1 of 2 Red / Dark Gray / Black M Coupes with No Sunroof (slicktop)
UUC Twin Disc Clutch Kit / Lightweight Flywheel
Eurosport 2.1L Twin Screw Supercharger Kit
88mm Pulley Installed (includes 80mm and 65mm pulleys)
42lb Injectors
ITG Air Filter
S54 3-Row Radiator
Supersprint 80mm Exhaust
Active Autowerke Track Pipe (includes factory section for emissions)
Randy Forbes Dual-Ear Differential Kit
Rogue Engineering Dual-Eared Differential Cover
3.73 Limited-Slip Differential
TC Kline / Koni Single Adjustable Coilovers
Rogue Engineering Rear Shock Mounts
Vorshlag Camber Plates
Ireland Engineering Rear Camber/Toe Kit
500lb Front Springs / 600lb Rear Springs
Reinforced Rear Sway Bar Tabs
Stainless Brake Lines
Sony DSX-S200X Stereo
Heated Seats
Keyless Entry
John Thayer Seat Mod Kit
LeatherZ Armrest
Aftermarket Metal Pedal Covers
17-Inch Staggered Style 40 Roadstar Wheels
Dunlop Direzza ZII Star Spec Tires
PNW / Florida / Colorado Car
Clean Carfax / No Accidents
BACKGROUND
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). 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. 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 to be 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!
SUMMARY
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 well over a decade. This Imola Red over black leather example is one of only six M Coupes produced in that color combination through the entire production run, and one of only two as a slick top (sunroof delete). I chose Imola Red for my personal M Coupe because it is one of the best colors in the M Coupe palette. This example was originally sold in Texas in August of 1999. Shortly thereafter, it moved to Oregon, and remained in the Pacific North West until 2013, when it went to Florida under the current owner. Under him, it was built into its current form—and that build sheet it extensive!
The most impressive element is the Eurosport 2.1L Twin Screw Supercharger Kit that was bored to 2.2L by Kenne Belle and installed by SCR Performance. This is without a doubt the best supercharger kit that was ever made available for the S52, featuring massive power gains across the rev range and virtually none of the delay associated with other forced induction kits. My brother has the same set up in his M Coupe with Racelogic traction control and the Z3M guru Randy Forbes himself declared it one of the fastest M Coupes he’s ever driven! Cooling is achieved via a front-mounted intercooler with an S54 Z3M three-core radiator. It dyno’d at 382 horsepower and 409 pound feet of torque. That power is routed through a UUC twin disc clutch and lightweight flywheel connected to a Euro E36 M3 Evo 6-speed manual transmission. The final drive was shortened with a 3:73 limited-slip differential. The chassis was reinforced with a Randy Forbes dual ear differential mount kit and a Rogue Engineering finned differential cover. The suspension was upgraded with TC Klein single adjustable coil-overs with 500lb front and 600lb rear springs, Vorshlag camber plates, Rogue Engineering rear shock mounts and Ireland Engineering rear camber / toe kit with reinforced rear sway bar tabs. In preparation for sale we replaced the valve cover gasket, the A/C belt, and charged the air-conditioning.
Original and spare parts included with included with the sale are the original five-speed ZF transmission, original exhaust center section with catalytic converters (for emissions compliance), original driveshaft, and original springs. 80mm and 65mm supercharger pulleys are included, along with a bin of original supercharger parts. Extras include a Bentley service manual and a Peak Research R5-SRS Airbag Code Tool. Two keys and the original owner’s manuals are included. The Carfax is clean and shows four owners. Records go back through 2010, with receipts and invoices for the majority of the upgraded parts. As it sits, this is a turn-key Eurosport Supercharged M Coupe in a desirable color combo and excellent condition—it would take thousands more to build one than to buy one that’s been done. 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.
EXTERIOR
Imola Red is one of the best and most desirable M Coupe colors. The dark red hue accentuates the aggressive bodylines and easily forgives imperfections. The paint on this example is in good condition. The body is straight with few cosmetic gripes. Both bumpers have been refinished at some point and look great. There is zero rust and all VIN tags are in place. 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 headlight lenses are clear. All indicator lenses and taillight housings are clear and crack-free. The Style 40 Roadstar staggered wheels (17x7.5 front and 17x9 rear) are clean, with some minor curb rash on the passenger rear. The tires are Dunlop Direzza ZII Star Specs that will be due for replacing soon, but have a couple autocross events left in them.
INTERIOR
Open the door and you are greeted with that lovely leather smell that only Z3 M Coupes and Roadsters have. 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 creasing and wear on the driver’s side bolster. The seat bushings do not rock. The seats have John Thayer’s seat mod kit to angle the fronts higher. All 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. There is an airbag light for a faulty airbag module. The Innovate gauges mounted on the steering column display AFR and boost pressure. The rearview mirror has been rebuilt with solid-state internals so there is no danger of it leaking fluid on the center console. The glove box does not sag. The center console switch panel has no cracks, but does have a small spot where the gray coating peeled up slightly in front of the shift boot trim. All interior functions work correctly, including the power windows, power door locks, and 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.
MECHANICAL
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, charged the air-conditioning, and replaced the A/C belt. It has always been properly owned and benefitted from regular oil changes and routine maintenance. It comes with a stack of records from the previous owners, as well as an invoice from our most recent service. The owner we are selling it on consignment for has kept a detailed spreadsheet of any work he has personally done throughout his tenure. 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 do. The TC Klein suspension is firmer than stock, but is still comfortable and compliant over harsh bumps, thanks to the reasonable spring rates. The Eurosport Supercharger kit adds significant power all the way across the rev range, and is widely considered to be the best kit for S50/S52 engines. We have a dyno sheet showing 382whp/409wtq on a Dynojet with the 65mm pulley installed. The torque increase down low from stock is massive, and it pulls hard all the way to 7000rpm. It does not leak, drip, or spot. The clutch and shifter are crisp and precise. The brakes are firm and the suspension is compliant. The suspension bushings are tight. The rear trunk floor has no sunken spot welds and the rear differential mounts have no tears, thanks to the Randy Forbes reinforcement kit. 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.