Price: £87,495| Year: 1988 | Engine: 2305 cc, Inline Four Cylinder, 220 bhp
Get the Ray-Bans out. This left hand drive super rare racer will transport you – fast – into the 1980s high life. After a pampered life, this pristine BMW E30 M3 Evo 2 is ready to put a smile on the face of its next keeper. Wide shoulder pads strictly optional, Duran Duran on the cassette deck obligatory.
The BMW E30 M3 is a homologation special, built to meet the Group A Touring Car regulations of the period. Five hundred production examples had to be built before BMW could go racing with the M3. You're looking at 485/500, a fact confirmed by a neat plaque just ahead of the gear lever in the immaculate interior of this remarkable piece of BMW history.
Those dramatic blistered wheel arches aren't for show. They're to accommodate the wide race tyres of the competition M3s. Here they house the original 16" BMW BBS cross spoke alloys, shod with Bridgestone tyres all round. Paintwork is unmarked, in Nogaro Silver Metallic, one of just three colourways available. The full bodykit, including deep chin spoiler and a significant rear wing to the tail, is fully functional and essential for the BWM's high speed track excursions. Window glass is thinner than on standard BMWs of the period to save weight.
Inside is where the 1980s are as real as your authentic Ray-Bans. BMW's Silver Uberkaro seats feature tri-colour BMW M inserts, while the factory radio/cassette is present, correct and ready for the worst your music choices can throw at it. Subtle door sills, stamped with the M3 logo, are unique to the Evolution 2. This may be a homologation special, but there's still heating to the front seats.
Under the bonnet, the competition-ready four cylinder – with lightened flywheel and high compression pistons – presents in flawless condition and again features the evocative BMW M-Power colours. The BMW has been in the same British family for 28 years, after two initial owners. Most recently, most of its time has been spent in dry storage, which explains its remarkable condition.
These cars are very rarely found on sale, and almost never in such an extraordinary condition. The even more extraordinary thing is that this is a modern classic that is designed to be used all day, every day - and then it'll be ready for a few wild laps of your nearest track. Time to go back to the future?
Discover another sporting superstar – the BMW M3 CSL.
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