1999 BMW E36 M3

Convertible

VIN#: EC41728

ENGINE 3.2-liter S52B32 inline six-cylinder 

OUTPUT 240 hp @ 6000 rpm, 236 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm

TRANSMISSION 5-speed ZF automatic

CURB WEIGHT 3500 lbs

TOP SPEED 137 mph

BUILD DATE  July 1999

COLOR Techno Violet Metallic

OWNER Fran Hughes

OWNED SINCE  2015

LOCATION Sunset, South Carolina

Sold as both coupe and sedan, the E36 M3 was also offered as a convertible, making it the first M3 generation available in three series-production body styles. BMW also offered an optional automatic transmission. These major departures from the E30 transformed the M3 from a hardcore homologation special to an accessible, practical lineup of BMW performance.

Finished in Techno Violet Metallic over a Mulberry interior, this automatic-equipped 1999 M3 convertible isn’t just rare—one of 79 in that combo—it’s a poster child for the M3’s transition into a more accessible era. 

Like all U.S.-market LCI (Life Cycle Impulse, BMW-speak for “mid-run face-lift”) E36 M3s, this car is powered by an S52B32 straight-six making 240 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. Those horsepower and twist figures are stout for the era, but they’re considerably lower than those of E36 M3s sold in most non-American markets. And for good reason. 

The U.S. is lucky it got an E36 M3 at all. Relatively low U.S. E30 M3 sales had lessened BMW AG’s enthusiasm for sending another complex and expensive M3 to our shores, and the E36 version was not initially aimed stateside. After a number of fortunate events—including a groundswell of BMW CCA member enthusiasm, led by Roundel magazine writer Bob Roemer—a compromise was reached, and the car found our market with a simpler, lower-cost drivetrain. (This also means the E36 holds another distinction: It’s the only M3 with a U.S.-specific engine.)

The move was brilliant. The E36 generation saw M3 sales skyrocket in America; the United States quickly became the world’s top M-brand market by volume, a title it still holds today.

Fran Hughes received this concours-winning example as a surprise birthday gift in 2015, and she’s been enjoying it ever since.

“A joy to drive,” Hughes says. “So solid, even though she’s a convertible. We didn’t do anything to the car [when we got it] besides a wash, then we turned the key and went. It’s amazing. I enjoy driving it on rallies because she hugs the road. She’s beautiful.”