During development of the E90/92 variant of the M3, BMW’s Motorsport department weighed its options for a powertrain. It was necessary for the new car to have markedly higher power output than the outgoing E46 model, but without sacrificing weight. It landed on designing an all-new aluminum V-8 displacing 4 liters and producing 414 hp while revving to a dizzying 8,300 rpm. While the M3 had always offered a well-balanced performance car, this new V-8, known internally as the S65B40, would thrust the car into near-supercar levels of performance, thus continuing the legend of the M3.

Debuted in 2007, the M3 would evolve over its lifetime, eventually being offered in Coupe (E92), Sedan (E90), and Convertible (E93) versions. For the final year of production, BMW offered a striking and rare limited-production model called the Lime Rock Park Edition, named after the historic Lime Rock Park raceway in Connecticut.

The Lime Rock Park Edition offered here is a striking example that appears in pristine condition, showing a meager 2,722 miles at the time of cataloguing. As with each of the 200 built, it is finished in a bright orange hue over a black cloth and leather interior, and this example is outfitted with the Competition Package and the Premium Package, as well as heated front seats and carbon leather interior trim. With a special Inconel exhaust system adding an additional 5 hp over the standard M3, this is the ultimate US-specification M3 of this generation.