U.S.-Spec Mugello Red BMW M3 Could Be Yours For Less Than $10k

Before the age of fancy electronics and advanced safety systems and what not, sports cars were much lighter on their feet and fun to drive even at reasonable speeds.

The second-generation E36 BMW M3 was only as heavy as a modern-day hot hatchback, yet featured rear-wheel drive and a 3.0-liter straight-six engine that you could have with a 5-speed manual transmission.

Getting auctioned off on Bring a Trailer is this 1995, U.S.-spec Mugello Red example. It puts out 240 HP (243 PS) and 225 lb-ft (305 Nm) of torque and hits 60 mph (96 km/h) in around six seconds. Nothing to write home about today, sure, but this is still an M Division-developed, rear-wheel drive car.

Of course, as you can tell from the ad, it is far from stock. Among its many aftermarket features we count the 17-inch Volk Racing wheels, BC coilovers, flared fenders, custom rear wing, Dinan cold air intake and a custom exhaust.

The car sits lower, is wider and looks meaner, and it had reportedly been fitted with new brake pads about six months ago.

As for the interior, it looks reasonably well-kept, with some regular wear found on the driver’s seat. Mods include the BMW Motorsport seat belts, Z3M chrome instrument cluster rings, E46 shift knob, ustom steering wheel and a JVC stereo head unit. It’s not as pretty as what you’re used to seeing in modern cars, yet it’s a driver-oriented cabin nonetheless.

According to the seller, only 236 Mugello Red E36 M3s were imported to the United States, which makes this one something of a rarity, even if this generation of the M3 is not as highly rated as the rest.

When writing this article, the highest bid was $7,500, with four days remaining ’till the end. If you can get it for under $10k, we reckon it should be a very nice catch.