1997 BMW M3 For Sale with 59,000 Miles ShownAutoblogAnton AndresSat, September 26, 2026 at 4:39 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleAutoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The Blueprint for Modern M3sThe original E30 BMW M3 is highly regarded. After all, it was a model born out of necessity, as BMW wanted to go racing with a hotter 3 Series. To do that, it needed to homologate the car to be eligible for competition, and thus, the first M3 was born. It was hugely successful on the track and in Europe, but not so much in the U.S.With that, BMW changed the formula for the E36 M3. It was offered as a coupe, sedan, or convertible (the E30 was coupe or convertible only), and it packed a six-cylinder instead of a high-revving four. From that point on, succeeding M3 models would (mostly) follow that blueprint.MotorsportDNA/Bring a TrailerThe BackstoryThe story for North American models is a little different, as the market still wanted one for reasonable prices. The Euro-spec engine would've been too expensive to bring over; hence, the U.S. E36 M3 got a warmed-up version of the engine found in a 325i, and later, 328i. Regardless of whether it had the U.S. or Euro engine, an M3 is an M3. It's not like it was slow with either engine, too.AdvertisementAdvertisementBecause of its reasonable (by performance luxury standards) pricing, the E36 was a smash hit, and BMW North America's insistence on adding a four-door model was a stroke of genius. Nearly 33,000 of this generation M3s were sold in the U.S, far more than what the E30 could've dreamed of at the time. It's a fairly common car, although Classic.com places market values at around $21,400 for a good example.The one we spotted on Bring a Trailer is well-kept, and it's a sedan, too. It's the less common body style, and it looks great in red. At nearly 30 years old, it's had a good amount of maintenance. It has a new air-conditioning compressor, along with a new drive belt, tensioner, and battery. It also recently had a service, though it's unclear whether any work was done on the cooling system. The car has a few blemishes, but is desirable nonetheless. The AC Schnitzer Type 2 spoiler on the trunk is a neat addition and a hard-to-find part these days.MotorsportDNA/Bring a TrailerThe OfferSpecificationDetailMakeBMWModelM3 Sedan (E36)Year1997Mileage59,466 miles shownEngine3.2-liter S52 inline-sixPower240 horsepowerTransmission5-speed manualDrive typeRear-wheel driveExterior colorBright red (Hellrot)Interior colorModena tanWheels17-inch Style 39 10-spokeSuspensionMacPherson strut front, multi-link 'Z-Axle' rearBrakesFour-wheel vented discSteeringHydraulic rack and pinionCurrent bid$5,000Interested in this car? View the listing here.MotorsportDNA/Bring a TrailerWhy it's SpecialOne could say that the M division might be a different company today if it weren't for the E36 M3. While the latest (and upcoming) model has more than double the power of its grandfather, it still retains the same formula. Straight-six, power sent (mostly) to the rear wheels, and handling to give sports cars a good scare. The sedan is much rarer than the coupe, too, so that's extra points should you decide to bring this one to Radwood. Also, the E36 in general is a timeless shape, and seeing one in good condition is always a treat.MotorsportDNA/Bring a TrailerMotorsportDNA/Bring a TrailerAdvertisementAdvertisementView the 14 images of this gallery on the original articleThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Sep 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Car Buying section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.