The 1987 BMW M6 is one of the prime high-performance cars of its era. The very early example recently offered on eBay has an immaculate body and interior. As such, this black '87 M6 with 104,925 miles on the odometer is good for many more years of driving fun.
Rising Value
The sharknose styling by Paul Bracq still looks good.
When it was introduced in 1987, Car and Driver wrote this about the BMW M6:
It is one of those wild, wonderful cars that throw the scales of automotive justice totally off balance. This car doesn’t make any sense for three important reasons: money, money, and money. Average folks just can’t understand spending $58,720 for anything that doesn’t have at least two bedrooms.
Buyers are now being asked to spend almost double that, $95,000, for a used example of the M6. But that’s what the market is bearing. Hagerty values a concours example of the 1987 M6 at $126,000 and an excellent one at $83,900.
A Go-Faster 6-Series
The interior has minor wear and discoloration, but that’s inevitable with age.
The M6 is a variation on the first 6-Series coupe, the E24, introduced in 1976. The shark-nosed shape by Paul Bracq replaced the gorgeous 2000CS/2800CS/3.0CS/3.0CSi cars that reigned from 1967 to 1976.
The go-faster version of the 6-Series coupe started as the European M635CSi, which first appeared in 1983 with 158 mph capability. BMW badged it as the M6 in the US—and adapted the 3.5-liter engine with a displacement upgrade, double-overhead cams, and 24 valves. In that form, it produced 256 horsepower—up 74 hp from the standard 635CSi but slightly less potent than the Euro version.
You might see 158 mph on that speedometer.
The motor is similar to the one seen in the very limited-production M1 supercar. In the M6, it was good for 6.1-second zero-to-60 times.
First Delivered in Europe
The exterior got a front air dam, rear spoiler, and BBS wheels - opens in new window or tab. to distinguish it from lesser 6-Series cars. The interior boasted Nappa leather with an eight-speaker stereo. The four-wheel disc brakes had an ABS feature.
This car is very well preserved. It’s in nice livery, black with silver/gray leather interior. It features the desirable five-speed manual gearbox instead of the four-speed ZF auto. The body appears unmarked, and the leather is very good—although with some minor wear.
The M6 has become iconic, and this one started it all.
This was a European delivery car. It retains the records from that foray, including route maps (in the pre-GPS era). The seller includes the original keys and window sticker, and the tool kit appears complete. The original Michelin TRX spare tire keeps the tool kit company in the trunk, and there are more than 100 pages of service records and invoices.
The BMW was fully detailed, including the undercarriage, the suspension, and pinstriped wheels. Thankfully, the owner replaced the trouble-prone self-leveling suspension in this car with a conventional Bilstein alternative - opens in new window or tab.. If spare parts are needed at some point, eBay has a full selection of M6 parts - opens in new window or tab. to keep this exceptional luxury sedan providing years of service.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.