While it's not the most typical car you'll see on the streets, you might just spot this hot looking BMW on the roads around Parkes one day, and I recently found out why when I spoke to Peter O'Donnell from the Central West Car Club.
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"It's a 2004 BMW E46 M3 race car that I bought this year to enjoy some tarmac rallying," Peter said.
"But with border restrictions and event cancellations it may be a little while yet before I get the chance to race it."
Peter has had a long history in motor racing beginning with karts, hill climbs and circuit racing, and more recently the last 12 years in production car racing.
"Tarmac rallies have always been on the bucket list for me," Peter said.
And after getting serious about finding a car over the last 18 months, when this one came up for sale it was just what he was after.
It's a 2004 BMW E46 M3 race car that I bought this year to enjoy some tarmac rallying.
"I'd owned an E46 BMW as a road car 15 years ago and absolutely loved driving it, so this car was perfect for me," Peter said.
"I've raced against this car on the circuit over the years with about 50:50 success rate so I knew a lot about its pedigree before I bought it."
For what is obviously a race car you'll notice a set of NSW Rally plates on Peter's BMW which allows him to drive the car conditionally on the roads.
"Once events start to re-open I hope to compete in rallies like the Targa High Country around Mt Buller and Targa Tasmania," he said.
Like any race car there's modifications to the suspension, brakes, tyres and exhaust but aside from a modified ECU, the engine is surprisingly stock, with a factory 3.2 litre straight 6 cylinder and 6 speed gearbox.
Inside it's a different story, dominated by a heavy duty roll cage, minimal trim and a pair of race seats. What doesn't need to be there is removed to keep the weight down.
The car was built as a circuit racer in 2015 and the wild colour scheme is a tribute to the BMW M series motorsport logo.
This is Peter's third BMW race car but what he's looking forward to mostly (when racing resumes) is the opportunity to share the experience with his sons Simon and James.
Both boys have raced and co-driven with Peter at Bathurst, so whether its navigator duties or being part of the support crew for tarmac rallying, it'll surely be a family affair.
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