Found this interesting interview from Taran's early days here: http://yellowscene.com/2008/08/12/8-questions-with-taran-van-hemert/
8 Questions with Taran Van Hemert
Ugly, but awesome. Near Japanese-level reliable, light as a feather, and the M3 had great gearing that maximized its off-the-line power.
As for the E39, just get the VANOS checked out.
http://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/31geov/new_car_guy/
I was on /r/cars yesterday and someone asked about how to go about learning about cars, and mentioned Linus as his hero. It was heartwarming to read.
:')