Price: SOLD
Mileage: 94,900 Miles
Engine: S54B32 Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual (from an E46 M3)
Exterior color: Laguna Seca Blue (LSB) Exterior (448)
Interior: Black / Laguna Seca Nappa Leather Interior (Q6LS)
Additional features:
1 of 16 Laguna Seca Blue / Black / Blue S54 M Coupes
1 of 9 2001 Laguna Seca Blue / Black / Blue S54 M Coupes
Randy Forbes Engine Replacement / 6-Speed Swap
Clownshoe Motorsports Subframe Reinforcement
Top Speed Headers from Clownshoe Motorsports
Custom Mid-Pipe w/ High-Flow Cats
Stock Mufflers
Super Sprint Exhaust Available for Extra
3.73 Limited Slip Differential
TC Kline Single Adjustable Coilovers
GAZ Front Camber Plates
Ireland Engineering Rear Camber Adjusters
Mason Engineering Strut Bar
AKG Polyurethane Bushings
Rogue Engineering Stainless Steel VANOS Control Line
UUC Stainless Steel Brake and Clutch Lines
FX-R Projector Retrofit w/ TRS HIDs
Solid-State Rearview Mirror Upgrade
Glove Box Sag Upgrade
LeatherZ Shifter and E-Brake Boots
LeatherZ Mark II Armrest
LeatherZ Door Armrest Pads
LeatherZ Sunroof Shade
CD43 Business CD
Harmon Kardon HiFi Loudspeaker System
Grom Bluetooth
USB Phone Charging Port
Sunroof
Heated Seats
Thayer Motorsports Seat Tilt Mod Kit
M Leather Steering Wheel
18-Inch Rondell 0021 Concave Wheels
Hankook Ventus V12 Evo 2 High Performance Tires
Rebuilt Title / Carfax
Documented Repairs (build thread link in description)
The BMW (Z3) M Coupe is the SR-71 Blackbird of the BMW M world. Lockheed’s ultra secret internal Skunkworks division designed the SR-71, whereas the BMW M Coupe was the secret internal project of BMW Motorsport GmbH engineer Burkhard Goschel. Goschel added a hatchback onto the already fantastic M Roadster, which resulted in an increase in rigidity of roughly 260%, making it the most rigid BMW ever, at the time. Then BMW did something shocking and offered it for sale! Its brash and harsh lines were too much for the conservative mainstream late-‘90s BMW audience, but enthusiasts salivated at its unique form with the power and handling to back it up. In 2001 BMW changed the game again by adding the potent 300-plus horsepower S54B32 engine from the E46 M3. Along with it came revised exterior colors, doorsill and cluster ///M emblems, white-backed interior gauges, and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC). Roughly 678 S54 examples were produced, and they have become one of the most desirable BMW models of all time. Of those, only 41 were Laguna Seca Blue—the most desirable color by market sale price. Of those only 16 were produced with the two-tone Laguna Seca Blue interior. Such examples rarely hit the market, and when they do, they don’t last long.
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 Laguna Seca Blue over Laguna Seca Blue interior is one of those rare 16 examples, one of only 9 for the 2001 model year. In fact, it was the second one ever produced and entered service as a press car (option code 902), likely with BMW North America based in New Jersey. The last Laguna Seca Blue M Coupe that has posted for sale was this one, and that was three years ago. I’m approaching this listing journalistically—this car deserves it—so brew a cup of coffee, sit down and get comfortable because it’s going to take a minute to read.
The production date was March 20, 2001, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Carfax shows the in-service date as April 25, 2001, followed by proper break in service, and regular maintenance with the first owner by Park Avenue BMW and Flemington BMW. In 2004 at approximately 30,000 miles it went to Vancouver, British Columbia and other than regular registrations its history trail went dark.
Then, in October of 2011 it popped up again on the Bimmerforums Z3 sub-forum. A member, and owner of several M Coupes, had purchased it at an insurance auction after it had been rear-ended in the right rear corner. The rear bumper cover has damaged, along with the right rear bumper support and side member. It was the type of damage that would not have normally resulted in a rebuilt title, but because it was totaled by insurance and sold through insurance auction it was. It was repaired with a new side member (BMW part # 41118413225) and refinished rear bumper cover. While he was at it he repainted the hood, doors, front fenders, side skirts, and bumper covers. When it was finished, he added TC Kline Single Adjustable coilovers, along with a host of other parts. The repair thread is here: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?1736707-My-LSB-repair-journal
Fast-forward to 2015 and it sold to another well-known member of the M Coupe community after being posted for less than thirty-six hours. When he got it, he set about sorting it further with a 2-stage paint correction, rebuilt driveshaft, S54 valve adjustment, VANOS seals, Rondell wheels, and an alignment. M Coupe experts and racecar builders Clown Shoe Motorsports completed most of the work and carried on from there with a dual-ear subframe reinforcement that included cleaning up the previous repair and reinforcing the entire trunk floor, subframe, and both frame rails with thicker pieces. AKG polyurethane subframe, trailing arm bushings, and differential bushing were added, along with Ireland Engineering rear camber adjustment. Stainless Steel brake lines, a limited-slip 3:73 differential, custom tune, and high-flow headers were also added. For the interior he recovered the seats in matching Laguna Seca Blue and Black nappa leather. He also ordered a replacement center switch panel in Laguna Seca Blue for when the one in the car eventually cracks. That is included in the sale, still in the box.
