Achingly good BMW M635CSi for sale

Considering its knack for creating timeless gems elsewhere in the range, BMW has a patchy record when it comes to nailing top-of-the-line M cars. Sure, the E63 M6 stands out for having a V10, but wouldn’t you rather have the equivalent M5 or, better yet, the Touring version? The follow-up was perhaps a little easier on the eyes, though it also dropped a couple of cylinders and gained a pair of turbos. Ludicrously fast, just not quite as engaging as its smaller M3 and M4 siblings. Fast forward to the present and the M8 occupies the spot where the now-redundant M6 used to sit. Again, it’s very fast and very plush, it’s just that the current crop of saloons and coupes do the whole M thing better.

Ignoring the fact that the M version of the E31 8 Series never made it past the prototype phase (which still feels like a crying shame), the only time BMW has arguably nailed a flagship M car was with the M635CSi. Following on from the success of the E12 M535i – the first ‘mass’ production M car, lest we forget – BMW thought it’d be a good idea to pair up its newfound performance saloon with a coupe variant, starting a trend that, in one way or another, it has followed to this very day.

In true M style (leaving apart the division’s latest offerings), the M635CSi didn’t look all that different to the regular 6 Series when it first appeared at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1983. The only notable changes introduced to the timeless Paul Bracq design were a deeper air dam on the front bumper, reprofiled rear spoiler, two-piece BBS wheels, a set of M badges – and that’s about it. If only that were still the case today. Meanwhile, the cabin was left virtually untouched, with only some M striping on the steering wheel, a new gear knob for the five-speed manual ‘box and a set of Recaro sports seats. Enough to distance it from the regular 635CSi, but only those in the know.  

Under the skin, however, the M635CSi was a very different beast. Not only was it the first M car to use a variant of the M1’s M88 straight-six, it was also more powerful. An output of 286hp at 6,500rpm gave it a near 10hp advantage over the M1 and, despite carrying an extra 200kg, could hit 62mph from a standstill within 0.2 seconds of the mid-engined supercar. The chassis was given a good going-over, too. A limited-slip differential was included, the springs stiffened, the Bilstein suspension lowered by 10mm and extra stopping power provided by a set of four-pot brakes pinched from the M1.

The result, often cited as a high point of BMW’s ’80s era output, was precisely the sort of do-it-all-in-style performance car that the modern M myth is founded on. Granted, the M635CSi didn’t receive the votes it probably deserved in last year’s poll for the best M car of all time – but there it faced some stiff competition with the firm’s 52-year history taken into account. The model prized among collectors today for good reason; not just because it’s rare to find an immaculate one, but also because it’s towards the sharp end of all-time great M cars. So if you were one of the few who gave the M635CSi the nod in our poll, this lovely 1986 car should be right up your alley. And if you didn’t, well, perhaps it might help change your mind.

This particular car started life as a runabout for a BMW dealership chairman, before it was swiftly moved on to a private buyer some four months later. It’s remained in the buyer’s family ever since, first serving as his company car before it was passed on to his son, who’s now looking to find it a new home. Despite two stints as a business mobile, it’s only covered 18,400 miles and looks to be in sublime condition, right down to the glorious Cardinal Red seats. Full service history, too, along with a folder containing ‘every single invoice’, reckons the ad. How does £115,000 sound? If you’d like to shop around, there’s also this 1985 example with 19,000 miles from the same dealer with an identical price tag. A simple choice to make, then: black or blue?