Three becomes 50
The BMW 3 Series has long been a favourite car for keen drivers and for those at the executive end of the automotive market, and now half a century has passed since the first examples were built.
In its lifetime, the 3 Series has expanded from a single saloon body style to encompass a range of desirable estate, coupé and convertible models, as well as forays into three- and five-door hatches.
At its core, the BMW 3 Series has always been a car to entertain its driver, with the M3 established as a benchmark by which other performance cars are judged.
Here’s our look at the history of the BMW 3 Series over the past 50 years, in chronological order.
1975 BMW 3 Series E21
Replacing the popular BMW 1602 and 2002 models was never going to be easy, but the new E21 generation made a huge impression when it was launched in 1975.
Bang-up-to-date styling and perky, four-cylinder engines encapsulated all that was best about the German marque.
A 320 model with a four-cylinder, 2-litre engine, with or without fuel injection, was offered until 1977, when it was replaced by the new, six-cylinder 320 models.
This newer 320i had slightly less power, but buyers could always opt for the punchier 323i that arrived at the same time.
While the 316 and 318 made up the bulk of E21 sales, BMW went on to offer a 315 in 1981 as an economy model, powered by a 1.6-litre motor.
As with all E21s, it was only available as a two-door saloon, but the new 3 Series was the first BMW to have its dashboard angled towards the driver.
1977 BMW 3 Series E21 Baur Topcabriolet
Just as it had with the ’02 Cabriolets, BMW looked to German coachbuilder Baur to create an open version of its new E21 3 Series.
The two-door body leant itself to the good-looking drop-top, which retained the saloon’s B-pillars for rigidity.
Any engine could be chosen for the Baur Topcabriolet from the BMW 3 Series range from 1977 onwards, with six-cylinder models popular. A total of 4595 Baur Topcabriolets were produced up to 1982.
The Targa roof chop retained small rear windows for added cabin refinement, and the Baur convertible kept its four seats and decent boot space.
All cars were sold via BMW’s dealers and came with a full warranty.
1977 BMW 320i Turbo Art Car
Alexander Calder and Frank Stella had already created BMW’s first two Art Cars, and Roy Lichtenstein’s followed suit by using a racing car.
In this case, the model chosen was an E21 320i turbo that competed at Le Mans with Hervé Poulain and Marcel Mignot bringing it home ninth overall and first in class in a rain-soaked race.
Lichtenstein’s design featured sunrise and sunset motifs in honour of Le Mans, and it also had the artist’s trademark dots.
BMW didn’t offer a roadgoing turbocharged 320i, but the racing version could produce up to c650bhp in its most potent, Group 5 specification. Even less extreme versions made around 300bhp with a Formula Two-derived, 2-litre motor.
1978 Alpina B6 2.8
Alpina’s long-standing association with BMW continued with the launch of the E21 and the tuning company introduced its B6 2.8 in 1978, based on the 323i.
However, Alpina used the 2.8-litre, straight-six motor from the 528i, with modifications to the compression ratio, cylinders and camshaft, giving 0-62mph in 7.2 secs and a top speed of 138mph.
The B6 was updated in 1981 with improved Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, meaning more power and 0-62mph in 7 secs.
Alpina also offered the more affordable C1 2.3 from 1980 with a version of the 323i’s engine, delivering 0-62mph in 7.9 secs and 130mph flat out.
1981 Alpina 318i
Alpina might be best known for its high-performance models based on BMWs, but in 1981 it used its tuning knowledge for a very different challenge: the result was the Alpina 318i aimed at taking on the Shell Kilometer Marathon.
This competition was to find the most economical car and one capable of at least 80mpg. While the 318i’s four-cylinder engine was very carefully built to minimise friction, it was otherwise standard, but the same could not be said for the car’s front end.
The Alpina 318i had a nose that looked like it had been heated up and pulled into a beak, though it still sported the trademark kidney grilles at the front.
This wind-cheating design did the trick and Alpina’s entry won the competition with an average fuel economy of 105.72mpg.
1982 BMW 3 Series E30
When the second-generation BMW 3 Series arrived in 1982, identified as the E30 from its internal code number, it was familiar territory with its two-door saloon shape.
That changed in 1983, when BMW added a four-door saloon to broaden its new small executive car’s appeal.
Yet more was to come from the E30 range when BMW added the Touring in 1988.
It revived a name from the ’02 era and caught Audi and BMW napping with no rivals for BMW’s elegant, small estate that remained in production until 1994.
