While the world knows Mate Rimac as the electric hypercar visionary and the CEO of Bugatti Rimac, true enthusiasts recognize another facet of the Croatian tech magnate: his enduring love affair with BMW. Long before the Nevera and the Bugatti-Rimac Campus outside Zagreb, Rimac was just a teenager transforming an old BMW 3 Series E30 into an electric dragster in his garage—a project that would ignite a journey into the future of performance.
Now 37, Rimac has amassed not only a groundbreaking automotive empire but also a BMW collection that reads like a love letter to Munich’s finest. A recent visit by Top Gear to the newly opened Rimac Campus—set to become a key battery production site—offered a rare glimpse into the entrepreneur’s personal garage. Until operations begin, the state-of-the-art facility doubles as a temporary home for Rimac’s remarkable car collection.
Among the usual suspects—Porsche Carrera GT, Ferrari SF90, and the Aston Martin Valkyrie—are several prized Bavarian machines. BMW’s iconic “M” badge is well-represented: from a pair of M3 E46 CSLs to an M3 E90 and the original E30 M3 Sport Evolution. His first collector car, a Z4 M Coupe (E86), is also parked under the same roof, a reminder of the moment Rimac decided to begin curating a personal fleet.
One notable absence from the garage during filming was his M5 E39—a fan favorite—but a recent post on social media confirmed the V8-powered super sedan still has a place in his heart (and his garage). Over the years, he’s also been seen behind the wheel of an F90 M5 Competition and an M6 E64, underscoring his appreciation for BMW’s diverse M powertrain legacy—from V8s to V10s and turbocharged monsters.
Speaking of which, Rimac isn’t done with the E30 platform just yet. In a nod to his early electric days, he’s expressed a bold vision: transplanting BMW’s naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V10 (the S85 from the M5/M6) into an E30 3 Series. But don’t worry, the rare and revered EVO III won’t be sacrificed in the name of performance—Rimac is eyeing a separate donor car for this ambitious restomod project.
His ties with BMW run deeper than personal preference. In 2023, Rimac Group inked a deal with the BMW Group to co-develop battery technology—a strategic partnership that could influence the next generation of BMW EVs. While official updates have been sparse, the implications are huge: Rimac’s high-density, high-performance battery tech could soon power BMW’s future electric M cars.
In many ways, Mate Rimac embodies the convergence of heritage and innovation. He reveres the analog mastery of BMW’s golden era, even as he reshapes the performance landscape with electrons. Whether he’s piloting a Valkyrie or wrenching on a V10-swapped E30, Rimac proves that the soul of driving can live in both the past and the future.
Source: Top Gear via YouTube