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Tag: S54

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2004 BMW M3 Individual with 31,000 Miles

Published May 21, 2014 by Carter

I’ve been on a bit of a tear recently regarding rarity. There seem to be far too many unusual color combinations that were seldom ordered and sellers pick that “1 of x” point as their badge of honor regarding the specialness of the car. Okay, so some of those combinations are pretty neat, and indeed some of the cars are quite rare – like last week’s Pre-Production Evergreen and Kayalami M Roadster. It was a car custom ordered to someone’s taste from the available options, and as a result it’s neat as an oddity but not the most attractive color combination. I understand the point – if I was going to go buy a brand new car from any manufacturer, I’d want to assure that my example of a mass produced car was just a bit different than what everyone else had. What better way than to custom-order a color out of specification, such as today’s 2004 E46 M3 finished in Dakar Yellow by BMW Individual:

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1988 BMW M5 with S54 Swap

Published May 17, 2014 by Carter

Not many people would dare to accuse the E28 M5 of having faults, but I will. First, the engine was turned down for the U.S. market. That’s a reality of the 1970s and 1980s, I know, but it’s still a gripe. Second, it only came in black to U.S. shores. And that too is a shame, because the E24 M6 really shows what a little color does to those classic lines. Third, on top of the black-only stance, it had bumpers that easily double as benches – for Americans, even. Fourth, though wide 16″ wheels were pretty advanced for the day, the reality is that there are increasingly limited good options for filling out those rims. Fifth has to be the interior. My dad has an 88 M5, and it’s a very nice car – but the seats are well worn and look nearly double the mileage they actually are. It’s often the case when I look at an E28 M5 that the seats either look completely redone or wrecked. Sixth has to do with the engine again – because the reality is that 25 plus years on, keeping the S38s running in top condition can be an expensive proposition. Okay, so maybe I’m overstating my gripes a bit, but it just goes to show that there’s at least room for improvement with the U.S. spec M5. How do you fix my list of gripes? Well, buying this car would be a pretty good start:

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2001 BMW M Roadster

Published April 1, 2014 by Paul

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.

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2001 BMW M Roadster

Published March 18, 2014 by Rob

The roadster formula is fairly straightforward: take a small 2-seater, strip away most of the unnecessary items, add an engine, and go. In many cases these were minimalist sports cars designed to keep their drivers as closely connected to every sensation of driving as possible and most made do with smaller engines, relying upon the car’s light weight to enable capable acceleration. Some, however, went a different route retaining the light weight chassis but strapping in a larger, more powerful, motor. The AC Cobra desired by Carroll Shelby was one of the first and most notable examples and ever since enthusiasts have clamored for cars that continue in the tradition of the small car with a powerful engine. The car featured here follows that lead: a Steel Gray Metallic 2001 BMW M Roadster located in Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. With reasonably low miles and the highly desirable S54 engine this particular Roadster is sure to offer plenty of spirited top-down motoring with a healthy dose of horsepower.

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10K Friday: E36 or E46? 1998 M3 Sedan v. 2002 M3 Convertible

Published February 7, 2014 by Carter

Last week’s M3 v. S4 10K showdown wasn’t particularly a success, I’ll admit. No one wanted the question marks behind those two modified cars that were arguably overprice and too-high mileage. I’m back today with another duo, and as always I’ve tried to spice it up a bit. Today we’re going to look at a E36 M3 Sedan versus a E46 M3 Convertible. No brainer? Ah, but the sedan has an automatic and is the semi-polarizing Techno Violet. Not to let the E46 run away with things either, the E46 is the less-desirable convertible with the less-desirable SMG transmission with many, many more miles. Yet, they’re offered around the same price, which begs the question “Which would you choose”? Let’s look at the sedan first:

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