BMW and its high-performance M division spawned a legend in 1983 by slotting a modified version of the 3.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine sourced from the M1 mid-engine supercar into the elegant 6-Series coupe (chassis code E24). This race-bred powertrain was paired with a five-speed manual transmission and produced an impressive 256 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque in US-market examples like the one offered here. Dubbed the M6, this new coupe sat atop BMW’s production-car range and proved to be a tremendous success, with successive generations following the original model after it ceased production in 1989.

The M6 was the second-fastest BMW ever built when it debuted, trailing only the exotic M1 as it topped out at more than 155 mph. To complement its stunning performance, the M6 was outfitted with all the luxurious accoutrements BMW customers were accustomed to, making it the ideal companion for extended road trips in high-speed comfort. Out of the 5,855 models BMW produced from 1983 through 1989, only 1,767 are believed to have been US-specification.

The 1988 model offered here is remarkably well preserved, showing only 12,218 actual miles on the odometer at cataloguing time. This US-market M6 was produced in September 1987 and had a pre-delivery inspection on 5 June 1988 by a BMW dealership in Beaumont, Texas. According to information logged in the car’s factory service booklet, it was first registered in September of 1988 to a resident of Hawthorne, California, although the car’s Carfax report stipulates October 1998 and Beaumont, Texas as the date and location of the first recorded registration.

This minor mystery aside, the service logbook and invoices on file do prove that the Hawthorne, California owner took this M6 in for what likely was its first oil change at Vasek Polak BMW in Hermosa Beach, California in June 1989 with a recorded mileage of 3,054 miles. Furthermore, this owner would keep the car until at least 2013, as indicated by a Colorado registration issued in September of that year, by which time the car had only accrued 11,181 miles, according to a smog inspection report conducted in Hawthorne, California. Some time after this, the car was acquired by a subsequent owner in Missoula, Montana, who in June 2017 had it professionally serviced in Durango, Colorado. This included replacing the power steering pump and air-conditioning compressor as well as changing the oil, brake fluid, and transmission fluid.

Just a couple of months later, in August 2017, the consignor then acquired the M6 with 12,098 miles on the odometer, as logged in sales documents, and promptly had it exported to Switzerland. A discerning collector based in Kuwait, the current owner has kept this time-capsule M6 as part of his impressive collection, adding only 120 miles to its accumulated mileage.

Finished in the factory-correct and highly attractive combination of Royal Blue Metallic over Silvergrey Nappa Leather, the car presents extremely well, with minor imperfections in the paint in high-wear areas. Styling tweaks BMW introduced in June 1987 are evident in the body-colored bumper caps, restyled front air dam, and projector headlights. Stampings and other markings throughout indicate the bodywork to be original and the car rides on factory light-alloy cross-spoke wheels with correct Michelin TRX tires. The well-appointed interior, lined in sumptuous Nappa leather, is likewise extremely well-preserved and features electric seat adjustments with memory function, multi-zone climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with airbag, the factory AM/FM stereo cassette player, and the correct, updated, ergonomic shifter knob introduced concurrent with the previously mentioned styling changes.

With only 1,767 M6 models produced for North America, these exceptional coupes remain scarce, with highly preserved, low-mileage examples such as this one being especially prized among collectors and marque connoisseurs. Having been so cherished throughout its life by but a few conscientious owners, perhaps the biggest issue this M6’s future caretaker might face is whether to show restraint and preserve its current exemplary condition or throw caution to the wind and enjoy this super coupe’s exceptional performance and handling by driving it with abandon.