Born Anew: 28-year-old BMW M3 by Vilner

Just look at this BMW M3 (E30) issued all the way back in 1990! Vilner has rebuilt it almost completely, and the result is nothing short of sensational.

The Bulgarian tuner started things off by replacing the entire body of the car with original panels sourced from the rare and exclusive Evolution II series. Don’t be mislead by the third-party carbon bumper: the atelier has already replaced it with the Evo II counterpart, just never updated the photos.

In pace with the times, the 1990 BMW M3 by Vilner also received new taillights and tinted headlights. The stock wheels made room for a BBS custom set with central parta painted red to match the car body.

Still, most of the beauty resides inside the opulent sports sedan. The attention is immediately drawn to seats upholstered with genuine leather and tartan. The same kind of checkered fabric covers the door panels and even the parcel shelf. There is also a leather-clad Momo steering wheel, metallic floor mats and a roll cage where the back sets used to be.

Wait… A roll cage? Yes, that’s right. The car no longer holds onto its feeble “inline four”. Instead, it packs a much stronger 3.2L inline 6 (M3 E36) rated at 317 hp (236 kW). Factor in the small weight of the vehicle (1,200 kilograms or 2,650 lbs), its five-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive, and you’ve got yourself a serious sports car!

Photo: Vilner