The BMW M Coupé design already exerted a polarising influence when it was presented at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in 1997. There is no doubt that it remains one of the most unusual automobiles to come from M GmbH. During the period of its production run, the coupé was supplied with two different engines (S50B32 and S54B32), which were also installed in other M models - the engines for the North American market differed from the ECE models. Since only 3,433 "European" (europäische) BMW M Coupés were built, this vehicle is a much-coveted rarity today.