Famous Five – Classic M Cars

In the past, if you wanted one of BMW’s sporty M cars you basically had two choices when it came to Bavarian performance; a smaller one, or a larger one. For the sake of argument you could essentially have an M3 coupé or an M5 saloon. Either was a sterling choice and they were – and still are – both truly great cars. What we’re trying to say is things used to be simpler. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not getting all misty-eyed for a bygone age or drowning ourselves in nostalgia here (although we have been known to indulge), we’re just stating a fact.

Nowadays, you have a much greater palette from which to pick your performance BMW, and that’s no bad thing. The gaps between those early 3-Series and 5-Series M cars have been well and truly plugged. From the diminutive 1 M Coupé to the gargantuan X5 M and X6 M SUVs there really is something for everyone, but the car that has spurned this writer into action is the recent unveiling of the new, updated BMW M8 Competition model – the tip of the spear when it comes to BMWs luxury performance offerings. Debuting in 2019 the idea for the M8 Coupé has actually been around since the early ’90s when BMW engineers developed an M8 prototype with a V12 engine based on the E31 Coupé. Sadly the idea was canned due to the economic recession at the time and it would take them another 30 years before they would try again.

Available in Coupé, Convertible and four-door Gran Coupé guises the new version of the M8 retains its 625bhp, 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that it shares with the current generation M5 and which equates to 0-60 in 3 seconds. Updates include a new lower front apron as well as 8 new body colours and new 20-inch alloy wheels, alongside some interior improvements and tech add-ons. Prices start at an eye-watering £123,300 which led us to ponder what classic M cars you could get for that kind of money. So, we went on a mission to find five examples of genuine M cars (don’t get us started on M-badged wannabes) that you could own for the price of a new M8 Competition.

M635 CSi

The M635CSi was the genesis of the M6 lineage way back in 1983 and we wouldn’t see another until 2005. A two door coupé with a modified version of the straight six nabbed from the M1 (it also pinched the brakes too) it produced over 280bhp and 250lb-ft of torque. Combined with stiffer suspension, better damping due to upgraded Bilstein shocks and a limited slip differential (over the original 635CSi) the M version of BMW’s full-sized coupé was incredibly capable. Not only could it blow the doors off of almost anything else on the road at the time it remained composed and comfortable too and these characteristics have defined BMW’s M cars ever since.

Pro: Subtle but deadly. Not quite as in your face as other M cars.

Con: Rust. Oh the rust. Less than stellar rust-proofing has led to many a ruined M635CSi.

Prices for a decent example start at around £40,000 but can run to over £50,000. Low mileage examples are hard to come by but at this price you can pretty much guarantee whatever you’re looking at will be in top nick. This 1988 model is well known in BMW circles and looks spectacular in Lachs Silver with full black leather interior.

E30 M3

The first of the now perennially popular M3 series the E30 M3 was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1985 and immediately captured the imagination of the car-buying public. Arguably the greatest of them all the E30 was built for homologation purposes and its motorsport heritage is evident throughout; from its muscular presence through to its four-cylinder engine producing around 200bhp it still feels fast today with a sub-7 second 0-60 dash. The E30 M3 is incredibly driver focussed and thanks to its balanced handling the car really can be thrown around with aplomb, rewarding you for pushing it free from the interference of any driver aids. From on-the-limit B-road blasts to weekly shopping runs the E30 M3 is almost perfect.

Pro: As far as driving experiences go a good E30 M3 is hard to beat.

Con: There are plenty of thrashed and poorly modified examples out there so do your homework.

Prices for this generation of M3 have skyrocketed and you’ll have difficulty finding any E30 M3 worth having for less than £50,000. It’s not surprising either to see six figure sums for truly special examples like the later Evolution models, such as this low mileage Evo II.

E28 M5

The E30’s big brother the E28 M5 is the original super saloon. A trend setter when it was released in 1985 and one for the purists the original M5 was the fastest four-door car on sale at the time. Like the M635CSi above the car shared its six-cylinder engine with the M1 which produced 280-odd horsepower, allowing the M5 to get to 60mph in around 6 seconds. This iconic car pioneered a whole sub genre which all stemmed from the idea of a standard saloon with supercar beating performance. With myriad upgrades, from the chassis to the suspension the E28 M5 goes down in history as one of, if not the greatest saloon cars ever built.

Pro: Truly iconic the E28 M5 is a motoring legend. Fast and capable, even by today’s standards, this is superhero origin storytelling at its best.

Con: Bespoke parts exclusive to the car and not shared with the boggo E28 can be subject to ‘M-tax’ and therefore prove prohibitively expensive.

Even high-mileage cars are fetching upwards of £50K and much like the E30 M3, fully restored examples can be nudging six figures plus. This beautiful 1986 car in white, currently residing in Denmark, has only covered a mere 45,000kms.

E46 M3

One of the more modern classics on the list the E46 M3 remains an especially good car by today’s standards. Hitting the streets at the turn of the century the third-gen M3 set a new benchmark in terms of looks and performance. BMW arguably lost their way a little with the somewhat lardy and cumbersome E36 M3 but they came bouncing back with the performance version of the E46. With around 340bhp on tap from its 3.2-litre, straight six it certainly had the moves and combined with its modern, muscular looks it was quite the package. Available with a six-speed manual or SMG semi-auto gearbox the manual is the one to have. It’s an imposing but responsive car that you feel connected to when driving and a worthy addition to the M3 canon.

Pro: Whether hooning or simply wafting its cracking performance coupled with that glorious engine note will never fail to put a smile on your face.

Con: Unfortunately the E46 M3 is not bulletproof. Subframes can crack and the notorious VANOS variable cam timing can wreak havoc if not checked and maintained.

The lightweight CSL (and to a lesser degree the CS) models command considerably higher prices due in part to their rarity, with only 1,383 ever produced. Standard cars in good condition are hovering around the £20K mark with manual examples being more expensive than their SMG counterparts. This manual coupe has a few tasteful mods and comes in at a shade under £20,000.

E39 M5

Without that original E28 M5 this car simply would not exist but boy are we glad it does. Nicknamed The Beast, and for good reason, the E39 M5 was the first M car to feature a V8 engine and what an absolute cracker it is. We should know, we used to own one before prices went through the roof and hand on heart it is one of the best cars to ever grace our fleet. A power lifter in a Savile Row three-piece the understated E39 M5 produced the best part of 400bhp and 369lb-ft of torque from its naturally aspirated 4.9-litres which propelled all 1,795kg of its bulk to 60 in 5 seconds. Impeccably mixing comfort and performance it was a true evolution of the marque when it was released in 1998. We drove ours in absolute comfort to the Nürburgring and back, taking in several laps of the Green Hell on the ragged edge while we were there, and if that doesn’t perfectly encapsulate what this car is all about then we don’t know what does.

Pro: Arguably the best of the bunch before technology got in the way, and with a drivetrain to die for it’s the perfect package.

Con: It’s a heavy car and so suspension bushes and ball joints can come under a lot of stress. Like the E46 above the VANOS system can be a little temperamental if not correctly maintained.

Prices have risen considerably in recent years with decent example fetching anywhere from £25,000 to the best part of 40 grand. Post 2000 facelift models – which included ‘Angel Eyes’ headlights along with various interior upgrades -are generally worth more. This low mileage facelift model is at the higher end of the price bracket but it looks to be a superb example with a comprehensive history.