BMW M Coupe

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BMW M Coupe

The BMW M Coupe, nicknamed the "Shoe", "Clown Shoe", "Boot", "Shooting Brake" or "Bread Van" by enthusiasts, is a high-performance automobile produced by BMW from 1998 to 2002.

The car is based on the BMW M Roadster. The semi-trailing arm rear suspension was not modified from the M Roadster. The coupe is 2.7 times stiffer than its convertible counterpart, resulting in superior handling.

M Coupes built between 1999 and 2000 are fitted with two different engines, depending on the destination market. The same engines were used as powered the 1996 to 1999 BMW M3.

The US models were fitted with the S52, a 240 hp (176 kW) and 320 Nm (236 ft·lbf) 3.2 litre inline 6 cylinder engine.

European models were fitted with the S50B32, a 321 hp (236 kW) and 350 Nm (260 ft·lbf) 3.2 litre inline 6 cylinder engine.

1 2001
2 Production Figures
3 2006 M Coupe
4 External links

[edit] 2001

From October 2001, the M Coupe reappeared worldwide with the new 3.2 litre S54 engine from the E46 M3. This was the highest specific output naturally aspirated engine ever made by BMW when it was fitted to the E46 M3: in M Coupe form it produced 325 hp in European form and 315 HP in North American form. (242kW) and 354 Nm (261 lbf.ft) of torque.

Despite the well-documented tendency of the 2001-2002 S54 to suffer connecting rod bearing failure in the E46 M3, the incidence of failure is considerably lower in the M Coupe. The higher degree of reliability is believed to result from BMW's decision to limit the M Coupe's redline to 7,600rpm, 400 lower than the M3's stratospheric limit.

[edit] Production Figures

The M Coupe was not aimed at the mass market thus production was limited.

European left hand drive S50 engine: 2,178 built from 04/98 through 06/2000
European right hand drive S50 engine: 821 built from 08/98 through 06/2000
North America S52 engine: 2,180 built from 07/98 through 06/2000
European left hand drive S54 engine: 281 built from 02/2001 through 05/2002
European right hand drive S54 engine: 168 built from 02/2001 through 05/2002
North America S54 engine: 690 built from 02/2001 through 05/2002

[edit] 2006 M Coupe

2006 Z4 M Coupe

BMW released a limited production, new redesigned, M Coupe based on the Z4 style. The first cars were delivered right after the North American introduction on May 27, 2006. It has a 3.2 litre inline 6 cylinder engine (same as the M3) and produces 330 hp. It shares many components with the Z4 and with the E46 M3. Other components come directly from the M3 CSL like the cross drilled floating rotors.