For Sale: 1987 BMW M6 in Morgantown, Pennsylvania

1987 BMW M6 Coupe

"The M doctors were called over to the high volume production car side a few years ago when BMW's image was suffering from anemia both here and in Europe. The company had been sliding further and further away from the philosophy of highly charged drivers' cars-the philosophy that put it on the map in the sixties and seventies. The managers in Munich decided that the patient needed an emergency injection of red hot performance corpuscles to set things right." Car and Driver, July 1987

For consignment, a 1987 BMW M6 coupe showing 74,675 miles, but the true miles are unknown. In 1987, the M6 contained a boatload of unique enhancements that would set in motion a performance trajectory for BMW M-series cars for years to come, causing Car and Driver to refer to the M6 as the "grandfather of the modern M car". This is one of just 1,767 produced for the American market.

Exterior
Prominent and distinctive is the rear canted grille, known in BMW circles as the shark nose, covering 6-series cars from '76 to '89, and it gives way to a long, lean body with rounded edges to include the decklid, here straightened by a full width rear spoiler. While we're back here, we take note of the offset dual exhaust tips under the straight chrome bumper and the coveted three color M logo. The rear windows, often solid in coupe, roll down on this one and back to a modest C-pillar which results in an open greenhouse. Up front, the valance houses fog lights just above a chin spoiler that accentuates the car's sporty nature. Of course, what would a BMW be without the kidney grille which is here between dual headlights, long before halo lights appeared on BMWs. 16-inch Alpina wheels add a tasty set of shoes and carry 225/50R16 tires. The paint and trim are excellent here with imperfections noted as scuffs on the chin spoiler, a scuff and scratch on a lower panel, and touched up scratches at a wheel opening.

Interior
Things immediately lighten up and we open the door to reveal smooth gray leather on handsomely designed panels with fitted sections and nicely engineered gaps. Over the bucket seats we go, also in gray leather, and presented as sport seats with deep side bolsters and extended thigh support. Some patina and wear appears on the driver's seat but the passenger seat remains in very good condition. In back, the 2+2 seats are deep and well cushioned taking on more of a tufted profile and privy to the center console that mirrors the front. The black steering wheel is fantastically analog with only horn buttons at your thumbs and a T-shaped spoke that could look right at home on a race car. It fronts the simple instrument cluster in front, the idiot light panel to the left, and the A/C unit to the right. There's also an AM/FM/CD player there, canted towards the driver for the ultimate sport touring configuration. Some patina returns on the leather boot of the simple shifter in the center console which is also wrapped in padded gray leather as plush gray carpet floods the floor. Above us, the smooth headliner surrounds the sunroof and in the trunk, gray cloth panels completely finish it.

Drivetrain
Under the hood is the beefy and aluminum headed 3.5 liter DOHC inline six cylinder, fuel injected and capable of 256 horsepower and in 1987, that was more than respectable. It's mated to a 5-speed manual transmission routing power to the rear axle with 3.91 gears. The engine bay is clean and crowded to be sure, but makes no bones about its M Power, embossing the words prominently in two places.

Undercarriage
Typical road dust and patina color the underside where very little surface rust is observed and the occasional grime build up is spotted, particularly on the rear differential. There's also some residual fluid near a rear wheel. Meanwhile, power disc brakes are noted on all four wheels, and independent suspension is front and rear as well with Macpherson struts in front and coil springs out back. The single exhaust runs through a glasspack style muffler and resonator before finding its epic exit just right of center through twin polished pipes.

Drive-Ability
After a series of modern Mopars and late model Corvettes, getting into an analog based grand touring car is like stepping back in time, gleefully! Ergonomics have come a long way since 1987 but there's nothing wrong with the seating position, visibility, or control center of this Beemer. We set out onto the test loop where the car moves out quickly with smooth shifts, tracks straight, and its tight suspension handles well for a rather long wheelbase. Functionally, everything on board operates as intended and German, (over), engineering pays off with a perfect checklist save for the reverse lights not illuminating. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.

This E24 is the stuff of legends. An early M car that has a stellar reputation and a rare presence in the United States. As such, we don't expect this car to be here long enough to collect dust. BMW fans and collectors take note, this is one of the Bavarian Holy Grails! Put Classic Auto Mall on speed dial and ante up before someone else does!

Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price.

With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!