One to Buy: 11,000 mile 1995 BMW E36 M3 3.0 Lightweight
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Owing to tighter emissions legislation, E36 M3s bound for North America had to be fitted with lower compression engines that did not feature the same radical cylinder head, variable valve timing system and individual throttle bodies of Euro spec. derivatives. However, to capitalise on the firm’s high profile IMSA campaign which kicked off in 1995, BMW did offer its US customers the lightest E36 M3 produced.
Tipping the scales at some 122kg less than a Euro spec. M3 Coupe, the limited run M3 Lightweight came with an extremely basic cockpit that featured no air-conditioning, audio system or leather upholstery. The high-backed electric Vader seats normally fitted to M3 Coupes were switched for manually adjustable Sports seats from the regular E36. The alarm and much of the sound insulation was also junked along with the spare wheel, tool kit and jack.
In addition to an M3 GT front splitter and a couple of other cosmetic tweaks, each car came with a Racing Kit supplied in the trunk that comprised a baffled oil pan with dual pick-up (to ensure constant oil flow in hard cornering), a front strut brace, a lower cross brace and a massive adjustable rear spoiler.
With its close-ratio five-speed gearbox and less hefty specification, the M3 Lightweight was an extremely quick machine – arguably the best driving E36 of all. Unsurprisingly then, the planned run of 85 production cars was over-subscribed and 115 M3 Lightweights were delivered to customers. Factoring in the eleven prototypes, 126 were built in total.
Set to go under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale scheduled for August 13th through 15th is an M3 Lightweight that combines the best of both worlds: the pared-back specification of an original car with a full fat Euro motor: chassis WBSBF9321SEH07991.
Delivered new to Walter Swick of Cleveland, Ohio, chassis ‘07991’ was taken to TC Kline of Columbus for its engine conversion to European specification around the turn of the millennium. Since then, the car has passed through the hands of several US owners. It heads to auction with a little under 11,000 miles on the odometer and is accompanied by a large file of documentation that includes the original window sticker.
