You Need This: A not-so-subtle, S54-powered E36 BMW wagon

Colin
By Colin Wood
Oct 16, 2024 | BMW, Mecum, You Need This, BMW M Sport Touring, E36 BMW

Photography Courtesy Mecum

Some cars are modified into sleepers, while others are tweaked into an OEM+ style build. This E36 BMW wagon is neither of those things–quite the opposite, actually.

The big-ticket upgrades? The S54 engine from an E46 M3 plus a six-speed manual gearbox–and the massive fender flares, of course, courtesy of Pandem.

Seemingly everything that could be modified or customized was upgraded, be it the custom Avus Blau exterior paint, the Turner Motorsport CSL carbon fiber intake, the Supersprint racing exhaust, JBL speaker system, BMW Z3M instrument cluster or even the custom Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel.

Find this 1997 BMW M Sport Touring up for auction at Mecum on October 18.

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Comments
dean1484
dean1484 GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
10/16/24 2:52 p.m.

I would take the cadge out of it and street drive that thing.  I really like the fender flares and the "stance" that it has been set up with. 

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
10/16/24 2:58 p.m.

Yeah, the cage might be a bit much for the street, but the swap, the stance, the flares and the colors....

paddygarcia
paddygarcia GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
10/16/24 3:09 p.m.

That cage is nightmare fuel.

wvumtnbkr
wvumtnbkr GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
10/16/24 3:11 p.m.

That cage needs to gtfo.  That thing could kill you in a low speed wreck.

We used to call those poser cages.

 

The rest of the car?  Chefs kiss.

Lof8 - Andy
Lof8 - Andy GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
10/16/24 3:15 p.m.

lol.  Came to comment on the cage and every previous comment is also about the cage.  Anytime I see those curvy front bars, I have to question the overall legitimacy of any build.   The rest of it does look great, though.

codrus (Forum Supporter)
codrus (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
10/16/24 5:54 p.m.
Lof8 - Andy said:

lol.  Came to comment on the cage and every previous comment is also about the cage.  Anytime I see those curvy front bars, I have to question the overall legitimacy of any build.   The rest of it does look great, though.

Agreed.  A cage with bars that curve around the dash like that adds safety hazards for street driving (head impact, plus egress concerns), while also simultaneously defeating the whole purpose of having a bar there in the first place.

Jesse Ransom
Jesse Ransom GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
10/16/24 5:57 p.m.

I love this place.

Nothing to add to the general chorus of "hawt-but-oof-that-cage..."

stuart in mn
stuart in mn MegaDork
10/16/24 11:07 p.m.
wvumtnbkr said:

That cage needs to gtfo.  That thing could kill you in a low speed wreck.

But they did paint it safety yellow, so you'll be reminded not to hit your head on it.

P3PPY
P3PPY GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
10/16/24 11:15 p.m.

You ever crack the back of your metacarpals (hand bones) on something and just sit there stunned? I know nothing of cages so maybe I'm kinda just on the bandwagon here, but that bar seems so close to the wheel, I think I would constantly regret it. 

Reminds me of a dually rear end there


 

confuZion3
confuZion3 UltraDork
10/17/24 8:34 a.m.

I also don't understand why people curve forward tubes like that. They look better going through the dash anyway. Also, did they gusset the... C-Pillar tubes to the rear glass? You see that, right? In the first picture?

Hang on a sec... where's my coffee? Here we go...

Yeah, dimple-died, curved gussets. Right up against the glass.

I need that car though. Cage and everything.

Edit: No, I saw the last picture. It is a gusset on that rear-most tube in the trunk. They didn't gusset up to the glass. Now I just like the car a little more.

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