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It might not have seemed so at the time, but if there was ever a car produced with the enthusiast squarely in mind, it was the BMW M Coupe. This lithe sports car only got better with age, with BMW dropping the newly developed S54 inline-6 that would see duty in the E46 M3. Just over 1,100 M Coupes with this engine were produced for 2001 and 2002, making them one of the most highly sought after BMWs of recent memory. This 2001 M Coupe for sale in California is a minter, with less than 40,000 miles on the odometer. This car was sold in 2011 by that famous purveyor of some of the finest Bavarian machinery, Enthusiast Auto Group.
As my search for “the perfect” E46 M3 continues, this example popped on to my radar screen. Why? Well, for most intents and purposes, it’s “perfect”. With only 10,051 miles on the odometer, it’s one of the lowest mileage E46s anywhere. Condition is near perfect. It’s a 6-speed manual. It’s a coupe. These are all on the must-have list for what I’m considering; that brings us to color. On the inside is N5TT – Grey Nappa Leather. I’m still with you, as I don’t like the all-black interiors on these E46s. Outside is 405 – Imola Red II, a pleasingly blue-red shade that sets the car apart from the normal silvers and blacks that M3s all-too often appear in. Okay, Imola isn’t my favorite color, but when you’re talking about low-mileage 13 year old cars in basically new condition, it’s not as if there’s a huge pool to select from:
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:
The search for what I’d consider to be the ideal M3 continues; my bank account may not reflect it, but I’m one year closer to E46 ownership – at least, in theory. And for those of you who follow my posts, that means my pool of candidates is reduced to something in a shouty color. So when this BMW Individual Dakar Yellow M3 popped up, it seemed to fit the criteria of cars I’d drool over – but at the same time, it looked familiar. Sure enough, last May I wrote this very car up. It’s pretty unique outside of the special shade, as a “slicktop” with no sunroof and with very low miles (less than 500 accrued since last May), this is a neat package. I like, too, that the seller has lowered the price to $28,500 and fitted some ZCP BBS wheels instead of the expensive but ugly (in my opinion) HRE wheels featured last time around. There are even better photos showing how vibrant the color is. The drawback? For me, still the SMG transmission is the one item that is the deal-breaker. Otherwise, though, this is one cool package!
The below post originally appeared on our site May 21, 2014:
At the end of the Z3-based M Roadster’s life, it was given a horsepower treat in the form of the S54 inline-6, finally bringing the performance potential of the E36-based US market cars up to level of their European market cousins. With 315 horsepower on tap, this was a serious little beast and a far cry from the Z3 we first saw in the mid-1990s with it’s 1.9 liter inline-4. This 2002 M Roadster for sale in Florida has under 30,000 miles on the clock and sports a great look in silver with its contrasting red canvas top and black and red leather interior.
