Motor Australia – May 2019

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You were unlikely to see this roadster at your local hairdresser.

The production version of the car arrived in 1998 largely

unchanged. Running gear was assembled at M Power HQ in

Garching, with the new Spartanburg factory in South Carolina

carrying out final assembly. Power initially came courtesy of the

E36 M3 Evo’s S50 engine, a 3.2-litre making 236kW at 7500rpm.

From the end of 2000 onwards the E46 M3’s S54 was used. This

more modern 24-valve, 3246cc six-cylinder engine made slightly

more power at 239kW, but it delivered that peak power at a

much more attainable 4900rpm. This meant you didn’t need to

wring out every last rev. Less entertaining? Maybe, but factoring

in its rarity explains the model’s desirability today.

The suspension designed for the M Coupe found its way

into the M Roadster. These stiffer springs, together with revised

damping, improved handling over the stock Z3 roadster. With

the introduction of the S54 engine came traction control as

standard. Z3 production ended in 2002 when the Z4 took over.

Values for good Z3 M Roadsters, if you can find one in

Australia, are fluctuating. Examples with high odo readings can

be had for cheap, but examples in good condition go for around

$30,000. At the top end of the price spectrum, you can get into

an S54-engined example. Good Coupes are harder to find.

The prices might be miles apart, but what about the driving

experience? Let’s get the obvious stuff out of the way first. The M

Roadster chassis isn’t as stiff as the Coupe – shocker. However,

the M Coupe chassis was BMW’s stiffest design to date, so it’s

hardly a fair comparison. As with almost any convertible, when

you lose the roof you get some scuttle shake. It actually seems

more pronounced in this M model, probably because the ride is

harsher than the standard Z3’s.

That’s the bad news, and to be honest, if ultimate torsional

rigidity is your bag, then it’s best to look elsewhere. However, if

you’re after a weekend car that’s got huge reserves of performance

IT’S GOT HUGE

RESERVES OF

PERFORMANCE AND

ONE OF THE BEST

SOUNDTRACKS

ONE

A five-speed manual

was the only gearbox

offered, resulting in

a 0-100km/h time of

5.4 seconds before

going on to a limited

250km/h top speed

TWO

If the pumped-up

exterior isn’t enough

of a clue that this Z3

has been given the M

treatment, the logos

within the interior are

THREE

With the amount of

g-forces generated,

you’ll be thankful for

the copious lateral

support on offer from

the front seats

MAIN
Quad exhaust pipes
are an M-car tradition,
adding visual muscle
to go along with the
wide rear wheels

➜