In 2016, on the way home from Dorkfest the VANOS failed. The race bearing under the oil pump disc failed, causing the oil pump disc tabs to punch through the VANOS cover. The car was shipped to M Coupe guru Randy Forbes, who swapped the original engine with an S54 and 6-Speed transmission from a 2005 M3. The new engine was inspected, re-sealed and Randy Forbes coated rod-bearings were installed along with ARP rod bolts, and a staked oil pump nut. The VANOS was also inspected along with replacement cam bolts. The clutch and flywheel were inspected and a custom driveshaft made to ensure correct spline engagement (if you re-use the old one there isn’t enough spline engagement. It has run flawlessly ever since.
Last year it came to Colorado with a local collector. He did some minor house keeping items including, rear Koni TC Kline matched shocks and mounts, cruise control brake light switch, passenger outer door handle and lock, and installed high-flow catalytic converters so it would pass Colorado emissions. The stock mufflers are currently mounted. In preparation for sale we gave it a fresh oil change and replaced the oil level / temperature switch.
As it sits, this is a turn-key M Coupe ready to be enjoyed by its new owner. And because it has a storied, but documented, past, it is the type of M Coupe that you can actually enjoy rather than tuck away in your heated garage. Laguna Seca Blue is one of the most rare and most desirable colors; the last one that sold was this one three years ago. If this car had a clean title it would be mid-$50k to $60K example—but it is also arguably a much better car than that stock example thanks to its documentation, subframe reinforcement and significant upgrades. You can get a very nice stock example in a more common color for what I’m asking, and if this one doesn’t pull at your heartstrings you should. But if you want one of only 16 Laguna Seca Blue over Laguna Seca leather M Coupes with a documented history, then it is waiting here in the hangar ready to begin the next chapter of its story.
The paint on this example is in excellent condition thanks to being re-painted in 2011. All paint above the waistline is original, all below it has been repainted. There are no significant dents or dings; the only glaring imperfection is moderate pitting on the front bumper cover. There is a small area of flexed paint in the rear bumper cover. There is no failed clear coat and zero rust. All trim and black-work are present, there is minor fade on the black trim strip on the roof, but it takes scrutiny to see. All VIN tags are in place all panels are original with the exception of the trunk floor / subframe reinforcements. The Carfax shows the rebuilt title. The headlights are retrofitted with FX-R projector with TRS HIDs. They are one of the best headlight upgrades you can do to a Z3. The headlight lenses are slightly opaque, we can polished these at the buyer’s discretion. Late-model M Coupes received chrome rings around the interior headlight lenses. All indicator lenses and taillight housings are clear and crack-free. The front markers have been replaced with clear lenses. The Rondell wheels are straight and true, and have no curb rash. They are wrapped with Hankook Ventus V12 Evo 2 high performance tires with 70% tread remaining.
Two-tone interiors are one of the M Coupe’s best design features. The carpets have no stains or tears and are protected by Lloyd carpet factory floor mats. The seat leather covers were replaced by the previous owner and are in excellent condition with no tears, stains, or failed seams; they do have slight creasing. The seat bushings are rock solid and have the Thayer Motorsport tilt kit—a must for any road trip. All seat motors work, as do the seat heaters. The 3-spoke steering wheel has a few small imperfections, but no excessive 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 is not scratchy. There are two USB charging ports / aux inputs in the rear center console. The center console switch panel has no cracks and an extra Laguna Seca blue console is included for when it does crack. The ZHP shift knob is nicely weighted and matched with a LeatherZ Shift boot, E-brake boot, and Mark II armrest. The glove box does not sag; it has had a reinforcement kit installed. The auto-dimming rearview mirror has been replaced with one featuring solid-state internals. If left original, they eventually leak fluid on the center console. The door card leather is not peeling at the top by the mirrors and LeatherZ door armrest pads are installed. All interior functions work correctly. The heat blows warm and the air conditioning blows cold. The rear hatch divider is present and in great shape. The rear hatch carpet is in good shape. Underneath, the tool kit is complete, but the factory jack and owners’ manuals are not present.
This is a turn-key M Coupe; all major and preventative maintenance is up to date. I’ve already highlighted details of the mechanical history. The S54 engine fires up on command, idles smoothly, and pulls strongly to redline. There is no Vanos rattle or lifter knock. It does not leak, drip, or spot. The clutch and shifter are crisp and the E46 M3 6-speed transmission does not have the shift pin bushing issues that the Z3M 5-speed transmission does. The brakes are firm with plenty of life left. The TC Kline coilover suspension is fantastic, I run TC Kline double adjustables in my M Coupe. There is no driveline or wheel bearing vibration or whine. The AKG suspension bushings are also firm, but tolerable, even on long drives. I have spent several years fine-tuning my personal M Coupe into a successful time trial car. I would be happy to share my experience and offer guidance from the lessons I have learned.
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