5 Two-Door BMW Sports Cars That Should Have Your Attention This Summer
It’s a marque synonymous with luxury and performance: BMW. As a result, many contemporary bargain hunters have all but written the Bavarian manufacturer off for want of a cheap option. However, BMW sports car fans can rest assured that the used market offers a few gems, like the BMW E46 M3, Z3, and Z4.
What are the names of BMW’s sports cars?
BMW’s two-door sports cars span from the ‘Z’ cars like the Z3 and Z4 to the track-ready rockets like the M2. These five BMW names in the sports car segment are excellent summertime prospects:
- BMW M2 (F87)
- BMW Z3 Convertible
- BMW 135i M Sport
- BMW E46 M3
- BMW Z4
BMW’s most classic modern sports car formula followers are the Z3 and Z4. Although the Z4 is still in production, its four-generation tenure means plenty of used options. Better yet, the models offered either a soft-top or hard-top convertible, depending on age.
Does an M2 hold its value?
Although the M2 is entering its second generation, the first-gen coupe is a solid sports coupe option. An F87 BMW M2 from 2016 has a fair dealer value of around $36,148, down from its original starting price of about $52,695.
Moreover, the diminutive M car boasts smile-inducing track-day credentials, a handsome exterior, and a boisterous 365-horsepower turbo inline-six-cylinder engine. Better yet, the automaker didn’t ditch the manual transmission option for outright speed, making the M2 a bona fide driver’s car.
The BMW Z3 was cool enough to be James Bond’s sports car
The E36, 37, and 38 BMW Z3s are short-wheelbase, soft-top convertibles with attractive used car values and even screentime with Pierce Brosnan as James Bond in Goldeneye. Of course, the KBB value of $5,554 won’t get you a Z3 with heat-seeking missiles behind the headlamps.
Still, the Z3 is just one of the many cars that James Bond has piloted over the years, and it’s not even the only Z car. Ian Fleming’s superspy also drove a BMW Z8 in the film The World Is Not Enough, although you’ll be hard-pressed to find one for under $100,000.
What is the M Sport package on a BMW 135i?
The BMW 135i M Sport adds namesake suspension that lowers the coupe one inch, M-specific alloy wheels, and other performance features. Better yet, the short-wheelbase E82 1-Series Bimmer is a sharp sports car option that fans can find for less than $10,000.
How much does a BMW E46 M3 cost?
The BMW M3 is one of the last words in performance sleepers, and the E46 is the most successful variant to date. With a used value of around $11,254 from a dealership with average mileage, the handsome M car is still a bargain.
Moreover, fans of the 3.2L inline-six-powered E46 BMW M3 can opt for a drop-top without shedding the M badge.
Is a used BMW Z4 a good buy?
The BMW Z4, unlike the Z3, has been around for nearly 20 years. As a result, fans can find an E89 30i with a folding hard-top for about $15,795, per KBB.
Which BMW sports car would you use to hit the road this year? Tell us in the comments below!