1983 BMW 3 Series Baur Topcabriolet E30
The expected Baur-converted BMW 3 Series Topcabriolet was launched with the same roof design as the E21’s, and could be had with four- and six-cylinder engines, plus manual and automatic gearboxes.
The Baur open-top model sold well with 14,455 built and remained on the 3 Series price list up to 1991.
That was despite BMW introducing its own 3 Series Convertible that had much cleaner lines, thanks to no central pillar and the roof tucking neatly under the rear deck.
Baur created the Topcabriolet from a standard BMW 3 Series two-door saloon body, removing the roof and rear pillars, and replacing them with its own panels around the central roll hoop. The E30 version also stuck with the fixed rear windows as seen on the E21.
The roof could be opened in two pieces, so you could lift out the panel above the front seats to stow in the boot, while the rear of the roof folded separately.
1985 BMW 325iX
Clearly conscious of how well Audi’s four-wheel-drive models were proving with Continental drivers, BMW offered its own all-wheel-drive version of the 3 Series from late 1985, called the 325iX.
As the name tells us, this car used the 168bhp, 2.5-litre, straight-six engine allied to a five-speed manual gearbox, giving a top speed of 131mph.
The star of the show, however, was the permanent four-wheel-drive system that gave the 325iX brilliant traction on wet or snow-covered roads.
This was BMW’s first post-war passenger car with all-wheel drive. The car maker added a Touring version in 1988 and built a total of 34,862 325iX models on the E30 platform.
BMW also offered this four-wheel-drive option on the 5 Series from 1991.
1985 BMW 333i
BMW began a 35-year run of building the 3 Series at its Rosslyn factory in South Africa.
Because the then-new E30 M3 was not sold there, BMW decided to build a local performance model with help from its Motorsport Division and Alpina, which resulted in the 333i.
Using a bespoke, 3210cc version of the M30 straight-six, the 333i had 194bhp to match the E30 M3 and could run to a top speed of 142mph.
It also came with the bodykit and aerodynamic aids seen on the European 325i Sport, as well as unique-to-the-model suspension upgrades.
The BMW 333i could have had far greater sales had it been offered in Europe and the USA, but it was restricted to South Africa and only 204 were made from 1985-’86.
1986 BMW 3 Series Convertible E30
It might have seemed an unusual move for BMW to launch its own in-house Convertible when it already had the Baur Topcabriolet.
Yet there had been some buyer resistance to the Baur design and the E30’s clean lines leant themselves to a full drop-top, especially as the threat of banning open cars had receded in the all-important US market.
The result was one of the best-looking cabriolets of the 1980s and it was a huge sales hit for BMW.
It notched up a total production of 143,371 cars, which was almost 10 times the number of Baur convertibles made on the E30 platform.
At first, only the 325i was offered as a Convertible, but the 320i soon followed and a 318i arrived in 1990.
The E30 3 Series Convertible was so attractive it remained on sale alongside the new E36 generation of 3 Series saloon until BMW had readied the E36 Convertible to go on sale in March 1993.
1986 BMW M3 E30
The E30 M3 has gained legendary status way beyond just fans of the BMW badge.
It’s been helped by the first M3’s superb results in Touring Car racing and rallying, where it was always intended to be used.
BMW originally planned a run of 5000 E30 M3s to homologate the car for competition. The road cars came with a 2.3-litre, four-cylinder engine offering 197bhp, or 192bhp with a catalytic converter. It was enough for 143mph, while successive versions increased power to as much as 235bhp.
Such was the draw of the M3, even though it was only available with left-hand drive even in markets such as the UK and Australia, that BMW kept it in production until 1990. By then, 17,184 had rolled off the line, including the Convertible version.
There was also the Italy-only 320is that used a 2-litre version of the M3 engine to get around local tax levies. It didn’t have the M3’s bulging wheelarches, but it did have 189bhp for a 142mph top speed – only 1205 320is models were built.
1987 Alpina B6 3.5 S
Alpina was well into its stride with tuning the BMW 3 Series by the time the E30 generation arrived.
This led to the superb C1 and C2 models, but if your pockets were a bit deeper you could have the B6 3.5 and the ultimate take on this was the B6 3.5 S.
Mixing the BMW E30 M3’s body and suspension with the Alpina-improved, 3.5-litre straight-six resulted in a car that offered the best of all worlds.
