This Minty BMW M3 Is a Key Example of Why the 1990s Were Peak Automobile

Clean examples like this E36 are getting harder and harder to come by.

Rear section of a red BMW M3, showing the M3 badge and the tail light assembly with white, amber, and red sections. The background is an outdoor setting with green trees and a blue sky.

Published September 18, 2025

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Updated September 19, 2025

The BMW M3 might be one of the Bavarian automaker’s most iconic models but the E36 generation doesn’t get the love it most definitely deserves. Which is why this insanely clean example that’s currently up on BringATrailer deserves a closer look.

Red BMW E36 coupe parked on a driveway in front of a suburban house with stone and siding exterior, surrounded by greenery and a basketball hoop in the background. — When’s the last time you saw an E36 M3 this clean?

When it comes to idolizing previous generations of M3, it’s often the original E30, the third E46 and the fourth E90/E92/E93 generations that receive the lion’s share of admiration. But the E36 isn’t any less deserving.

A Six-Cylinder Black Sheep

The E36 M3 is the follow-up series production model after the original and groundbreaking E30 in the 1980s. Introduced in 1992 and manufactured until 1999, it was the first M3 to utilize a six-cylinder engine. It was also an early adopter of the electronically controlled semi-automatic sequential manual gearbox, or “SMG,” as it’s colloquially referred to.

A red convertible BMW and a blue coupe BMW parked side by side on a road at sunset, with a scenic background of hills, trees, and a house. The convertible has its top down with two people inside. — Not pictured, the E36 M3 also came in four-door sedan form.

Moreover, it was also the first M3 to align with BMW’s goals of combining luxurious and sports car qualities into a single, relatively affordable package.

When it debuted, the E36 M3 came with a 3.0-liter naturally-aspirated “S52B30” inline-six, which later evolved in a mid-cycle update into a more powerful, 3.2-liter “S52B32” six.

Engine bay of a red BMW car featuring a black engine cover with "BMW M Power" branding, various fluid reservoirs, and components neatly arranged under the open hood. — This specific ’99 features the more powerful and newer 3.2-liter “S52B32”.

Back in its heyday, you had to spend some serious dough in the form of a Porsche or a Ferrari to get the sort of performance it offered.

Because it was a significant departure from the original E30 M3’s DTM-homologated roots, many blasted the E36 for becoming too porky and watered down in comparison. The E30 M3 was essentially BMW’s German touring league manufacturer-built racecar adopted for the road.

Black BMW E30 M3 coupe driving on a paved road with a grassy field and blue sky in the background. The car features round headlights, a front kidney grille, and a rear spoiler. — The production E30 M3 is where it all started for M3 enthusiasts.

Rubbing salt in the wounds, North American-specification E36 M3s also received significantly different and less powerful versions of their engines when compared to their European models. And the first iteration of the optional SMG didn’t get the greatest reception from harsh shifts and high-maintenance compared to the standard three-pedal box, or even the optional five-speed automatic.

white BMW car — The E30 M3 was a motorsports champion that catapulted BMW into the global spotlight.

Since then, the E36’s criticism stuck. It was also further exacerbated by BMW’s choice to experiment with advanced, weight-saving and environmentally friendly polymers and plastics, which even fans admit didn’t withstand the test of time very well.

As such, many overlooked the high qualities of the E36 platform, some of which are even arguably better than some of its successors.

Harder and Harder to Come By

Red BMW M3 coupe parked on a concrete driveway with a grassy yard and trees in the background under a clear blue sky. The car features silver alloy wheels, black trim along the sides, and dual exhaust pipes. — Note the Remus cat-back exhaust with the aftermarket tips.

Because the E36 M3 has arguably forgettable desirability, many of them met their demise in the form of neglect or abuse — all the more reasons this incredibly pristine and unfettered, last-model-year example is so special.

The Indiana-based dealer hosting the auction states this highly desirable Hellrot (Bright) Red car has only clocked 54,000 original miles. It also doesn’t feature any value-tanking modifications, aside from a few “OEM+” improvements.

Interior of a car featuring black leather seats, a black leather-wrapped steering wheel, a manual gear shift, and a center console with cup holders. The dashboard includes air vents, a radio, and climate control buttons. The car has a sunroof and the keys are in the ignition. The view outside shows a grassy area with trees and a house in the background. — Even the interior looks like it’s never been sat in.

Such includes an upgraded Remus cat-back exhaust system, and an upgraded metal-impeller water pump. Having supposedly been a Ohio-based car, rust probably got the best of the original unit. The original BMW water pump, a known weak point, featured a plastic impeller.

But despite having changed hands four times according to its CarFax, it’s definitely an example worth springing for. And because it hails from an era when cars reaped the benefits of advanced technologies, while still being influenced by old-school engineering methodologies, the E36 M3 just reflects one of the peak eras for the automobile.

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