Archive for S54

Perfect Low Mile 2001 Black M Coupe

I think I’ve said this before but I once hated the original BMW M Coupe.

Blasphemy! I know, I know.

I was young and naive; I didn’t understand the appeal of a “Shooting Brake” or cars designed after ankle boots.  Then one day, like I was struck by lightning (or more likely common-sense) I fell in love.  The Coupe tickled my senses with its rugged, utilitarian design while the Roadster now looked like something my mom’s hairdresser would drive.

To the inexperienced eye, the M-coupe is an ugly duckling but to a true enthusiast, who knows what they’re looking at, the M Coupe is the ultimate driving machine.  The M Coupe was designed by a small group of BMW engineers who got their hands on a pre-launch Z3 and wanted the functionality of a small wagon but with the performance of a sports car.  Voila!

This example on eBay is EXACTLY how I’d want my M Coupe served up:

In this case, less is definitely more.  I don’t need a whole slew of engine upgrades; in stock form the M Coupe bests the performance of an E46 M3 and out handles it too.  You can see that true BMW buffs appreciate this M’s condition as well, with a current bid of over $25,000.

Sure the Z4M is prettier and the E92 M3 is faster.   But you buy an M Coupe for its individuality, its performance and its function, not for its form. When’s the last time you saw someone driving a Z4 or M3 with a dog and some spare tires in the back?

-Ben

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Posted by Ben in BMW | July 27, 2010 | 2 Comments »

Goregeous BMW Z4M coupe on eBay

Besides Terminator 2 and The Godfather Part II, it’s pretty common knowledge that the sequels are never as good as the original.  When it comes to BMW’s this same theory applies.

The E86 Z4M never got as much love as the original M-Coupe and there are a few good reasons why.  For one, the E36/8 M-Coupe was so damn good looking it would have made heads explode if BMW found a way to improve upon its design.  There’s nothing on the road that looks like a M-Coupe and I love that.

The Z4M did see some marginal upgrades such as a 15hp bump in the S54 mill and M3 CSL rotors however in my opinion these never outweighed the fact that it was a ugly duckling compared to the M-Coupe.

So, what would it take to bring this second-fiddle M up to my standards?  Well you can start with a slew of expensive, top-notch performance mods all installed by a Dinan authorized dealer!

BREMBO front brakes & silver calipers w/slotted rotors

Dinan 4.10 Limited Slip Differential

Eisenmann Race exhaust

Dinan high-flow throttle bodies

Dinan Springs + Dinan Stage 1 & 2 strut braces and Dinan rear monoballs)

RPI air intake & Powerchip upgrade

Rogue Short Shift Kit (UUC Shift knob)

Factory BMW 19″ CSL wheels with Michelin Pilot Sports

It feels wrong to like this Z4M as much as I do; almost like I’m cheating on my faithful girlfriend with a hot piece of young German steel.  Just look at those wheels though and that Imola Red interior!  Is it just me or do these pictures really do this Bimmer some justice?  I have seen Z4M’s in person and I don’t think they look nearly this good.

It also doesn’t hurt that this Z4M was owned by a said BMW enthusiast who only put 34K on the clock.  Bidding is only at $25K but the reserve price hasn’t been met so I’m dying to see what this beauty pulls in.

-Ben

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Posted by Ben in BMW, Dinan | June 22, 2010 | 1 Comment »

Menacing M-Roadster in Sapphire Black with 52K

Here’s a pretty neat 2001 S54 M-Roadster with only 52K miles.  It’s gone through some maintenance, including a recent change of its oil or “Liquid Gold” as the seller states.  The stock suspension will have to do some flexing in order to handle the extra 40hp created by the Dinan CAI, Stage 3 tune and those two fat pipes in the back.  The other modifications that catch my eye are the no longer produced 19” OZ Raffaellos, the Brembo cross-drilled rotors and the super-bright Umnitza projector headlights.

Evil S54 M-Roadster with Dinan Upgrades

While a low-mile S54 version is nice, I’m not sure it warrants a $29K price tag.  If you’re a frequent visitor you know I posted a 2001 BMW S54 M-Coupe a few weeks ago that had 62,000 miles on it and the asking price was only $25K.  In my opinion the Coupe is much rarer and definitely more desirable, so I’m going to bark at the price of this Roadster all day.

On a positive note, I always thought that the M-Roadster came off a little feminine but this one looks absolutely sinister in Black Sapphire Metallic on black leather.  All it’s missing is some dark BBS wheels in place of the bling-bling OZs and I’d be sold.

-Ben

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Posted by Ben in BMW, Dinan | May 9, 2010 | No Comments »

Low Mile 2001 BMW M-Coupe S54

As I was searching for a clean 944 on Pelican Parts last night I came across this M-Coupe in the BMW section of the site.  Located in San Fran, this 2001 S54 only has 62K on the clock.  It’s refreshing to see an unmolested M-Coupe for once.  This one has only seen necessary maintenance and suspension upgrades which include Koni Adjustables and H&R springs.  As most of you know the S54 signifies the 3.2 liter straight-six found in the E46 M3.  Even though the motor has been de-tuned to 315hp, it has no trouble moving the 3,100 lb curb weight.

The owner lists a quick rundown of the work done since buying the car last year:

Low Mile S54 BMW M-Coupe

At $24,500 this M is certainly not the bargain of the century or even the week.  However, the rarity of the M-Coupe especially in S54-guise makes me think that this could be a good investment.  To me, the M-Coupe is like the E30 M3, one of the purest BMW driving machines created.  Combine this with the low miles and cult-like following and you may be able to cash in on this beauty in 10 years.

-Ben

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Posted by Ben in BMW | April 26, 2010 | 4 Comments »

2001 M Coupe For Sale in Virginia

The 2001 BMW M Coupe is the first year to get the fantastic S54 engine that’s shared with the e46 M3. This is the first one I’ve seen listed for sale below $25k.

Take a look at this 2001 M Coupe For Sale on RoadFly:

m-coupe-s54-for-sale-silver

quote from seller’s listing:

Sadly the coupe has to go. 2001 M Coupe, S54 Engine, 315 HP, Titanium Silver, Black and Red interior. 27,xxx miles, new Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3’s on stock wheels, DA Koni’s / TCKline Springs and Camber Plates, Strong Strut Front and Butt Strut, Rogue Engineering Rear Shock Mounts, Front Sway Bar, B&B Stainless Exhaust, Fosgate head unit with removable faceplate, Hawk HPS pads. Stock springs, struts and front sway bar included. Dealer maintained and serviced

27k miles and an asking of $24k? What could possibly be wrong with this car? I like all the modifications, but they do tend to devalue a car in the eyes of enthusiast buyers. And it also has that terrible two tone interior, red and black leather. But at this price, I’d consider it a bargain purchase and have the leather dyed!

dc

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Posted by Dan in BMW | January 20, 2009 | 2 Comments »