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Every time I see one, the original M Coupe strikes me as one car I would even entertain moving on from my E28 for. I’ve always loved the shape and the weirdness, and while it would certainly be nice to land an ever-appreciating S54 model, my experiences with the S52 have all been pleasurable. Today’s shining red example is of the latter, slower variety, but is practically brand new after covering less than 3,000 miles per year. The interior would make me a little nauseous every time I got in it, but maybe I could lose a few lbs to help this lithe shooting brake hustle.
When it comes to the best of the bunch of very memorable M cars, unfortunately the M Coupe doesn’t seem to rank in the top 5. Granted, with the S54 motor fitted to later examples it should, but enthusiasts rightly lump the first series of M cars as likely the best, and for number 5 you’ve got so many great choices; the stellar and understated E34 M5, the brutal but effective E39 M5, the rev-happy E46 M3. Then there are more recent wonders, such as the 1M and V8 M cars, both in turbo and non-turbocharged forms. But in the middle of these cars lay the cool and unique M Coupe. It wasn’t the fastest, most practical or best looking M car made – but it’s a combination of many factors that make it so desirable as a package – plus, it’s still affordable and a reasonable daily driver. Is there a better package for the money right now?
I ran into yet another snowstorm driving from Philadelphia to Washington, DC this past Sunday. Anyone else tired of this winter? I thought so. For those in warmer climates, feel fortunate. Not only because you don’t have to deal with the white stuff, but because you can enjoy awesome machinery like this S54 engined M Roadster year round. For those not familiar, BMW switched to the more powerful inline-6 in 2001, giving this little two-seater a 75 horsepower shot in the arm, bringing it closer to the European variant that first came equipped with the S50 engine, instead of the lower horsepower S52 version that we got stateside. These S54 engined E36/8 coupes and roadsters are quite rare, making this one for sale in Maryland in an uncommon hue of Laguna Seca Blue even more attractive.
When looking for a fun driver, where do you draw the spending line to get what you want? All of us want a one owner, perfectly maintained example that has been in a heated garage, fed only foie gras and caviar with zero miles. Ironically, though, when cars like that come up for sale the majority of people feel these perfect examples are well overpriced. As such, most of us look for the best example that we can afford. However, are there are times when you can back your expectation level down and accept a slightly more dubious car for a discount? Today’s M Coupe may be a good example of that. A S52 1999 model in Estoril Blue, this M is about to change hands for the fifth time and was in an accident early in its life. Consequently, the asking price is lower than most of the M Coupe market by a notable amount. Would you bite?
The BMW M Coupe has become the darling of the BMW modern classic set. This was a car designed with one purpose in mind: speed. Enthusiasts are all over these cars and prices have shot up accordingly. But for those who might want to spend a little less and could use something a bit more tame, there’s an option for you: the Z3 3.0i coupe. This was a fairly obscure offering in the US lineup, since this car wasn’t designed for outright speed but had the same two seat, hardtop layout as the mental M Coupe. This Z3 3.0i Coupe for sale in Portland, Oregon has under 80,000 miles on the clock and is equipped with the automatic gearbox.
