The 1990 BMW M3 E30 Doesn’t Get Any Rarer Than This Sport Evo III

The BMW M3 E30 is a poster child of the 1990s, and 30 years on it’s still a coveted German performance car — especially when it’s an M3 E30 Sport Evo (Evolution III), or simply put, one of the rarest iterations ever made.

Just 600 examples of the Sport Evo III were made between 1989 and 1990 as a Group A homologation special. As a result, it saw an upgrade to the 2.5-liter four-cylinder S14 engine to produce 238 BHP, which is managed by a dog-leg five-speed manual transmission that sends the power to the rear wheels.

Elsewhere, the differential ratio was fettled with, as was the styling. At the front, BMW added a much wider front wing with an adjustable spoiler, as well as another adjustable spoiler at the rear, alongside brake cooling ducts in their front bumpers and 16” BBS alloy wheels at all four corners.

Served up in “Brilliant Red,” this example comes fitted with thinner window glass for reduced weight and Recaro front seats for a racing feel, which is enhanced inside by the lashings of suede coating things such as the steering wheel, gear shifter, and handbrake grip. Elsewhere, amenities such as a sliding sunroof, headlight washers, rear window sunblinds, velour floor mats, an on-board computer, BMW Bavaria radio system, and headlight beam adjustment have been fitted as standard, while a new stereo has been added to include modern features such as Bluetooth connectivity.

Rounding out the rare car is its new performance exhaust system and H&R Cup suspension, while a commemorative plaque inside marks the car’s credentials. Altogether, this is one of the cleanest E30s on the market, let alone the fact it’s an Evo III. As a result, the current bid sits at $140,000 USD on Collecting Cars’ site, which is expected to rise before bidding ends at 11 p.m. EST today.

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