﹒Late model M3 Evo E36
﹒SMG sequential transmission
﹒Only 67,150 miles from new
﹒Great condition in and out

The E36 variant was the most successful of the BMW M3s, with average sales of around 10,000 a year.

It made its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October 1992 and was a much more civilised and luxurious car than the E30 M3, which was – in essence – a homologation special. 

Whereas the E30-based M3 had been hardcore, the E36 M3 offered German refinement with supercar levels of performance.

The biggest change in the model’s life came in September 1995, when the improved Evolution variant was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. At its heart was an advanced new engine enlarged from 3.0 to 3.2-litres, while there was also a new six-speed manual transmission along with a semi-auto SMG model, which stood for Sequential Manual Gearbox.

The Evolution variants were assembled on the regular 3-Series production line at Regensburg near Munich, with Coupe, Convertible and Saloon body styles, but never a Touring. 

The two-door models also came with alloy doors instead of steel to save weight, while attached to those doors were double-branched door mirrors, a design classic which spawned multiple imitators across the modified car scene of the late 1990s. 

This example is one of the last E36 M3s, a 1998 Evo convertible with the SMG gearbox.

The car is being sold by a well-regarded BMW specialist who has owned the M3 as his own car and has looked after it himself. 

While its history isn’t fully known, its MOT background shows it has covered less than 10,000 miles in the past 15 years and has clearly been cherished. The vendor is selling it as he owns 17 other classic BMWs and is trying to thin down his fleet. 

Included in the leather BMW document wallet are a handbook, M3 handbook supplement, audio guide and a selection of service receipts, though the service history isn’t complete. 

It has a full UK V5C and an MOT valid until October 2021, issued with no advisories. 

The E36 has a far more mature cabin than the E30 M3 before it, and is pretty luxurious as a result. It has superb grey leather upholstery, while the dash layout is fairly restrained – only an M logo on the steering wheel and another next to the gear selector tell you that it’s anything more special than a normal 3-Series cabriolet, but the discretion is part of its appeal. 

It’s all in good condition and everything works, including the heated seats and trip computer. It is fitted with a period aftermarket stereo system, with a CD changer in the boot. The original toolkit and warning triangle are also present.

Finished in Estoril Blue, the Evo is one of the best colours for an M3 and also one of the most sought-after. 

It looks absolutely fabulous as a convertible, with a complementary mohair hood and smart five-spoke 17-inch rims (which were pretty big alloys for their era). 

The paint is in good condition, with only a couple of very tiny scuff marks on the nearside front wing, while the roof is in good order with no tears or discolouration. The electric soft top also operates as it should, and folds away neatly beneath the rear tonneau at the press of a button. 

There are a couple of tiny stone chips on the leading edge of the bonnet and some condensation forming inside the driver’s side headlight, but otherwise the car is in great condition, while there have never been any corrosion advisories on the MOT.

In essence, the 3.2-litre six is half a McLaren F1 engine. BMW Motorsport had collaborated with the supercar maker to produce a six-litre V12 for the British firm’s F1 road car. 

The S50 B32 engine in the M3 was developed in the same way, brimming with advanced features including ‘Double Vanos’, which continuously varies the valve timing on both the inlet camshaft and exhaust. It also used an engine management system developed in conjunction with Siemens, which could execute up to 20 million commands per second. This was the height of high-tech in 1997. 

Other upgrades included larger inlet valves, lightweight pistons, graphite-coated con-rods and a supplementary oil pump to counter oil surge when cornering – quite useful when you have 321bhp to play with. 

The SMG, as fitted to this car, offers clutchless sequential gear shifts for the six-speed ‘box (in addition to a full automatic mode). With gears selected by simply pushing the lever forward or pulling it backwards, as in a racing car.

It’s actually quicker than the manual, with 0-60mph in just 6.5 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. 

The gearbox on this car seems to work fine as we were able to test it in both auto and sequential modes, while the engine holds great oil pressure, starts first time, doesn’t smoke and sounds great. 

In addition, the vendor reports that the steering, brakes and suspension are all in good order and that he has carried out all servicing work on the vehicle himself, to BMW dealer standards. 

The sun’s out, the summer evenings are long and there’s nothing more appealing than going out for a cross-country blast with the wind in your hair. 

And there aren’t many choices as exhilarating yet also as comfortable as the E36 M3 Evo, which has all the practicality of a genuine four-seater, but with the grunt of a true performance car. 

As modern classics go, this one has the lot. Heritage, performance, style, quality and the ability to raise a grin every time you get behind the wheel.