1988 BMW M6 E24 Appears on Bring a Trailer Auction

A 1988 BMW M6 E24 with 68k miles is listed on Bring a Trailer, featuring S38 engine, manual gearbox, and modifications. Explore key details and auction context.

1988 BMW M6 listed on Bring a Trailer has already stood out as more than just another preserved 1980s BMW. This is an E24 M6 with 68,000 miles, a 3.5-liter S38 inline-six, a five-speed manual gearbox, and a limited-slip differential, which places it directly in the small and historically important group of North American M6s that carried the Motorsport flagship idea to the US market.

That is why the listing matters beyond a single auction. The M635CSi/M6 family was built in limited numbers, and the North American M6 was the export version of the top E24 model for the United States, Canada, and Japan. It combined the shape and comfort of a large grand touring coupe with a genuine BMW M engine lineage, and that mix still defines its appeal today. In this case, the car adds several details that make it even more noticeable: long-term ownership since 2007, 68k miles shown, and a Cinnabar Red over Natur leather color combination that gives the car immediate visual presence.

The equipment list reinforces that grand touring character. The car is fitted with a sunroof, rear spoiler, heated power-adjustable front sport seats, driver-seat memory, front and rear air conditioning, cruise control, a board computer, power windows and locks, and a Becker Mexico cassette stereo. Factory output for the US-spec S38B35 was rated at 256 horsepower, while this example is also described as having a Frank Fahey Motorsports crank hub, an exhaust cam gear, an aftermarket ECU chip, upgraded front brakes, aftermarket dampers, sway bars, and 750iL control arm bushings.

Those modifications are part of what makes this lot unusual. It is not being presented as a completely untouched collector-grade M6, but as a low-mile example with period-style enthusiast upgrades. The front end is said to use 740 rotors and multi-piston Brembo calipers, while the engine changes point to a car that was developed with drivability and performance in mind rather than strict factory originality alone.

The listing also gives buyers several concrete maintenance markers. The right mirror, rear spoiler, and rear bumper were reportedly refinished in 2021, and the right high-beam headlamp was replaced in November 2025. In 2025, the rear pitman arms, brake pressure switch, hydroaccumulator, and oil pressure switch were also replaced. On an E24 M6, details like these matter because suspension, hydraulic, and engine-related upkeep plays a large role in how the market reads the condition of the car.

At the same time, the car is drawing the kind of scrutiny that often surrounds serious classic BMW M listings. Commenters on the auction page have focused on the rocker-panel texture and asked whether the finish reflects an original appearance or later work. The seller replied that no rust repair was performed during current ownership and said there was no evidence of prior work to the rockers, adding magnet photos along both sides. That exchange is significant on its own, because rust remains one of the most sensitive topics for E24 buyers.

Paperwork adds another layer. The Carfax report shows no accident or damage entries, but it does include a September 2005 note stating that the vehicle was registered in a county identified by FEMA as a flood disaster area. That entry does not by itself prove damage, but it does place the car in the category of examples that invite closer inspection. The California emissions side is also worth watching: the car most recently passed a smog test in August 2025, yet the listing notes that some aftermarket components may not be CARB-certified.

All of that leaves this M6 in a particularly interesting position. It offers the rarity and historical weight of an E24 M car, the analog appeal of the S38 and a five-speed manual, a strong color combination, and relatively modest mileage. At the same time, it comes with the sort of questions that can shape bidding on cars like this: how the market values tasteful modifications, how comfortable buyers feel with the visible discussion around the rockers, and how much importance they place on emissions compliance and documentation. That balance is likely to define what happens next as the auction moves toward its close.