Thinking about buying an original 1980s M3? Too late. Hoping to tuck one of the last naturally-aspirated straight-six M-performance BMWs in your garage with a mint-condition early 2000s M3?

Some enthusiasts fussed at the E36 M3 when it bowed in 1995, as BMW transitioned the M3 from a niche thoroughbred to a high-volume grand tourer. Other enthusiasts, like our friends at Car and ...

But not if it's under the hood of an E36 M3. This car is a supporting wall in the house that BMW built. A house that stands for rear-drive dynamics, autobahn-blasting, and unarguable automotive class.

Some cars are simply made to be messed with. Customization is every gearhead's sacrosanct right, and the best carmakers build certain models with that in mind. As large manufacturers invest in ...

Unlike the E30 M3 that came before it, BMW's E36 M3 (1995–99) lacks the homologation pedigree that comes from racing. The decision to water down the U.S. version with a cheaper engine seemed ...