Price: SOLD
Mileage: 94,200 Miles
Engine: S52B32 Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual Transmission
Exterior color: Imola Red Exterior (405)
Interior: Black Nappa Leather Interior (Q6SW)
Additional features:
1 of 183 Red / Black M Coupes
CD43 Business CD
Heated Seats
Keyless Entry
Dinan Cold Air Intake
Dinan Tune
Dinan Strut Brace
Rear Trailing Arm Reinforcements
Turner Underdrive Pulley
Bilstein Sport Shocks
Limited-Slip Differential
17-Inch Style 40 Roadstar Wheels
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S Tires (freshly mounted)
Florida / Colorado Car
Clean Carfax / No Accidents
All Z3M / S52 Maintenance Up to Date
The BMW (Z3) M Coupe is the SR-71 Blackbird of the BMW M world (if you have no clue what an SR-71 is, you have some Googling to do). The SR-71 was designed by Lockheed’s ultra secret internal Skunkworks division, whereas the BMW M Coupe was the secret internal project of BMW Motorsport GmbH engineer Burkhard Goschel. Following the tradition that resulted in the E30 3 Series Touring, Goschel penned a hatchback onto the already fantastic M Roadster. Adding a lid to a platform originally designed as a convertible resulted in the most rigid BMW ever (at the time). The M Coupe was roughly 260% more rigid than the M Roadster. It was destined to be a one-off novelty, hidden deep within the basement vault of M GmbH forever, but then BMW did something shocking—and offered it for sale! Enthusiasts salivated in anticipation of a shooting brake-style hatchback, with its staggeringly unique lines and the power and handling to back them up. Those who could afford the M Coupe snatched them up, but the rest of the world did not receive it as kindly. Its brash and harsh lines were too much for the conservative mainstream BMW audience of the time. Roughly 2100 (S52 powered) M Coupes were produced in total. Dealers hated them because they would take forever to sell off the lot. Oh how times have changed! As the rest of the motoring world caught up with the M Coupe, it has become one of BMW’s most coveted Motorsport cars. The M Coupe’s unique and timeless design is still relevant today, earning it many looks, compliments, and questions; “Is that a new model?” is a common one. They are only climbing in value; the time to get one is now!
BMW M Coupes are one of our specialty vehicles at Glen Shelly. I have owned my personal M Coupe and have been heavily involved in the M Coupe community for over a decade. This Imola Red over black leather example is one of only 183 M Coupes produced in that color combination through the entire production run. I chose Imola Red for my personal M Coupe because it is one of the best colors in the M Coupe palette. It has some tasteful mods in the form of a Dinan cold air intake, Dinan tune, Dinan strut brace, Tuner underdrive pulley, Bilstein sport shocks, and rear trailing arm reinforcements. It was originally sold in January of 1999 by Saddleback BMW of Oxnard, California and remained in California until 2015, when it moved to Oregon. We helped a friend and fellow BMW enthusiast who also owns a Dakar Yellow E36 M3 purchase it in June of this year after it was featured on Bring a Trailer. He was going to sell his E36 M3 as part of the process, but ultimately decided that after painstakingly restoring the M3, the sentimental value was too strong. As a result the M Coupe is for sale, but only after he spent a considerable sum to bring it up to par beforehand. Unfortunately, the previous seller on Bring a Trailer failed to disclose several deferred maintenance items, which were all remedied by the current owner at significant expense. This included replacing the drive belts and pulleys (the air conditioning belt was completely missing), an oxygen sensor, sub-frame bushings, the shift rod seal, flex disc, recharging the air conditioning system, and changing the transmission, differential, and engine oils. Then he set about bringing the cosmetics up to par by replacing the M badges, kidney grills, brake ducts, lower grill mesh, brake and clutch pedal pads, jump point cover, rear hatch struts, rear subwoofer speaker grill cover, magnetic stone guards (not installed), had the leather professionally conditioned, and addressed lots of other small items. He also mounted fresh Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. After that he took it to the Colorado Concours, where it was very well received. In preparation for sale we replaced a seeping valve cover, power steering return line, and replaced the spark plugs in accordance with Mike Miller’s Lifetime Maintenance Schedule. The Carfax is clean and it still shows only one owner since it was purchased through Glen Shelly. As it sits, this is a turn-key M Coupe in a desirable color combo and excellent condition. We would like to find a new owner who will enjoy it for the next chapter. M Coupes are like air-cooled 911s—time is always on your side. This one occupies a sweet spot in the market, being at the right matrix of condition, mileage, and price for an M Coupe you can use and enjoy, but still will continue to appreciate steadily.
