Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Small car and big engine: the classic formula to putting a huge grin on the motorists face. BMW nailed this formula when they decided to unleash the boffins at BMW M GmbH on the Z3 roadster back in 1998. The M Roadster as it came to be known gave this small convertible a real masculine tone, offering a big horsepower jump and upgraded suspension and brakes to match. If there ever was a car born to do donuts, it is this pint-sized, rear-drive machine.
I think it’s safe to say that the E39 M5 might be viewed in the coming decades as a high water mark for BMW. This car had the right stuff. A powerful V8, tuned chassis and any transmission you wanted as long as it was a 6-speed manual. With the quest for fuel economy and ever tightening emissions standards, it seems a formula like this is endangered. For the power hungry, however, now is a great time to pick up one of these modern classics. Those on a quest for a like new example will be intrigued by this example for sale in Pennsylvania.
The Mercedes-Benz CLA and forthcoming Audi A3 sedan are proof that Americans can be open minded to compact premium vehicles. However, dial it back a few years and you’ll come across one small BMW that was barely a blip on the sales radar screen: the 3 series Compact. Sold as the 318ti stateside, this hatchback was a mix of old and new, featuring the E36 front suspension setup while utilizing the old trailing arm setup from the E30. A simpler dashboard and unique bodywork from the A-pillar were additional features that set it apart from the rest of the E36 clan.
When introduced for 1995, these cars retailed for just under $20,000, opening the BMW experience up to a new demographic. Subsequently, given their lower priced status, there are few good examples left out there on the used market. This clean 318ti for sale in California has just over 100,000 miles and the 5-speed manual gearbox.
1980s BMW M cars have been stars on the rise over the past few years. It is hard to believe these days, but there was a point in the not-too-distant past where you could buy a E30 M3 for below $10,000 – and a nice one at that! Not only that, but E28 M5s have been suddenly for sale in the high teens for even worn copies and the venerable M6 is rare to see much below $20,000 in reasonable shape. What is an enthusiast to do? Well, sometimes that means you need to take a bit of a risk if you want to enter the wonderful world of M, and today I’ve got just the car to roll the dice on – a Christmas red 1988 M6:
The BMW 2002 is a legendary car that defined the small sports sedan category by most accounts. Compact, rear wheel drive, and with enough power to have fun, you could drive the 2002 at 9/10ths most of the time without crashing at breakneck speed. Try pushing today’s cars to their limits; imagine if you could get a new M4 into a 4 wheel drift on an exit ramp – what speed would you have to be going? Probably faster than the original top speed of the 2002 is my guess, and the ability to drive a slow car fast is what makes some older cars so appealing. But for some people, that base small sedan just isn’t enough, and they go about upgrading the original car. I’m certainly not opposed to this, as it’s something I did with my Audi Coupe – take a later model, higher output motor that is in the same character as the original motor and Viola! Instant happiness. I can only imagine the smiles that this S14 motored 1968 1600 generates then: