OV9

Most of you are probably aware that M make the occasional unusual prototype / fun vehicle. And I expect quite a few have seen the one off e36 compact with 3.2 m3 engine they built.

They built it in 1996 to celebrate 50 years of autobild magazine, and was a little nerded out when I saw a photo of it someone posted earlier today.



I'd never noticed the slightly duck tailed boot lid, nor the flush / integrated boot handle, both of which would make their next appearance on the e46 m3 csl.

The quad exhausts were more obvious, and nice and easy to do given all the space under there when the spare wheel is removed. I had assumed they just used a z3m rear box from the parts bin, however the design is different and it was built 2 years before the z3m was released, making it the first m car to get a quad exhaust. It's also got the finned rear diff cover which went on to be standard on the z3m. Quite a cool little development hack really.

I didn't know they'd made that, never mind the nerdy details

Makes it harder for you to replicate, yes... but get on with it, will you?

I remember seeing an M Compact in BMW Magazine about 15 years ago, but it was one of the tuner specials. Was either Hartge or Racing Dynamics. Never knew there was an official M Compact.

If M3 donor cars were still as cheap as they were ten years ago I’d be well on this path already. I’ll have to settle for a 2.8.

Lovely

I remember a holiday to N.I in 1994 (pretty much when the car came out) and I'll never forget a blue compact I saw on the promenade with the Sport kit, M3 wheels and grey leather Vaders with the M sport colours.

Would love to know what it was.

Jobbo wrote: ↑Fri Jul 27, 2018 6:48 am Makes it harder for you to replicate, yes... but get on with it, will you?

I probably will for a bit if the m3 gets so frilly I give up on it.

Like has been said, if you could still pick up a complete running but scruffy m3 for well under £3k ( and make a lot of that back by selling the bits you don't need) then it would be a lot of lols for not a lot of cash.

sec wrote: ↑Fri Jul 27, 2018 6:53 am I remember seeing an M Compact in BMW Magazine about 15 years ago, but it was one of the tuner specials. Was either Hartge or Racing Dynamics. Never knew there was an official M Compact.

I’m sure I remember one which was done in army green colour I saw at a local dealer about 20 years ago. Same deal, I think i was a Hartge.

IIRC, Hartge also put the E31 850i engine into the Compact.

Nice.

I presume it must drive like a Z3 MC? The wheelbase can’t be that different.