BMW Z3M Coupe

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A real old school hot-rod, the wonderful Z3M Coupé was built as a side-project by BMW’s fabled M Division alongside the regular Z3 range.

Only available from 1998 until 2002, it was developed by a team of crack M-Sport engineers led by Burkhard Goschel and featured a practical hatchback styling that vastly improved rigidity compared to the standard Z3 Roadster – always considered a bit limp-wristed for the really committed driver. To satisfy the engineers, the suspension and handling were honed over 6,000 miles of testing at the demanding Nurburgring circuit.

Fitted with the magnificent S50 321bhp straight-six 3.2-litre engine from the contemporary M3, mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, it had a fantastic power-to-weight ratio and was the fastest accelerating BMW of its day, scorching to 60 in 5.2 seconds on its way to a top speed limited to 155mph.

The inside was as defiantly individual as the outside, featuring chrome-rimmed dials with multi-coloured leather seats available as an option. Despite its wilful weirdness, it was built to the same superb standards as any BMW and was a totally practical everyday driver that just loved to play the hooligan at weekends.

With only 2,999 made in total (and only 821 in RHD), the S50 Z3M Coupe is a sure-fire collector’s car of the future and prices have already risen strongly of late.

T98 AJH is an early Coupè built in September 1998 and has covered only 92,633 miles from new. It has 16 stamps in its service book, with the last service being carried out in December, 2018, at 90,835 miles. The car has an MOT to August, 2019 with no advisories recorded.

The car is in fine original and unmolested condition with all functions working as they should and our man on the ground was impressed by the car’s condition and capabilities during the photoshoot. It is only offered for sale due to the vendor’s ill-health.