivalent of $126,000 today. You can see a few body issues and the seller acknowledges that there is a bit of rust.
The interior looks very Maserati Biturboesque, with big, puffy leather seats, some wood trim, and in this case, an automatic transmission. Actually, most of them were automatics, the five-speed manual cars are very sought after. There is some cracking in the console so add that to the list, but otherwise, the interior looks nice. Being a four-seater, the rear seats are just as plush and nice as the front seats are. Hagerty is at $8,400 for a #4 fair-condition car and $15,400 for a #3 good car, just for the record.
The engine isn’t a V12 as in the Ferrari 365/400/412 but is instead a Manzel-Opel 3.9-liter SOHC inline-six, which in the 3.9 version had 207 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. It’s backed by a GM-sourced Turbo-Hydramatic three-speed automatic, similar to the one that Ferrari used in its 400-series cars. The seller says that this one “runs and stops”, which isn’t a glowing report, but you can tell that it needs some help by looking at the photos. Have any of you seen a Bitter SC Coupe?
Unlike a BMW SOHC inline 6, there aren’t any US sold cars with that engine. Where do you get a mechanic that can troubleshoot that injection system?
Looks like Opel used Bosch fuel injection for these engines, so any shop familiar with Euro imports of this era should have little difficulty troubleshooting any issues with it.
Yes, Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection is basic and common for the day. And BMW used it on the early 5 series, possible a few other series as well.
It seems that they all only came in one color, every one I’ve seen over the years was gray.
My mom had one in light blue one. I’ve seen them burgundy, red, black, white, navy, gold and green.
I buy this car and put it in my garage. Then I take my wife out to look at my latest purchase.
Then I’ll have both Angry and Bitter out there!
I always thought these were pretty cool. Would prefer the sportier coupe version. Chances are you’ll never run into another one at a C+C.
Looking at this i get a bitter taste in my mouth!!
I’ll take the bitter’s in my Manhattan, thank you.
My late grandmother’s favorite drink….she added a cocktail onion and mushroom on a frill pick. One of my best memories were her teaching me how to mix a Manhattan.
Oh the car….total sacrilege but how about transplanting a built Jeep inline 6 and new tranny (sorry transmission).
No worries, I suspect that from now on you’ll have to use the whole word,lol!!
My mom got me started on to these. The drink, not the car.
It’s pronounced Bidder.
Lovely looking car. I’ve heard of the Bitter SC, and I remember reading a magazine article about the car. I consider it a shame that it was never sold here in the USA. This would be a perfect car for fighting against Porsche.
These were sold in the USA, with GM’s blessing/cooperation at a very limited number of Buick dealers, mostly in the NYC metro area. Only 461 of these coupes were ever made, plus 22 convertibles and 5 four-door sedans.
I wouldn’t regard these as Porsche fighters, as they’re larger and heavier (based on an Opel Senator, their largest model at the time), more of a gentleman’s GT than a sports car.
FIAT X-1/9 tailights? Pretty car, agree with seller good candidate for LS swap.
Nope, taillights are sadly even rarer, from the Lancia Montecarlo/Scorpion.
I have seen them in person – in the mid-1980s, there was a Bitter dealership, on Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills, and I remember, very well, seeing the Bitters driving around Beverly Hills around that time.
Rusnick sold them in Pasadena (at the same location as their Rolls dealer), where my mom got hers You would also see several driving around in Pasadena area too.
If rust isn’t terminal, & price is 1/2 of listing, this is perfect for a LS transplant.
Don’t usually leave negative comments but on this one I just couldn’t help it…
Had a bitter back in the mid-80’s that I took in trade on a Porsche 930 Turbo.
Nothing special then and even less so now…
Nice…but with anything “sports car” you need gears to go thru. This like any English made car, you need a mechanic in the passenger seat and a tow strap permaentlly attached to the front bumper.
What does English have to do with this? It´s an Opel….
You obvisusly have never owned an English vechicle. For those that have, it most surely means unreliable, high repair bills, cost of parts and if not in top condition, hard to sell, and very low trade value. This one would fall in that category, in my opinion.
If you do the research, you will know that it was made in Austria (german ) and extremely reliable. Also how many 1985 corvettes had sticks oh yea what was their hsp rating. It would hold its own in 1985.
This Bidder thing would never hold a candle to any Corvette, track or 1/4 mile. 1985 Corvette (not the best year) for performance but still held its own..
Performance Results
0-30 MPH: 2.4 Seconds
0-60 MPH: 5.7 Seconds
0-100 MPH: 22.3 Seconds
QUARTER MILE: 14.1 Seconds @ 97.0 mph
TOP SPEED: 150 MPH
You buy the Bidder you better be Bill Gate’s or Jeff Bezos son because its will cost you.
I’m no geographer or historian, but last I checked, Austria wasn’t part of the British Empire.
It would “hold it’s own” against an ’85 Caprice Classic. Maybe…
A Bitter.
Adam Goldberg did a funny episode on his TV show The Goldbergs about when his Dad bought a Bitter and it immediately died and spent the rest of its days with them parked in the driveway.
True to life, you would see a Bitter parked outside in some of the scenes in the show.
Funny that this one is located outside of Philly, where the Goldbergs actually lived.
every once’n a while this co & the 1 that begins w/a “F” would build a family or executive model. I like them better than the current exotica (esp due to looks, ability for ent/egress, driver’s visibility, etc). Seeing the inside makes me think 1960s caddie, but is… ok.
No, I dont think I’ve seen 1 (even tho living in Boston @ time these were made – a spot w/same car enthusiasm as so cal). I’d try one for a few months but dont think It would carry me thru the months of hi expectation needed for a restore.
Someone grabbed it, the seller took down the listing. Was it one of you?