A Corvette vs an unlikely M3

The BMW E36 M3 GT was never sold in America, but you can get one now for six figures. Would you want it over a real sports car?

corvette-z06

The S in CS stands for special – 60% of you would like it over a regular M2, even for that price. This week, I have a fun one. It’s aimed at the poseurs, and it involves a very rare E36 M3 GT.

Are you going to stare at it in the garage, or drive it? If you do, I bet you’d rather have my favorite car…

The 1995 BMW E36 M3 GT vs the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Convertible

E36 M3
Grabbing a pedestrian E36 seems like a better option.

See the M3 listing here

See the Corvette listing here

There’s a sucker born every minute. Oh, I suppose it’s possible that someone might have always wanted an E36 M3 GT, and now here’s their big chance. But what’s it worth to you?

See, the GT was only available in Europe for a single year (1995). It only came in British Racing Green, with Black and Mexico Green leather inside, and a five-speed manual. BMW fitted the S50 inline-six with a revised intake manifold and camshaft compared with standard European models, so you had a nose-bleed inducing 295 horsepower and 238 lb-ft of torque.

e36-m3-interior
You do get carbon fiber trim inside. Bet it’s all yellowed.

 You did get carbon fiber trim inside, which for 1995 was pretty neat. In total, 356 were produced.

Sounds like a nice little E36. Then they slide the bill over to you. $125,000?!

Corvette Z06
Could this be the same price?

How can you not be disappointed once you drive it? This is you getting excited for a first date with your crush from high school, only they’ve put on 100 pounds and taken up a bad chain-smoking habit. You’re about 25 years too late.

Gee-whiz. What else can we have for that price? How about one of the best sports cars made today?

The 1995 BMW E36 M3 GT

E36-m3
The E36 GT in British Racing Green. Photo: Cars & Bids

Aside from the aforementioned kit, this GT has:

  • 101,900 miles
  • Lots of mods, probably not good on a car like this. A Scorpion exhaust, Bilstein B8 shocks and struts, Eibach springs, E30 M3 Sport Evolution front wishbones, and USB and auxiliary audio input.
  • The car has a lot of wear, corrosion, and pitted chips in the paint
  • Import paperwork is in order
  • Tires from 2018
  • Repainted in 2020
  • Bid to $51,000 so far

At first I thought that perhaps this car would top out before sixty grand, but if you look at values, they just don’t sell for less than $100k. The fact that EAG is selling means the reserve is probably high.

E36 M3

Is this for people to drive to cars and coffee, get out in their M jackets and say “Looka me!”. What does this M3 have that a regular one does not? To say you’d be buying at peak market is an understatement – they can only go down from here.

Let’s leave that jacket behind and take your money elsewhere.

2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Convertible

corvette-z06
The Z06. Photo: Cars & Bids

My secret plan is to get that M3 Comp for daily use, and then sneak a Z06 past Mrs. Machines. Oh look, here’s one!

  • 2,200 miles
  • Amplify Orange Tintcoat over black
  • Clean CarFax
  • I personally love the convertible for this car. Lemme hear that V-8.
  • 670 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque going to an eight-speed DCT
  • The only modification is smoked tail lights
  • Bid to $106,000
  • Carbon fiber wheels, GT2 bucket seats, and carbon fiber aero package
Corvette Z06
Wanna go for a ride?

Glorious as this car is, you just won’t get the kind of attention from everyone that you might be hoping for. Still a Corvette, still carries around that stigma.

Too bad for you, and too bad for the soul that picks the GT over this baby. Take price into consideration, and I can’t think of a single reason not to go with the Z.

But maybe it’s me. Maybe the GT really is special.

It’s not me. Is it?

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