1988 BMW E24 M6

In the 1970s, one of the cars that put BMW on the map – especially in the United States – was the E9 generation CS and CSi Coupe. A beautiful, powerful 2-door, 4-seat grand touring car, it helped BMW build a reputation for wonderful engineering and showed that it could compete with anything that America or Europe could throw at it. By the time 1975 rolled around, the E9 was ready to be replaced with something that could continue the grand touring coupe legacy. First shown in January 1976, the E24 6-series was a revelation. With its angular lines and shark-nose front end, it ushered in a styling language that would carry BMW through the 1980s and dictated many of the signature design elements that people associate with the brand to this day. With the growing influence of BMW’s Motorsport department, they were tapped to build an M variant of the 6-series – first known in Europe as the M635CSi and then eventually around the world as the M6. 

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This 1988 BMW M6 was an original US-delivery car finished in Black over gray leather. Showing just 77,987 miles at the time of cataloging, this car spent most of its life in California under single ownership. The black exterior of this car really highlights the menacing design of the E24 6-series and helps the US-market bumpers blend in with the overall shape. Although the exterior is largely stock, one notable upgrade is the addition of Alpina multi-spoke wheels, which replace the metric-fitment BBS basket weaves that would have come on the car. With service records dating back to April 1990, something we find very cool is that the car received a few Dinan upgrades in period, at Dinan’s facility in Mountain View, CA. One of these is the brand’s Stage 4 suspension package, which includes springs, custom valved Bilstein shocks, thicker anti-sway bars, and rear camber plates, which were fitted in October of 1990. 

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The beautiful Gray leather interior features a pair of nicely bolstered, fully power Recaro bucket seats up front, and a pair of bucket-style seats in the rear. Built as a true luxury car to compete with the likes of the Mercedes 560 SEC, the M6 has a leather-lined cabin with the material wrapping the door cards, center console, center stack, and lower dashboard. To ensure the utmost comfort for all passengers, separate HVAC vents and controls are situated between the rear seats so the passengers in back can control their own temperature.

Powering the US-market M6 is the S38B35 - a 3.5-liter dual-overhead cam inline-6 that produces 256 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque. The S38’s lineage can be traced back to the BMW M1 of the late 1970s and is famous for its individual throttle bodies, smooth power delivery, and fabulous induction noise. In 1990, this car visited the Dinan workshop once again and received their stage 1 tune, which presumably increased power some over the stock numbers above. This engine sends its power through a 5-speed Getrag manual gearbox to the rear wheels. 

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