S52 Engine (E36 M3)

The 3.2-liter straight-six out of a 1997 E36 M3: 240 horsepower, VANOS, screams to 6,500 RPM, and built for the American market so it's bulletproof too. If the eta engine is fuel, the S52 is hot dogs — designed in Germany, loved by Americans.

• “combined with the inherent smoothness and balance of the straight-6 layout, this is, in my opinion, the best possible engine option for an E30.”

  Watch at 10:39 ↗Building a Fun, Cheap Old Car in 5 Days

engine swaps52straight-sixreliable