The E36 M3 Lightweight is special. It’s a model that only came to North America, and has a list of accolades a mile long. It’s no wonder, then, that the last one sold on online auction site Bring a Trailer fetched the handsome sum of $195,000. If you missed out – or got outbid – fret not. Incredibly, another one – with almost identical mileage – is now available to the bidding public.
Like the last E36 M3 Lightweight – or, LTW for short – auction on Bring a Trailer, this one features low miles – just 29,000. That’s eight thousand more than the one that sold last month, but we doubt that will scare away anyone looking to own this piece of history. Unlike the last one that crossed the block, it isn’t 100 percent stock (shockingly), boasting a Turner Motorsport chip that should bump power up a little bit.
Record Breaking Auction Prices? Maybe Not
Between the higher miles and the chip, it might be a good chance to get behind the wheel of a sorted LTW for a little bit less than last month’s auction, but time will tell. LTWs are still incredibly rare – this one is one of around 126 – and collectors don’t mind shelling out for low-mileage examples like this. And, admittedly, it’s easy to see why. The LTW featured lots of weight-saving features over regular M3s, like aluminum door panels and carbon fiber interior trim. It also got arguably the coolest wheels for the E36 M3 – also dubbed “Lightweights,” or Style 24 – and a cool blue, purple, and red livery. Oh, and a sweet rear wing and front splitter that provided the car a little bit more grip where it needed it most.
The E36 M3 LTW still makes do with a 240-horsepower US-spec S50 engine. Although some might see that as a downgrade from the European engine that made considerably more power, the US S50 and S52 engines had their own benefits. It leaves the US E36 M3 a little underrated – although, these LTWs are certainly anything but undervalued. Expect a handsome six-figure result when the auction ends on Friday, September 27th. You can check the auction out and get in on the action here on Bring a Trailer.
