2006 BMW M Coupe Photo Gallery

Think Moon Bloodgood wearing Victoria’s Secret, and you’ll get a sense of the new 2006 BMW M Coupe. This car is striking, alluring, clearly something meant for going fast and having fun. Its existence is somewhat of a surprise, though, given that BMW tried a similar formula several years ago and failed to find an audience. Indeed, the original Z3 and M Coupes’ brave two-seat “shooting brake” design didn’t go over well in America, selling in low numbers only to the most faithful devotees of the blue-and-white roundel, virtually guaranteeing that they will become classics a few decades from now. With their fixed roofs and mini-wagon greenhouses married to the sexy Z3 or M roadster’s bodywork, the Z3 and M Coupes were about as appealing as Moon Bloodgood wearing a pair of plus-sized plaid L.L. Bean pajamas.

Photo 2 – Rear 3/4

This time around, the 2006 BMW M Coupe gets a racy tail, a sleek greenhouse, and lines that blend in beautifully with the company’s flame-surfacing design themes. In keeping with tradition, the M Coupe also gets the larger M3’s six-cylinder engine, along with a full BMW Motorsport massage that includes the transmission, brakes, steering, and suspension. Minor cosmetic tweaks are made primarily out of necessity, and the interior receives special attention in the form of M sport seats, unique gauges, and other details. The end result is one of BMW’s purest expressions of performance. Perhaps more than any other vehicle in the storied German automaker’s 2006 lineup, it is the new M Coupe that most vigorously waves the checkered performance flag. It is raw. It is rough. It is raucous. It ain’t no luxury car, even if you can order the sun visors trimmed in leather. The M Coupe is about going fast, having fun, and doing so in uniquely tailored style.

Photo 3 – Interior

Because the 2006 BMW M Coupe is built for driving first and everything else second, you could order it stripped of options and get off the dealer’s lot for $50,995, including the $695 destination charge and the $1,000 gas guzzler tax. For that outlay of cash, you’d get manually adjustable M sport seats covered in premium Nappa leather, power heated exterior mirrors, automatic climate control, and a tilt and telescopic M sport steering wheel wrapped in soft, soothing leather. Other standard features include a 10-speaker stereo with a CD/MP3 player, rain-sensing wipers, automatic xenon self-leveling headlights with cleaners, heated washer jets, an engine immobilizer system, and lovely brushed aluminum or Carbon Leather dashboard trim. Your basic M Coupe would be painted Alpine White or Imola Red, the latter an M-exclusive color, and you could choose between Black, Imola Red, or Sepang Bronze Light upholstery.

Photo 4 – Front 3/4

Ah, but BMW buyers like to load on extras, and the 2006 M Coupe is available with several. Start with the Premium Package ($2,500) which includes BMW Assist, auto-dimming mirrors inside and out, eight-way power M sport seats with driver memory, cruise control, a THX-certified Carver audio system, and storage nets on each seatback and on the right side of the center console. Then check the M Extended Leather option ($1,800) in Black or Sepang Bronze Light to upholster the door panels, A-pillars, sun visors, center console, and storage compartment door in genuine PETA-infuriating cowhide. Next, pop for the Navigation System ($1,800) which deploys from the top of the dashboard and includes an on-board computer and the audio system display. Those are the big ticket items: other options, both factory- and dealer- installed, are available.

Photo 5 – Engine

If you’ve driven a BMW M3, one of the most gratifying automobiles on the planet, you’ll be familiar with the guts of the 2006 BMW M Coupe. Under that long, newly creased hood is the M3’s 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine, swallowing premium fuel at the rate of 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. With 330 horsepower available just 100 rpm short of redline at 7,900 revs per minute, and 262 lb.-ft. of torque peaking at 4,900 rpm, this M-massaged motor makes plenty of motivation for a 3,230-pound sports car. Bingo, the M Coupe does make three fewer ponies than the M3, due to space restrictions under the car and the resulting effect on the low back-pressure exhaust system. However, since the M Coupe is carrying 185 fewer pounds than the M3, the power loss is a non-issue. BMW says the M Coupe rips to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and quickly gets to its electronically limited terminal velocity of 155 mph.

