3 1999 - 2002 BMW M coupe | A Rare and Uncompromised Beast
By Jason Cammisa
In February 1999, automotive design editor Robert Cumberford called the BMW M coupe ugly, and then he selected it as the Design of the Year. "It is not beautiful (at all); brutal is a much better word to describe its appearance," he wrote. "It is the toughest-looking sports car on the world market; not even a Ferrari F50 states an uncompromising visual case as strongly."
And its aggressive looks weren't just skin-deep. Although the M roadster didn't quite live up to the dynamic expectations promised by its styling, the addition of a roof more than doubled torsional stiffness. With uprated springs, dampers, and antiroll bars to match the increased chassis rigidity, the car's handling was transformed - and the M coupe felt like an altogether different car than the roadster. The burly M coupe was a bit of a handful and didn't exhibit the fine balance of, say, a Porsche Boxster. But it was so much fun that it had us asking if the BMW was, perhaps, more true to the Porsche 911 ethos than even the new-for-1999 911 was.
All M coupes had 3.2-liter in-line sixes under the hood - initially the 240-hp engine from the E36-generation M3. But that smooth, torquey engine wasn't designed by the M division, it was merely a bored and stroked regular BMW six with hot cams. The real M engine came in 2001, when the E46 M3's screaming, six-throttle 3.2-liter was slotted under the M coupe's bulging hood. It belted out 315 hp on its way to a lofty 7600-rpm redline, screaming like a chain saw and heaving the little bread box to 60 mph in five seconds flat, according to BMW.
Whether you prefer the quiet stormer or the frenetic buzz saw, good taste demands that you avoid the horrible two-tone Smurf-blue or Coca-Cola-red interiors. And be sure to check the differential mounts before you buy an M coupe; over years of abuse, the spot welds can separate from the floor, resulting in a very expensive - or even hopeless - repair. Cooling systems and rear shock mounts require more frequent attention than usual, but that's a small price to pay for a stunning performer that looks like nothing else and remains one of the most entertaining sports cars of all time.
Price Then $42,370 (1999)
Price Now $10,500
> Awards
Design of the Year ('99),
All-Star ('99)
> Watch Out For
Ruptured rear differential mounts, rear shock mounts, cooling system trouble.
> Fun Fact
The 2001 and 2002 M coupes have a "real" M engine and a firmer suspension.
> Certified Pre-Owned
N/A
> Web site
bimmerforums.com
> Specs
- 3.2L I-6, 240/315 hp, 236/251 lb-ft
- 5-speed manual
- Rear-wheel drive ...next page >>