In the 1990s, the category of touring car racing underwent a period of greatly increased interest from the public, culminating in the golden age of FIA Class 2 “Super Touring” cars.

Based on the 2-Liter Formula introduced in 1990 for the British Touring Car Championship, the ground rules established that manufacturers enter a four-door vehicle with a minimum of 4.2 meters in length and no more than six naturally aspirated cylinders.

As the decade progressed, aerodynamic devices were allowed, and within the continental European series, four-wheel drive also became legal.

During this time, BMW utilized the code E36 model of their famed 3-Series to compete in the class.

The car initially used the powerplant from the previous-generation M3, but in 1994, BMW developed the code S42 engine.

Featuring dual injection per cylinder, individual throttle bodies, dry-sump lubrication, and a carbon fiber air-box, initially 300 horsepower was sent to the rear wheels—but that eventually rose to 32...