Because the 2006 BMW M Coupe is built for driving first and everything else second, you could order it stripped of options and get off the dealer’s lot for $50,995, including the $695 destination charge and the $1,000 gas guzzler tax. For that outlay of cash, you’d get six-way manually adjustable M sport seats covered in premium Nappa leather, power windows with one-touch open and close functionality, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power heated exterior mirrors, automatic climate control, and a tilt and telescopic M sport steering wheel wrapped in soft, soothing leather. Other standard features include a 10-speaker stereo with a CD/MP3 player, rain-sensing wipers, automatic xenon self-leveling headlights with cleaners, heated washer jets, an engine immobilizer system, and lovely brushed aluminum or Carbon Leather dashboard trim.

Your basic M Coupe would be painted Alpine White or Imola Red, the latter an M-exclusive color, and you could choose between Black, Imola Red, or Sepang Bronze Light upholstery. Safety gear would include dual front smart airbags with passenger detection sensors, seatbelt tensioners and force limiters, side-impact airbags, active knee protection, and LATCH combined with a passenger airbag deactivation switch to make mounting a child seat in the right front chair a safe bet. No side curtain airbags are offered on the M Coupe, but BMW does provide free scheduled maintenance for the duration of the four-year/50,000-mile warranty, and promises rust won’t ruin your car for 12 years and unlimited mileage.

Ah, but BMW buyers like to load on extras, and the Spartanburg, SC, assembly plant is happy to add options that can push the price close to 60 grand. Start with the Premium Package ($2,500) which includes BMW Assist, auto-dimming mirrors inside and out, eight-way power M sport seats with driver memory, cruise control, a THX-certified Carver audio system, and storage nets on each seatback and on the right side of the center console. Then check the M Extended Leather option ($1,800) in Black or Sepang Bronze Light to upholster the door panels, A-pillars, sun visors, center console, and storage compartment door in genuine PETA-infuriating cowhide. Next, pop for the Navigation System ($1,800) which deploys from the top of the dashboard and includes an on-board computer and the audio system display. Much simpler and more intuitive to use than BMW’s oft-maligned iDrive system in other models, the navigation setup in the M Coupe is intuitively controlled through the radio’s tuning knob.

Those are the big-ticket items, the extras that can significantly inflate the 2006 BMW M Coupe’s price tag. If you want to skip the Premium Package, you can still get the BMW Assist system ($750), which connects you to the BMW Assist Response Center so that you can request emergency or concierge services. Airbag deployment automatically activates BMW Assist so that rescue personnel can reach you sooner, and the first year of the Safety Plan is free. Afterwards, the fee is $240 annually, and you can add $120 extra each year for BMW Assist Concierge service. The Premium Package’s eight-way power M sport seats are also available as a stand-alone item ($995).

Hold on a sec, we’re not done with the options list. Don’t like white or red for your paint color? A handful of metallic hues is offered ($475) including M-exclusive Interlagos Blue as well as Titanium Silver, Black Sapphire, and Silver Gray. Sepang Bronze, another M-exclusive color, is coming later. Trimming the M Coupe’s dashboard in Maderia Red or Brown walnut wood runs $250 and heated front seats are another $500. On top of this, the dealer can install an iPod adaptor kit, Sirius satellite radio, a six-disc CD changer, and maybe even a set of fuzzy dice. Our test car was decked out with just about every option, for an as-tested price of $57,595. Fuzzy dice not included.