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I may be in the minority that love the big-bumpered US-spec E28 M5, but I can’t deny how sweet the M535i is. It may be down about 35hp to the US M5 and almost 70 to the European models and lack the hand-built allure, but one look at this outstanding Zinnoberrot example and all that seems to become less important. The bodykit extends down while the small bumpers keep things tight, then beautiful black-centered BBS rims sync up perfectly with the Shadowline trim. We saw another red, right-hand drive M535i from Florida a few months back, but this car definitely has a different VIN and really shows what a clean interior and the right wheels can do for a car. Maybe some wannabe Sultan of Brunei Florida weirdo has just been sitting on a garage full of these? If so, he may want to wait a little longer as these are one of the few M-badged 80s Bimmers that are having a tough time cracking $10k.
As a fan of older Audis and Volkswagens, I’m envious of the BMW market – but not for the reason that probably many BMW enthusiasts believe other people are envious of them. I’m envious simply because, like with the Porsche 911 market, any day of the week you can select the model you like – right through the 1970s – and you’ll have multiple excellent or very good examples to choose from. That’s something that simply doesn’t occur in the VAG market; indeed, even finding really excellent examples of 10-15 year old Audis is now a feat. But if you’re a fan of the M3, you can be assured that you won’t have to wait long for a really great example to pop up. Recent posts about the E36 have brought up that the North American model wasn’t really up to M snuff in many ways, and to solve that problem BMW upped the ante with the E46 M3; a snarling, 330 horsepower naturally aspirated inline-6 in its ultimate S54 form lay under the hood and, while track addicts rejoiced in the quick-shifting SMG transmission, today most people in the market are looking for the 6-speed manual that offers a closer connection to the driving experience and arguably lower repair bills. And while, as a New England resident, I’m on the hunt for a coupe, were I in a warmer climate I can certainly see the appeal of a convertible:
It’s always a happy occasion when I come across a ZHP that has been well loved and remains unmolested. In fact I think these cars are more likely to have been left in their original state than an M3 simply because the folks that tended to opt for the ZHP were more “grown up”. All I mean by that is while the E36 3 series was in production there was no four door M3 option so if you were a family man who wanted a go fast BMW, this was your car.
The ZHP only got a 10hp increase over the regular 330i but reprogrammed engine management and a close ratio six speed manual made it feel quite zippy. It’s stiffer and slightly lower too but from what I’ve read the ride quality didn’t suffer and that’s a big plus. I’ve driven a couple of E46 M3s and while they’re fantastic for spirited driving, I don’t cruising around in them on city streets. In this era before adaptive suspension setups you had to decide whether you wanted a performance car that was tolerable in day to day life or a sporty car that was OK when you wanted to get after it a bit. The older I get the more I find myself thinking the latter is the right way to go and I think the 330i ZHP is a near perfect choice for the driver who might go to the track a few times a year but mostly enjoys a spirited canyon run.
It’s always a bit amusing when we stumble across listings where the seller doesn’t seem to have a full grasp of the vehicle which they are selling. In some cases, it’s a buyer’s dream – snatching a car that the seller doesn’t know the value of. In other cases, it’s just a lack of accurate information. I’ll give this seller a break in that, at the very least, they don’t offer much of a description at all on what is a very interesting 1986 BMW. Represented as a “86 M6”, enthusiasts will immediately spot many issues; it’s not a U.S. spec car, so it’s not a M6. What it is, though, is quite an interesting find in many ways, so let’s see if we can break it down:
Wagons are the GCFSB car of choice, if you haven’t noticed. Only our resident Volkswagen/Audi guru Carter is flying the five-door flag, however, with his 2002 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T Variant 5-speed manual. While I sit here and wait for the perfect 1995 Audi S6 Avant to come along, I’ll admire this 2002 BMW 540i Touring for sale in Portland, Oregon. It looks like a real beast, and with Dinan engine mods and a worked over suspension, it’s almost like the M5 Touring that never was.
