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February 2021 Car of the Month: uber///m3
***Editors Note: I've been wanting to feature Rusty's car for a while and this has been a "hurry up and wait" type feature because we were basically ready to go for a while now, but wanted to wait for the right moment. Well, here we are and it couldnt have worked out better. After a wonderfully restored Zinnoberrot Mtech1, we get to share a "survivor" Mtech2 in Brilliantrot. This car is ruining me because now I want a Vert haha... Congrats Rusty, you're the February '21 Car of the Month!***
Factory options: M-Technic package (S771A) including M-Technic II aerodynamics package with rear spoiler delete, 15" BBS wheels, lower sport springs and uprated roll bars, M-Technic grill, door sill and rear trunk lid badging, M-Technic fabric in the seats and door cards as well as a leather dash, console, seat bolsters, side panels, map pockets, ashtrays, steering wheel and parking brake/shift boots. Trunk deck lid trunk liner with tool kit, anti-lock braking system (ABS), front and rear torsion bar stabilizers, hydraulic power assisted steering system, independent front suspension with MacPherson struts, independent semi-trailing arm rear suspension, on-board computer with LCD digital quartz clock, temperature warning chime and security code, power assisted four wheel disc brakes (ventilated front), service interval indicator, driver's side airbag, twin tube gas pressure shock absorbers, multi-function active check control, dual electrically adjustable outside rearview mirrors in body color, cruise control, electric antenna (rear mounted), tinted glass all around, tool kit, leather upholstery, air conditioning with recirculating function.
Color: Brilliantrot (308) - Brilliant Red.
Interior color: Black with M-Technic fabric inserts in the seats and on the door cards.
Engine modifications: The intake manifold and valve cover have been painted the same color as the car. There's also an after market electric radiator fan to maintain cooling. Other than that, the engine is bone stock.
Exhaust: Bone stock.
Transmission: This car came to me with an automatic transmission. Shortly after I bought it, I sourced a rebuilt Getrag 260 5-speed transmission and had Matt Schaedler at EuroMpire install it along with a new clutch/pressure plate, rebuilt drive shaft and rebuilt 3.73 ratio limited slip differential. The drivetrain in this car is now bulletproof. (I kept the automatic transmission in case someone wants to put it back to full stock condition.)
Differential: Rebuilt 3.73 ratio limited slip differential from motorsportsmetalfinishing.com.
Suspension: Bone stock.
Wheels: Bone stock but repainted right after I bought the car to perfectly match the factory BBS color.
Exterior modifications: Depo smilie headlights with Ultra CanBus HID kits (35 watt, H1 bulbs, 5500K), new Euro front grill and new center kidney grill
Interior modifications: Alpine aftermarket radio and rear door card speakers (there when I bought the car) and an M logo badge I had to attach to the center console to conceal the 4 or 5 holes drilled in it by the previous owner who evidently just HAD to have a car phone mounted in that beautiful leather.
Story behind the car: I've been an avid BMW fan and member of the BMW Car Club of America for going on 30 years. When I found out that someone had built "The Ultimate Driving Machine", I just had to have one and after that I was hooked. My first one was a 1992 BMW 325i sedan, black on black with a 5-speed. After that, I owned a 1997 M3 sedan (estoril blue - still one of my favorite BMW colors to this day), a 1995 M3 coupe (with a chrome illusion paint job that won multiple trophies at car shows up and down the east coast). After taking a break from BMW's, I got a Mazda for a daily driver and showed the 1995 M3 for a couple of years but it was getting harder and harder to compete. Then I bought a REAL show car - a 2002 M3 known as "The Uber M3" (Google "Uber M3 showcar" images and you'll see what I mean). It was built by Craig Lieberman for the movie Fast & Furious - Tokyo Drift. They never used it in the movie because it was filmed in Tokyo where all the cars are right-hand drive, so to the producers, it didn't "fit". So, I bought it in 2005 (and still own it to this day). A few years later, I found a 2010 E60 M5 (the last year BMW built one with a V-10 engine in it) for sale with REALLY LOW miles on it and bought it as a daily driver. Then a friend of mine took me for a ride in his E30 one day and I just had to have one! I really love the visceral driving experience these cars represent. But like The Uber M3 and my M5, I wanted something unique. That's when I found this M-Technic. When I realized only 149 had ever been built AND it has EXTREMELY low miles on it, I was sold. I didn't even try to bargain with the seller. We got a pre-purchase inspection done, I wired him the money and he shipped the car to me.
And now the pics!...
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