Description
We've known this brilliant Z for more nearly 20 years - most of its life. In fact, we've been lucky enough to borrow it from the previous owner a few times for show occasions and open days - it's one of our very favourites. The condition of this car is excellent, inside and out. Lovely deep red Imola paintwork, in superb condition, tidy engine bay, smart black leather interior with none of the usual Z weak spots like worn bolsters, broken trim and squeeks and rattles - it is simply a very lovely car, and more like a Z with half the miles. Unusually, this Z even has factory cruise control, making it that much easier to relax on those long trips. The previous owner was a mature gentleman who took his obligations as a classic car owner extremely seriously, and exactly the sort of person you'd want to buy a classic M car from. He relocated to a new property without parking, in 2020, and reluctantly asked us to find the right new owner. We then found a new, careful owner in Wales, but such is his commitment to the cause, the Z made regular appearances at our Legends in the Fall yearly show - the owner combining business with pleasure, having the car serviced by us while he visited the show. The current owner has now decided that he is not doing the car justice as he does next to no miles, and now this lovely machine is looking for a new home.
Whilst the term 'modern classic' seems to apply nowadays to almost anything over ten years old with wheels, nobody can deny the status of the BMW M coupe (or Z3M coupe). BMW made only 986 of these stunning cars of which 821 were the S50 version. Born out of an unofficial, unapproved project from a select team within BMW's /// M division, these stunning cars look every bit as outrageous today as they did on launch. With that huge rear end, filled out with massive tyres and dressed with shouty quad exhaust pipes, the M coupe lays out its stall from the off. This is basically a lighter, naughtier, faster version of its M3 stablemate, but please beware - this is not a car for the faint-hearted.
This version is the S50 powered car, so comes with the 3. 2 litre straight six from the E36 M3. In an M coupe you sit more or less directly over the back wheels, so every bit of feedback is transmitted direct from the tarmac to your behind. This makes for an intuitive ride - and one that true driving enthusiasts will certainly enjoy. The snug cabin is pure classic sports car, the centre console and dash beautifully designed with its plethora of dials and gauges, giving you the immediate sense that you're driving something really special. Then it throws you a curve-ball. It's a compact two seater - but with a hatch-back boot and load area, large enough for a Labrador or set of golf clubs. Or, better still, a weekend's worth of luggage for that spur-of -the-moment road trip.
The design was obviously so good that Ferrari appear to have made an exact, scaled-up copy in their FF model, but without the raw, stripped back feel of the BMW M coupe. Stripped back it may be, but the Z still comes with plenty of spec: cruise control, air con, electric seats, decent stereo - and comfy enough seats to keep your one passenger happy for the duration. Where will you take your Z? And who gets to be the lucky co-pilot?
As always, this gorgeous M coupe will be sold fully serviced and with a brand new MOT, having been fully inspected and prepped by our technicians - people who know these cars arguably better than anyone else in the world. For more information or to book a viewing (by appointment only please), contact our showroom team
