1998 BMW Z3M coupé

Less than 69 000 original km The most mythical BMW of the 1990s, 2,858 units worldwide Most desirable color combination: Estoril blue / two-tone Estoril blue and black Nappa leather French registration title Chassis n° WBSCM91090LB55810 I t’s not often that a coupe is derived from a convertible: it’s more often the opposite. The Coupe version of the Z3 should not have existed. The idea was born in a small team at BMW Motorsport GmbH, the main goal being to offer a more rigid chassis to the Z3 Roadster. Management of the Munich brand initially refused the project, judging it to be unprofitable and a source of internal competition with the existing M3 E36 coupe. To reduce costs, Motorsport decided that its Z3 Coupe - which remains a strict two-seater - would use a maximum of parts from the roadster. In addition to the Motorsport engine, it would also receive the 2.8 6-cylinder engine in order to achieve sufficient production volumes. After much persuasion, the project was approved by management. Chris Bangle taking over the head of BMW design in 1992, he greatly pushed for its advancement. The man and his team transformed the roadster not into a coupe but into a small hatchback offering the advantage of a large trunk. Presented at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show, it kept its squalid face to which the grafting of a cabin with receding lines gave it one of the most distinctive faces of the late 20th century. If in the spirit it can recall the MGB GT, the Z3 Coupe is different from anything that was proposed at that time. Produced in less than three years with 18,000 units, the Z3 Coupé is already collected. The M version with its first-generation S50 engine, the same as the M3 E36 3.2 (3.2 and 321 hp), was produced to 2,858 units, 472 of which were Estoril blue and only 83 without the sunroof like our example. Sold new in Japan, this model with the mythical S50B32 block was put on the road on October 1st 1998. It passed through the United Kingdom, in Bolton, where the B. brothers ook posses sion of it in 2018. It has all its on-board documents in Japanese and its condition leaves one dreaming. Aesthetically, its bodywork is in almost flawless condition. The interior is not left out with an upholstery in perfect condition and a dashboard and a console looking like new. The same is true for the door panels and the roof liner. In the spring of 2019, the Parisbased BMW specialist l’Autographe will perform a major overhaul (€3,000 in costs): steering and stabilizer bar rods, wishbone silentblocks, steering triangles, discs and brake pads, draining of all fluids, and even a rebuild of the Vanos system (variable intake timing). During our test drive, the car showed impeccable operation and behavior. Healthy and with great mechanical strength, we never tire of the driving position or the handling of the gearbox. This car is as sensational to drive as it is to look at, more rigorous than the roadster but still folkloric and endearing. Not failing to turn heads as it passed by during the Place de la Concorde photo shoot, we can say that the Z3 M Coupé is clearly a car to be collected urgently. This car with only 68,327 km is a «must have», trust us!