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When I owned my 1988 BMW 325is, I lusted after an E24 M6. Even though the E30 was a more current design, the lure of “the shark” was strong, but out of reach for me financially. Today, a curious thing has happened. It seems that an E30 in good nick with the right specification is gaining ground on E24 M6 values. But just how long will this continue, as collectors become more hip to the virtues of the original 6 series with the Motorsports badge? Today we’ll take a cruise around Craigslist and scope out the M6s currently on offer, starting with this very clean 1988 model for sale in San Francisco.
By 1988, BMW’s lineup consisted of a few dinosaurs from the 1970s which remarkably still were considered reasonably fresh and competitive in the market. First was the E28 5 series; a refresh itself of the earlier E12 design, most of the technology and the layout seemed fairly dated by 1988; if nothing else, certainly the bumpers hinted at a less than harmonious relationship between Paul Bracq and the United States DOT. The same could be said of the E24 6 series, now entering its 12th year of production. Granted, like the E28 it had received a host of updates in the early 1980s that kept in on top of the heap; for both platforms, the screaming S38 powerplant uttered the last roar in the U.S. for both legendary chassis. But unlike the E28, the E24 was granted one last stay of execution before the launch of the 8 series. With some light facial work, a nip and a tuck it suddenly looked like a much more modern car and in my mind the prettiest of the E24s outside of the original and unspoiled 630CS. Most of these last of the run 6’s seemed to be automatic, but a precious few were imported with a 5-speed manual – giving a sporty and less expensive alternative to those not needing the motivation of the M6. Today there is one such 635CSi for sale on Hemmings:
It’s pretty amazing when you consider there was a 14 year absence between the first and second generation 6 series models in the BMW lineup. Sure, the 8 series did its best to plug the gap in the 1990s, but for some reason, it didn’t catch on quite as well as the shark nosed E24. While the new 6 isn’t the most horrible vehicle ever designed, I think it’s safe to say that the old 6 will probably age better than the more modern version. Let’s take a minute to look a 1989 635CSi, the final year of E24 production.
6er. E24. The Shark. Whatever you want to call it, the E24 6 series coupe has ranked up there with some of the best looking BMWs of all time. Many of these coupes were equipped with an automatic gearbox, however, this 635CSi for sale in California has the rare 5-speed manual option. Also included in the package is a Dinan chip and M6 rear differential.
When you are basing it on a style level, the BMW E24 6 series is my favorite car to wear the Roundel badge of all time. Whether it’s an early 633CSi or M6, these coupes always drew me in. Their aggressive snout and perfect proportions still look good to this day. M6 prices have been creeping up in recent years, but it’s still possible to get one of the lesser versions for a decent bargain. This 635CSi for sale in Washington state has yet to break 70,000 miles. Coupled with the switchable automatic transmission, this is a good coupe for someone seeking more of a cruiser than an outright perfomer.