Its 254bhp was enough for 0-62mph in 6.6 secs and 156mph flat out on the autobahn, yet Alpina reckoned its car was easier to live with daily than the M3 with its peaky, race-bred motor.
Firmer front springs from a 3 Series with air conditioning were used to cope with the heavier, six-cylinder engine, and the cabin had Alpina’s trademark striped fabric and unique dials.
Even with all of this bespoke finishing, only 62 examples of the Alpina B6 3.5 S were sold between November 1987 and December 1990.
1987 BMW 3 Series Elektro-Antrieb
Long before the current move towards electric vehicles, BMW was experimenting with battery power as far back as the early 1970s.
The 3 Series Elektro-Antrieb of 1987 was the latest in a series of electric models exploring the potential of this fuel source.
The project started with the two-door saloon, though Touring (estate) versions were later used. Power came from a 22kWh battery driving a 30bhp electric motor. This was enough to take this 3 Series from rest to 31mph in 9 secs and it could reach a top speed of 62mph.
Efficiency was more the focus of the 3 Series Elektro-Antrieb, which could travel up to 93 miles on a single charge. It also came with a simple regenerative-braking system to help recharge the batteries as the car slowed.
1987 BMW 3 Series Touring E30
Six years on from the launch of the E30 generation of 3 Series, BMW introduced yet another variant with chiselled good looks: the Touring estate.
Bringing back a name from the ’02 era, this compact wagon might not have been the last word in load lugging, but it was handy enough to keep buyers from straying to other brands when kids and practical considerations came into view.
Initially there was only the 325i, but it was soon followed by the 320i, as well as the four-cylinder 318i and 316i. European buyers also had the option of the 324td with its 2.4-litre, turbodiesel engine.
1990 BMW 3 Series E36
The third generation of the BMW 3 Series, with the code name E36, arrived towards the end of 1990 as a four-door saloon.
This new model was substantially larger than its predecessor, addressing one of the few complaints about the earlier car and its shortage of rear legroom. A bigger boot was another welcome improvement.
The crisply styled saloon was offered with the now familiar mix of economy-minded, four-cylinder, petrol engines and six-cylinders with more of a focus on performance. There were also four- and six-cylinder turbodiesel units.
Another big upgrade for the E36 3 Series was its Z-axle multi-link rear suspension, which had first been tried on the Z1 sports car. It offered a brilliant blend of comfort and handling, which helped this 3 Series shift more than 2.7 million units of all types during its lifespan.
1990 BMW 3 Series Coupé E36
Critics sniped that BMW’s new 3 Series Coupé was little more than a two-door saloon version of the E36 saloon that had been launched two years before.
Buyers didn’t care about that, though, and snapped up the Coupé in large numbers.
There were no diesel options for the Coupé as there were in the saloon range, but you could have the 318is which used a revvy, 138bhp, 1.8-litre engine.
It wasn’t the quickest in the line-up but it had a fine combination of performance, handling and low running costs that made it a darling of the company car park.
For those less concerned with fuel consumption, the 328i Coupé was the top model thanks to its creamily smooth, 2.8-litre straight-six. With 190bhp, it could reach 147mph and covered 0-60mph in 7.1 secs.
1992 BMW M3 E36
Fans and devotees of the original M3 were horrified when BMW introduced the second-generation model with a six-cylinder engine.
The rest of the world revelled in the car’s snorty, 282bhp, 3-litre straight six – and it sounded superb.
This new BMW M3 was designed as a road car first and foremost, though it did go on to see some competition use.
The Evo model took over in mid-1995 and brought a 316bhp, 3.2-litre engine and a six-speed manual gearbox.
There was also the option of BMW’s sequential manual transmission that did away with the clutch pedal, but it was not well liked.
However, the E36 M3 was a runaway success in Coupé, four-door saloon and Convertible body styles, racking up 71,242 sales in its time, to outsell its predecessor by a factor of four to one.
1993 BMW 3 Series Convertible E36
Once again, Baur beat BMW to market with its factory-approved Topcabriolet launched in November 1992.
However, BMW clearly wanted the sleek, open-top plaudits all to itself, because Baur’s offering was based on the four-door saloon and only 311 were built.
When BMW introduced its own E36 3 Series Convertible in March 1993, fresh-air fans fell in love with it.
The drop-top shared the same bodywork as the Coupé up to and including the windscreen, which featured considerable reinforcement to maintain the body’s strength.
In the cabin, there was seating for four plus a decent boot, even with the hood stowed away, which went down at the touch of a button.
