The the 1998 - 2002 BMW Z3M Coupe is an odd-ball that took its lumps but ended up being incredibly fun; the same can probably be said for the latest Petrolicious video. Normally focusing on rare, low-production vintage->ke2468 and classic cars->ke503, Petrolicious switched gears a bit to focus on Alex McCulloch and his interestingly tuned BMW Z3M Coupe.

McCulloch, an airline pilot and avid hang glider, chose the car for its challenging nature, which he says is an “exercise in frustration,” but he has turned the M Coupe->ke141 into an impressive track car that tackles the NASA Time Trial (TTB) class. Watching him drive around the track shows just how much of a handful the Z3M Coupe can be to drive. Perhaps the best part about his car is that he has tuned it in a way that it can easily be put back to stock in 48 hours, if needed.

The tuning was never an issue with the Z3M Coupe, though. It was the awkward shooting brake design. As McCulloch put it, the Z3M Coupe was “not a product of marketing or branding.” Instead, it was an effort to make a more rigid, track-friendly version of the Z3M leading to the Coupe’s unusual design that has earned the car numerous nicknames over the years including “clown shoe,” which is referenced in the episode title.

Sure, this Petrolicious lacks a gorgeous vintage car and obnoxious, burbling exhaust notes, but it offer some cool aerial videography and colorful viewer comments (hurray, Internet!). Seriously, reading the comments on this one is almost as fun as watching the video itself… go ahead, check them out!

1998-2002 BMW M Coupe

You can read more about the 1998 - 2002 BMW M Coupe here.