The E30 has become legendary among car enthusiasts around the world, it is a car that has created a following all of its own over the years.
You don’t need to care much of a BMW fan to appreciate the now classic E30, all you need to do is take the time (and now apparently money) to get behind the wheel. It is one of those cars that does not show all that much of itself on paper with fairly middling performance figures these days (back in the 80s it was decent) but will deliver an unrivalled driving experience. With the new M3 creating controversy for all the wrong reasons, it is worth looking at where it all started for the brand.
8 Believe The Hype
Admittedly, this is a car that needs no introduction, with a following far exceeding its production run.
So many have waxed lyrical over this car, and in truth, even those of us that want to hate this machine will have to admit that it is just one incredible car. Although it was chiefly developed for racing and the initial cars were never intended for mass production, it proved to be a reliable, comfortable daily driver too.
7 One Of Many Homologation Specials
Before the 80s rolled around, homologation cars were still fairly rare beasts, but a few rule changes here and there saw something of an explosion of cool special editions.
Specifically, Group A saw a rise in public interest and that caught the attention of the automakers, especially those focused on the European Touring Car series.
6 Yuppie Mobile
By the 80s, BMW had secured a premium brand kind of tag, one that resonated with the young professionals of the 80s and 90s.
So, for better or worse, when this ultra limited edition car got launched, what better way to one up your equally rich neighbor than to order one of these unobtainable future classics. One upside to this is that many cars got preserved in near perfect condition because the owners were too busy gambling on the stock market to actually drive the things.
5 Sheer Driving Pleasure
This particular slogan may not apply to many of their new cars, but back in the 80s this was a really big part of their mantra, most of the cars they produced were driver oriented.
An over indulgence of electronic aids has taken something away from most new cars, making them feel all the more like appliances, especially when they come equipped with ESP. In the old M3 you are an integral part of the machine, involved, in control, and if you get it wrong you will indeed soil yourself.
4 Racing Roots
With it being made in limited numbers to satisfy DTM homologation requirements, it was destined for track duty above all else.
It was almost by accident that BMW stumbled upon the perfect formula for the ultimate road going performance car. Instead of simply being a vehicle for their marketing in a race series, it ended up becoming one of their “bread and butter” models by the 90s.
3 Slow By Modern Standards
It is truly one of those cars that proves performance in the real world is somewhat different to what gets written on paper (or on a digital device of your choosing today).
On paper, it isn’t even much faster than the 325i, in the real world, you can’t even compare the two cars. The M3 is a thoroughbred, revving right up past 7000 rpm, making an intoxicating 200 horsepower.
2 Naturally Aspirated Inline 4
Making use of a block that they had been using since the early 60s, it is a similar starting point to the contemporary Formula 1 car, which was turbocharged.
It got far more modern as you looked higher, getting a race tuned head and advanced fuel injection. It was a very highly strung large displacement 4-cylinder car, it was not a refined machine at all. Most BMW owners of the time would have been in for a bit of a shock as it was harsh compared to the creamy smooth inline 6 engines the other BMWs had.
1 A True Drivers Car
Although it is a very well balanced car, if you want to push it just a little way past its limit, it will drift with the best of them.
Its stiff chassis and relatively light tail aid this particular joy, but if you prefer getting through the corners without throwing the back out, it is quite happy to do that too, just feel the limit. It is a car that will reward every type of driver, except a bad one.