£1.5m+ of BMW M car legends open for bidding with Collecting Cars

• Collecting Cars’ The M Collection is now open for bidding, which sees over 25 BMW M cars, worth over £1.5m combined, listed on the online auction site
• Headlined by the first BMW M car, a rare 1980 BMW M1 in red over black / chequered interior with just three owners from new
• BMW youngtimers well represented with the bookends of Noughties M legends showcased. From a 2002 BMW M3 Coupé with desirable S54 engine to a low mileage 2002 BMW E39 M5 and no fewer than four BMW E46 M3 CSLs
• Joined by a 1988 E30 M3 Convertible and a 1988 BMW E28 M5
• To date, Collecting Cars has sold over 1,500 BMWs
• View the full line-up here: collectingcars.com/collection/the-m-collection

With a combined value exceeding £1.5 million, it stands as one of the most comprehensive offerings of BMW M performance cars ever presented in a single auction event.

A true collector’s gem, The M Collection is headlined by a BMW M1 – the result of a BMW and Lamborghini racing project that ultimately became the car to launch BMW’s iconic M car lineage. This rare mid-engined model was produced in limited numbers, with just 399 road cars believed to have been built. Finished in Henna Red, it also features 16-inch Campagnolo wheels, flip-up headlights, and a Becker Mexico radio. Inside, black leather contrasts with period chequered cloth trim – a distinctly period-correct specification. Rear-wheel drive, its 3.5-litre naturally aspirated M88 straight-six produces 273 bhp and is paired with a ZF ‘dog-leg’ five-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential. Showing 83,784km and reportedly with only three owners from new, it’s a usable example with character, charm, and a pivotal piece of M car history.

Looking back at the M Division’s golden era, many collectors will immediately recall two Noughties icons – starting with the BMW Z3 M Coupé, affectionately nicknamed the ‘clown shoe’ for its unmistakable silhouette. Collecting Cars has consigned no fewer than four examples of this cult favourite, including a standout: a final-year 2002 model with the highly sought-after S54 engine from the E46 M3. Just 168 of these variants were sold in the UK, and this 57,500-mile car is finished in Estoril Blue.

Another hero of the era is the legendary BMW E46 M3 CSL, and The M Collection also includes four examples of this car. Even BMW itself calls it the “holy grail” – and with good reason. Just 1,383 were made, combining the best of BMW’s motorsport engineering and road car refinement. Lightweight in construction including a carbon fibre roof (a world first on a production car in 2003) and a revised S54B32 straight-six engine, made it a benchmark driver’s car. From a pristine 39,000km car in Germany to a rare Hong Kong-registered variant, there’s a CSL to suit every collector.

However, it wasn’t the 3 Series that had all the M Division attention. During the same period, BMW M transformed the E39-era 5 Series into the now-iconic E39 M5 – famed for its V8 engine and six-speed manual gearbox. Collecting Cars has found an excellent example with just shy of 60,000 miles, finished in Le Mans Blue Metallic with a matching two-tone blue and black leather interior, and added it to this stellar line-up. With a Nürburgring lap time of 8 minutes 20 seconds, the E39 M5 was one of the fastest saloon cars of its day – and decades on, it still holds its place among the coolest performance saloons ever built.

Other highlights include a 1988 BMW E30 Convertible in Macau Blue over a BMW Individual Lotus White leather interior, and a 1988 BMW E28 M5 freshly resprayed and presented in black over black leather trim. Modern M Division fans will also enjoy seeing a 2011 BMW 1M Coupé finished in black over black, alongside a 2020 BMW M2 CS, presented in superb condition having done just 5,242 miles from new.

Discussing this special auction event, Edward Lovett, Founder of Collecting Cars said: “The M Collection is one of the most exciting single-marque offerings we’ve ever presented. It captures the spirit, innovation, and driving purity that have defined BMW M over the last four decades – from the legendary M1 to modern classics like the E46 CSL. For collectors and keen drivers alike, this is a rare opportunity to acquire some of the most significant M cars ever built, all in one place.”

Curated by Collecting Cars, the globally recognised auction platform, The M Collection follows in the footsteps of other successful single-marque collections, including the Land Rover Collection and the Turbo Collection (comprising iconic Porsche 911s). The auction event will conclude on Sunday 27 April. View The M Collection here: collectingcars.com/collection/the-m-collection.

In recent weeks, The Collecting Group has also rolled out a single-login process to encapsulate both Collecting Cars and its sister site, Watch Collecting. Visit watchcollecting.com to see more from Rolex sports models to Patek Grand Complications.