Retaliation: ’87 BMW M3
Some say this early M3 is probably among the most fun BMWs of all freaking time. We had the pleasure to borrow one for a long weekend and we think they may be right. There are 2 sides to every story – and why BMW built this Bimmer bomber has two schools of thought. One version says BMW built it in response to the Mercedes-Benz 2.3 16V and another says it was a response to the newly published FIA Touring Car Championship rule book. We favor the later as the truth. BMW engineers actually took a different path than you might have expected. They didn’t take a street car and tweak it they took a race car and made it street legal. So you get sort of a frankenbimmer with parts from some pretty exotic BMW products lurking under the hood. It is said to have a Formula 1 engine block and an M1 head. Now that’s rarified stuff. These early M3s are alive. They twitch, rattle and snort but that keeps the driver totally engaged. It’s just loads of fun. Today’s find is a 2-owner California/Nevada car in what is said to be excellent condition. Owners of a car like an M3 typically know that diligent maintenance is the key to a top performing, long-lived car so this one has a binder 3″ tall filled with receipts. The seller says everything works and even the dash lights have been upgraded. That says details were attended to by a fanatical owner. We like buying cars from people like that. The seller has a price tag twice that of the M-B 190E 2.3 16V. At $24,000 it is a little pricey but the condition may warrant it. Certainly worth a look for a rare BMW. Click here to contact the seller.