Photo 6 – Rear 3/4

A revised six-speed ZF Type H manual transmission with a heavy-duty clutch delivers power to the 2006 BMW M Coupe’s rear wheels. Upgrades include better gear synchronization, lighter shift feel, firmer gear engagement, shorter throws, and lifetime transmission oil that never needs checking or changing. At night, the shift pattern on the gearshift knob is illuminated – a slick touch found on all M models. Other powertrain goodies include a heavy-duty differential equipped with NACA air intakes to keep it cool, an M Variable Differential Lock that keeps the M Coupe buttoned-down on low- and split-traction surfaces, and an M Logic stability control system with start-off assistant to keep the car from rolling backward on hills while the driver switches from the brake pedal to the accelerator.

Photo 7 – Front 3/4

Like the 2006 BMW M Coupe’s underhood hardware, the suspension is also significantly tweaked by BMW Motorsport. In front, the suspension track is half an inch wider, the aluminum lower control arms are more complex and lighter, new steering knuckles produce sharper response and save weight, and there are strut tower braces to further stiffen the car. At the rear, the sub-frame is larger and stiffer, and the M Coupe gets the M3’s wheel bearings, central suspension links, and stabilizer bar arrangement. Additionally, the springs, shocks, stabilizer bars, and bushings are all M-tuned for maximum performance.

Photo 8 – Wheel

The 2006 BMW M Coupe’s steering is also donated by the M3, replacing the Z4’s standard electrically-assisted power rack-and-pinion setup with an engine-speed sensitive hydraulic assist unit equipped with a special power steering fluid pump. The result is greater steering effort at low speeds in trade for the kind of sharpened road feel and response at higher speeds for which BMWs are known, and loved. Brakes are compound, cross-drilled, ventilated discs with brake drying, ABS, Dynamic Brake Control, start-off assistant, electronic brake proportioning, and cornering stability enhancement. The compound, two-piece rotor design cuts unsprung weight and reduces warping under high-pressure, high-heat conditions, translating to a reduction in vibration when running the M Coupe hard. The whole shebang rides on M Double Spoke 18-inch wheels wearing summer-spec 225/45ZR front tires and 255/40ZR rear treads.

Photo 9 – Rear 3/4

The 2006 BMW M Coupe might be the first visually appealing new BMW since everyone wet their pants over the whole Y2K hysteria. Actually, scratch that. The current BMW M3 was the last real stunner out of Munich, so perhaps it should come as no surprise that the new M Coupe, which shares much of its hardware with the M3, is such a striking machine.

Photo 10 – Side

Undeniably, the 2006 BMW M Coupe’s fixed fastback roof works well with the Z4’s folded-and-creased exterior design, flowing beautifully into the raised rear deck and making that bubbly butt a logical conclusion rather than an irrational exclamation. Plus, thanks to the M Coupe’s hatchback design, there’s additional cargo space, though it’s still precious. Pop the hatch and you’ll find that the trunk is roomy enough for a couple of soft-sided duffels, or a medium-size rollaway and a briefcase. A handy cargo cover is also included to keep valuables out of sight, and there’s a light to help you see in the dark.

Photo 11 – Rear 3/4

In addition to the sleek fixed roof, BMW has made subtle, purposeful styling changes to mark the 2006 M Coupe. A distinct front fascia with the company’s traditional kidney grilles set deeper into their openings is decorated with black vertical grille slats and includes three air intakes under the bumper for added engine and brake cooling. The M Coupe comes standard with auto-leveling xenon headlamps with washers, luminous rings on the inboard lights, white turn signal indicators, and an aluminum hood with new character lines stamped into it. Other M-specific treatments include 18-inch M double-spoke aluminum wheels, M-logo badges, four chrome-tipped exhaust outlets, a unique rear bumper and lower diffuser, and adaptive LED brake lights that glow brighter the harder you stop.