It wasn’t that long ago when we talked about Mate Rimac’s M5 E39. However, his one true love is this exquisite E30. He bought the car from Belgium once he was financially stable. As you can tell, it’s not a run-of-the-mill iteration of the original M3. We’re dealing with the exceptionally rare Sport Evolution, aka the EVO III.
Launched in 1990, the Sport Evolution was the most potent M3 E30 thanks to an enlarged 2.5-liter “S14” engine making 238 hp. BMW made only 600 units from December 1989 until March 1990. The founder of the Rimac is part of an exclusive club by owning what many consider the most desirable E30.
The sports sedan is a veritable time capsule that looks virtually unchanged some 35 years after leaving the assembly line. Rimac owns the M3 Sport Evolution in Jet Black with red pinstripes, but BMW also sold the car in Brilliant Red with black pinstripes. Compared to other iterations of the M3 E30, the EVO III had thinner windows to shave off weight. It also got brake cooling ducts instead of fog lights, while the bumpers and trunk were also lightened.
Fun fact: Most amenities were deleted to cut weight, but customers could add them back. Goodies included a sunroof, air conditioning, power windows, grab handles, map lights, and a trip computer. The M3 Sport Evolution had M Cross seats as standard, but at an additional cost, buyers opted for these black Recaro seats wrapped in leather.
We can all agree that the man certainly has good taste in cars. As a reminder, Mate Rimac is working directly with BMW nowadays. The companies based in Zagreb and Munich inked a deal a year ago for a long-term partnership involving battery tech for electric vehicles.
Photos: damir_arapovic, Mate Rimac / Instagram
