The E30 M3 was always going to be a hard act to follow and - perhaps with one eye on increasing sales figures - BMW focused on enhanced performance and affordability with the E36. Built in saloon, coupe and convertible forms the E36 was a huge sales hit, with dealers at time struggling to keep up with demand. And it was just a friendly on the road as it was on track.
First six-cylinder M3 now a bargain
But the interior did felt a little cheap and, although performance had been increased significantly, the car didn't posses the same race focus as the E30. However with a few minor tweaks an E36 coupe or saloon still makes a rewarding and affordable track day car. The convertible though suffers a fair amount of scuttle shake.
The original 3.0-litre S50 straight-six engine developed 290hp enabling the M3 Coupe to breach 62mph in just six seconds, whilst the even quicker 1995-on Evolution models carried 3.2-litre units producing 325hp.
Available with a five-speed manual initially and then a six-speed manual or a six-speed sequential automated gearbox, over 70,000 E36 M3s were sold worldwide. BMW launched a limited edition British Racing Green M3 GT coupe in 1995 which was around 30kg lighter than the standard M3, as well as a red GT2 Imola Evo Edition - of which just 50 were made for the UK market.
E36 saloon production ended in 1997, with the coupe ceasing in 1998 and the convertible in December 1999. Supply is limited despite prices starting at a laughably low £4,500, however, as Gary Woollat emphasises, "With more and more E36s biting the dust, values are surely set to rise. Key E36 M3 issues are Vanos leaks and noisy cam sprockets."
Buy if: You are on a budget or you're looking for a good long-term investment (low mileage examples only)
Don't buy if: You're looking for the latest in premium build quality or comfort
We found: 1993 BMW M3 manual, yellow, service history, 92K miles, £8,990
Price Guide
Poor: Under £4,995
Good: £5,000 to £8,000
A1: £8,000+
Special Editions: GT £8,000 to £11,000, GT2 £11,000+