Born out of a heated battle with Mercedes in the World Touring Car Championship, for decades the BMW M3 has been one of the pillars of the German sports car landscape, delivering hit after hit with each generation. No other car combines the comfort, sophistication, and practicality of an executive sedan with handling and sheer driving joy in the same way as BMW’s iconic M3, and thanks to DriverSource, we have a prime example from each of the M3’s first three generations waiting to enter your collection.
1988 E30 BMW M3 Evolution II
Kicking things off with a bang, we have arguably the most desirable M3 on our list: one of only 500 E30 M3 Evo IIs built for Group A homologation regulations. When it comes to fast bimmers, this is one of the most collectable cars the company has ever built, and one of the sweetest handling. Sure, it may be two cylinders short of its descendants, but this E30 M3 more than makes up for it with unparalleled racing pedigree and those gorgeous box flares, which only look more alluring in this car’s shade of Macau Blue Metallic. Better still, you won’t have to worry about adding to this car’s mileage, as it has been steadily enjoyed as BMW intended over its lifetime, racking up an admirable 110,139 miles.
1995 E36 BMW M3
Launched in 1992, the E36 generation M3 traded some of its predecessor’s agility for increased comfort and the addition of the silky-smooth S50 inline-six cylinder. Sadly, the box flares were lost during the M3’s reincarnation and visually the E36 M3 was far closer to its standard 3 Series siblings, but that only adds to this car’s appeal as a daily driver. Finished in Cosmos Black Metallic over a grey leather interior, this M3 coupe boasts the sought-after ‘Vader’ sports seats and a five-speed manual to keep you busy. With E36s continuing to gain in popularity, we wouldn’t hesitate to jump in this 72,608 mile peach!
2002 E46 BMW M3
At last, we arrive at the E46 generation M3. To many, this is the pinnacle of the M3’s lineage, with later generations growing too large, too heavy, and losing the scalpel-like precision of the E46. Powered by the legendary S54 inline-six cylinder engine, this manual Steel Grey Metallic example has been gently modified to enhance its driving experience and boasts desirable genuine CSL wheels. Currently showing 64,260 miles, this example has been pampered by its previous owner and is ready to put an enormous smiles on your face with every drive.
