1998 BMW (Z3) M 3.2 Coupe              

Description

When BMW launched its extraordinary M Coupe, the company described it as a ‘sports car never available before even in the long and eventful history of BMW.’ Perhaps is should be regarded as the spiritual successor to the glorious 328 Mille Miglia of the 1930s. Regardless, here clearly was BMW’s riposte to the Porsche 911. The E36 M3 was contemporaneous with the last air-cooled (993) edition of the 911 but couldn’t quite match the Porsche’s pace. Then came the Evolution version in 1995 whose engine had been enlarged from 3.0 litres to 3.2 with a gain in 26kW from an impressive 210 to a formidable (for the day) 236. It is this engine which was shoehorned into the unique ‘breadvan’ coupe edition of the Z3 to create the charismatic M Coupe. A full 100kg lighter than the M3, the new hotrod was even quicker and an absolute blast to drive. Comparatively few examples were produced from 1998 until 2002 and the M Coupe became collectible after a very few years with prices considerably outperforming those obtained by E36 M3s.