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The year was 1994, and BMW brought some pre-production M3s in Dakar Yellow to various tracks around the U.S. to engage their primary target audience; enthusiasts. I still remember seeing them and being both very excited and slightly let down. From a performance standpoint, even in turned-down U.S. form the M3 was a potent small sedan. 240 horsepower was top of the small car market back then and around a track, stock for stock the E36 was easily a match for the outgoing fan-favorite E30. Coupled with an eye-searing color, it was an impressive and modern package that I loved. But I also loved the street-racer aspect of the E30, and that was something that the E36 didn’t capture well….at first. That was remedied later in 1995 with the introduction of the “CSL” version of the E36. Stripped out, available only in Alpine White and with Motorsports GmbH details throughout, the M3 Lightweight channeled both the E9 3.0CSL racers that started the M trend and captured the spirit of the E30 with its giant, adjustable rear wing and splitter. Instantly these began popping up at track events; despite the entire production run of only 126 cars, it wasn’t uncommon in 1995 and 1996 to see 4 or 5 of these special cars turn up and trounce all the other cars with ease. Since new, these limited edition M3s have always held more value than nearly all of the rest of the model run – and as prices of all things M rise, it’s no surprise that it appears the tide is carrying them up as well:
I still remember the first time I went to the track and saw the notorious M3 Lightweight. I had read about it coming in the BMWCCA magazine and it looked exciting. Sure, it still wasn’t the full bore M3 that the rest of the world got to experience, but if you were a track junkie it was a recipe made in heaven. With less weight and some trick aerodynamic aids added to the already stout out-of-the-box E36 M3, it was no surprise that several of the BMWCCA instructors who had other 3-series dumped them to get the Lightweight. They were also a hit in Club Racing, where they were turned up a few notches to make a serious track weapon. Today one such club racer is for sale from the seriously BMW-savvy group at Fall-Line Motorsports:
Generally, when someone says that the price of a car has dropped $10,000 it’s a fire sale. For example, I’ve never bought a car for more than $10,000! But when you’re talking a rare, one of one Ruf BTR Lightweight, a $10,000 price drop means that the asking price is still a staggering $248,500. While this will remain eye candy to nearly everyone who reads this, I still thought it was worth a second look!
The below post originally appeared on our site July 1, 2014:
There are plenty of people that think that the E36 M3 came to the U.S. in neutered form, but if you drive one you’ll realize that they’re pretty capable cars right out of the box. But BMW knew that the M3 would be hitting the track, and right out of the box they offered a more track-focused version. Stripped down and with extra aerodynamic equipment, the Lightweight was an instant hit with club racers and track addicts, but many enthusiasts still felt that they deserved the full-fat M3. However, if the recent trends with the E30 have taught us anything, it’s that even the less-special versions of the special cars will still command stronger money, and the Lightweight is certainly one of the more special E36 cars. Details like the moveable splitter and stackable rear wing, along with those great Motorsport-colored flags and forged wheels; I’ve loved this car since the first time I saw one pop up at the track in late 95:
In an era where successive generations of vehicles get larger and heavier, lightweight specials crop up occasionally to cater to the purist. Porsche has a penchant for lightweight specials, such as the 911 GT3RS and various Club Sport models that have peppered the lineup throughout the years. BMW has been hip to this lightweight game as well, and saw the potential shortly after the introduction of the E36 M3 in the US market. The Lightweight (LTW) was a 1995 homologation special model that saw the deletion of luxuries such as air conditioning, a radio, some sound deadening material, leather trim and the sunroof. Aluminum skinned doors, sport suspension and a revised rear axle ratio gave the Lightweight an edge over the standard M3. A little over 100 of these LTW models were offered to US customers and are highly prized by Bimmer fans today. This M3 LTW for sale in Florida is unlike many in that it has a good amount of miles under its belt.
