is also a five-speed dogleg Getrag transmission. The chassis
gets revised suspension, and interior changes are extensive
including driver seats and extensive use of buffalo hide.
The performance claims include 245hp peak power (up from
220 on a stock E24 635) and 320Nm of torque (up from 310).
And the 1986 M6? This is the pinnacle shark-snout Sixer for
enthusiasts. Fitted with the M88 version of the 24-valve engine
out of the M1 supercar, it claims an impressive 282 horses at a
fairly heady 6500rpm matched to a meaty 340Nm at 4500rpm.
With distinctive chassis and trim, this was a very quick car
when introduced in the eighties and still rates as a very quick
and desirable classic.
So what was done with them? With the help of three
drivers (Clive Massell of Makulu Car Services, Chris Boribon
of Shannons and Matt Thewlis of Tampered Motorsport
Track Days), we gathered the toys together for a combo of
quarter-mile runs, 0-100km/h sprints and a short hillclimb
circuit. Matt, who is highly regarded as a steerer, was our
control driver for all three cars.
Here’s what he discovered...
T
his was one of those ideas that grew a life of its own- performance test of three classic BMW coupes, all
of which are available, in one form or another on the
market today. So we’re talking a modified E9 3.0 CS
running a later M30-based powerplant, a very desirable
E24 (aka 635) in Alpina B9 form, plus the ultimate
chrome bumper sixer – the M6.
The E9, which started life as a very late model 3.0 CSi (1976)
is the most modified of the trio. The original driveline was
removed and carefully put aside, replaced with a 3.5lt engine
bumped out to 3.8lt, feeding through triple Weber carburettors.
Behind that is a five-speed normal-pattern transmission and
limited-slip diff.
As for the 1987 Alpina, after its first European touring car
championship in 1970 the specialist tuning house was the
name in BMW performance before the company’s own M
division became dominant. Modifications to the M30 3.5
engine include the ECU, camshaft, head and pistons. There
PERFORMANCE TESTING THREE
TOP-ECHELON BIMMER COUPESWORDS MATT THEWLIS, GUY ALLEN PHOTOS NATHAN JACOBS