1985 BMW M635CSi (M6) Coupe

Description

Elevating the stylish, elegant 6-series from a luxurious GT to an outright supercar capable of mixing it with contemporary Porsches and Ferraris, BMW launched the M635CSi at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show. Designed by BMW's Motorsport division, the M6 was powered by essentially the same 24-valve M88 straight six as in the mid-engined M1, except for having wet sump lubrication, a higher 10.5:1 compression ratio and Bosch's latest ML-Jetronic fuel injection. With a close-ratio Getrag five-speed gearbox the only transmission available, the M6 also boasted Bilstein dampers, higher spring rates and a lower ride height to sharpen up the handling, plus a ZF limited slip diff to handle the 286bhp on tap. Make no mistake, the big BMW was a seriously quick motor car, with 0-100 km/h dispatched in six seconds flat on the way to a top speed of more than 250 km/h … so long as you lived in Germany with ready access to unlimited autobahns. Keeping all this performance in check were cross-vented discs with ATE four-pot callipers and ABS as standard. Unlike most supercars, the M6 has the added practicality of a cabin capable of seating four adults in comfort, plenty of luggage space in the boot and relatively low running costs. The Recaro front seats and Motorsport steering wheel set the model apart from lesser 6-series and the M-Sport version added muscle to the BMW's lithe styling, with discreet 'M' badges and wider alloy rims filling out the flared arches. A driver's car par excellence, the ultimate 6-series derivative has always been sought after and thanks to its rarity (just 5859 were built), its status as a classic is assured.