Even before you turn the key, this is a car that feels different to the E36 siblings it shares its looks with. Sure, it may sport the same boxy front end, the same iconic 17-inch BMW Motorsport-branded wheels, and the same love-them-or-loathe-them M3 door mirrors. However, the E36-Generation BMW M3 Lightweight is anything but a standard M3; it's a car that exudes raw driving joy and competition glory that was only available to a lucky few. Many may see the tricoloured BMW Motorsport livery that adorns the front left and right rear corners, passing it off as a well-made replica which so many enthusiasts choose to do, but this example heading to RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale on August 16th is indeed the real deal, and offers a true once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any BMW aficionado out there.
1995 would see BMW seek to optimise their then three-year-old model for international competition, starting with the M3 GT homologation special edition road car. Offered only in British Racing Green, this strictly limited creation was available exclusively to customers in Germany. Naturally, it didn’t take long for the rest of the world to become immeasurably envious of the lucky German clients who had the keys to the GT, and BMW promptly invited the North American market to join in, creating a car that could line up on the grid of the IMSA-sanctioned Showroom Stock race series, which is exactly how the M3 Lightweight came to be.
Incredibly, all 126 examples of the homologated car were built between August and October of 1995, and ditched just about anything deemed luxurious or unnecessary. The air conditioning system, stereo, sound deadening material, and the sunroof were all left on the factory floor, shaving just over 90 kilograms, with the now-iconic S50 inline-six wound up to produce 243 horsepower from its 3.0-litre capacity. This high-revving motor, paired with a dynamic and engaging five-speed manual transmission, makes for a driving experience unlike any other BMW, or any other M car for that matter.
Every example was finished in Alpine White III and featured BMW Motorsport flag graphics, as well as carbon fibre interior trim and a more pronounced rear wing, which was interestingly delivered to American customers unattached and carefully delivered in the car’s trunk along with the front strut brace, since these components were not intended for use on public roads. This example remained vitually undriven for many years, as it was passed through various collectors, remaining with one for an impressive 13 years, before being purchased in 2018 with 24,305 miles on the odometer. It remains in remarkable condition, and is accompanied by its original window sticker, order form, Performance Technology Group letter, and full-size spare wheel.
So, is the fancy sticker really worth $100,000 more than the already impressive, British Racing Green shaded M3 GT? The answer isn’t for us to say, but more for the BMW-obsessed to decide. What we can say, though, is the M3 Lightweight is an all-out celebration of what makes BMW Motorsport one of the very best at what they do, creating a car that was unstoppable on the racetrack and adored on the canyon passes, engineered to appease the enthusiast who longed for an E30 M3 with a bit more bite, and a lot less weight. True M fans know that the iconic sticker pack is just the start.
Monterey, 16 Aug