Imola Red is one of the best and most desirable M Coupe colors. The dark red hue accentuates the aggressive lines of the form. The paint on this example is in good condition. The body is very straight with very few cosmetic gripes. Both bumpers and the hood have been refinished and look fantastic. There is zero rust and all VIN tags are in place. The Carfax is clean, so this is likely due to standard wear and tear. I can provide a paint gauge report on request. The Roundels and M badges are brilliant with no crazed or faded paint. All trim and black-work are present and not UV faded. The outer lenses are clear and translucent.All indicator lenses and taillight housings are clear and crack-free. The driver’s side marker light cover has a small crack. The Style 40 Roadstar staggered wheels (17x7.5 front and 17x9 rear) are clean, with no curb rash on all four wheels.
Open the door and you are greeted with that lovely leather smell that only Z3 M Coupes and Roadsters have. Sit down and it is apparent that this is a proper sports car. It has a cockpit-like feel, with a low seating position, round chrome-ringed gauges, and a long hood out front. The SR-71 comes to mind again. The headliner is in great shape (sagging is a common issue). The carpets have no stains or tears and are protected by M factory floor mats. The seat leather is in excellent condition with no tears, stains, or failed seams. There is some light creasing on the driver’s side bolster. The seat bushings do not rock. Both seat motors work, as do the seat heaters. The 3-spoke steering wheel has minimal wear. The instrument cluster has no blown out pixels and all gauges work correctly. The CD-43 Business CD player has no blown out pixels and the volume rheostat works correctly (common issues). The glove box does not sag. The center console switch panel has a small crack above the A/C button (a common issue) but is otherwise very clean. All interior functions work correctly; power windows, power door locks, cruise control; the heat blows warm and the air conditioning blows cold. The rear hatch divider is present and in great shape. The trunk carpet is clean, and underneath the tool kit and owner’s manuals are present.
This is a turn-key M Coupe; all major and preventative maintenance is up to date. In preparation for sale we replaced a seeping valve cover, power steering return line, and replaced the spark plugs in accordance with Mike Miller’s Lifetime Maintenance Schedule, along with the rest of the items the owner had performed outlined in the Summary above. It has always been properly owned and benefitted from regular oil changes and routine maintenance. It comes with good records from the previous owners, as well as an invoice from our most recent service. The S52 engine is one of BMW’s reliable power plants, having none of the rod bearing issues or needing the valve adjustments that the later S54 powered M Coupes did. The S52B32 engine idles smoothly, pulls strongly to redline, and has no Vanos rattle or lifter knock. The Dinan intake gives slightly better throttle response and a deep induction note. It does not leak, drip, or spot. The clutch and shifter are crisp and precise. There is no 5th gear lean due to worn shift pins (a common issue). The brakes are firm, the suspension is compliant, and there are no driveline or wheel bearing noises or vibrations. The suspension bushings are tight. The rear trunk floor has no sunken spot welds and the rear differential mounts have no tears. Like any M Coupe it will need, and deserves, the preventative care and maintenance that all BMWs of this vintage do, but at present it is properly sorted and ready for its new home.
VIN Decode
Options
SHARE
THIS
LISTING