You could have all the same engines as the Coupé up to and including the M3 version.
1994 BMW 3 Series Compact E36
An all-new model in the BMW 3 Series line-up, the Compact was some 23cm (9in) shorter than the four-door saloon, though the two shared the same wheelbase.
The truncated Compact was aimed at drawing in younger buyers, with a lower list price to provide a first step into BMW ownership.
It worked a treat and BMW sold almost 400,000 E36 Compacts, and many of these were fitted with very profitable optional extras.
The UK didn’t receive the hot hatch 323i Compact with its 2.5-litre straight-six, while other engines included the 1.6- and 1.8-litre petrol four-cylinder units, plus the 1.7-litre turbodiesel in the 318tds. A solitary M3 Compact was built to mark the 50th anniversary of German magazine Auto Motor und Sport.
Identical to the E36 saloon up to the windscreen pillars, everything from there back was unique to the Compact. This included its rear suspension, which was based on the previous E30 model’s rather than the more sophisticated, multi-link Z-axle of the rest of the E36 range.
1994 BMW 3 Series Touring E36
Given how popular the previous 3 Series Touring had been, it seemed odd that BMW took four years to introduce the E36 Touring – the E30 version soldiered on until the new car arrived in late 1994.
When the E36 generation of 3 Series Touring did arrive, it was an instant success, thanks to its pert styling and a boot just about big enough to cope with most family or business driver’s needs.
A Mercedes-Benz C-Class wagon might have been bigger, but the BMW had far greater driving appeal and was helped in this with the same engine range as the saloon.
To the disappointment of many, BMW didn’t offer an M3 Touring version as it had with the E34 5 Series, so the fastest estate was the 328i, with its 2.8-litre ‘six’ with a top speed of 143mph – 4mph less than the 328i saloon.
1995 Alpina B8 4.6
Upgrades were offered by Alpina for the E36 3 Series from early in the car’s lifetime, with improved 2.8- and 3-litre six-cylinder engines for the Alpina B3.
However, it was the V8-powered B8 cars that grabbed the headlines in 1995.
You could have a 4-litre V8 version of the E36 saloon, for 0-62mph in 5.8 secs and a 171mph top end.
Or you could go the whole hog with the B8 4.6 that was available in saloon, Coupé, Convertible and Touring body styles.
The B8 4.6’s 4619cc V8 produced 333bhp to lower the 0-62mph time to 5.6 secs and increase top speed to 174mph, which put the factory M3 in the shade.
1997 BMW 3 Series E46
Launched in late 1997, the fourth-generation BMW 3 Series, codenamed E46 at the factory, was styled by Chris Bangle, who would go on to create the controversial looks for the 7 Series and Z4.
The E46, by contrast, was more evolutionary in its approach and the car came with a longer wheelbase than its predecessor to help give more rear leg space.
A Coupé model followed shortly after the saloon’s introduction, followed by the Touring and then the Convertible. A Compact variant was added in 2001.
Engine options were typically broad for the E46 and the 3-litre, straight-six turbodiesel was even offered in the Coupé and Convertible, reflecting company car demands of the time.
When the E46 generation ended production in 2005, BMW had sold more than three million of all variants to make it the most numerous 3 Series at that point.
2000 BMW M3 E46
If the E36 M3 had been an enormous success for BMW, the new E46 that arrived in 2000 provided more of everything – more power, more performance and more sales.
Regarded by many as the seminal M3 model, the E46 car came with a 338bhp, 3.2-litre straight-six with a glorious howl and a slick, six-speed manual gearbox.
You could also order the SMG automated manual, which was much improved over the E36’s. This transmission was the only option for the limited run of 1383 M3 CSL lightweight cars built with a 355bhp engine.
BMW offered this M3 as a Coupé or Convertible, but never as a saloon or Touring, much to the disappointment of many. However, that didn’t stop the company from shifting 85,139 of this M3.
2005 BMW 3 Series E90
The BMW 3 Series formula had been perfected by the time the marque launched its fifth-generation model in 2005.
Known as the E90 for the saloon, the other body styles were noted for gaining their own model codes, so the Touring was E91, the Coupé became E92, while E93 was for the Convertible.
Less controversial in its styling than the 5 Series that had been introduced the previous year, the new 3 Series followed the same pattern of engine and transmission choices.
However, BMW did reintroduce four-wheel drive as an option – missing from the E46 line-up – and this was the first 3 Series to use turbocharged petrol engines. This was for the 335i that had a twin-turbo, 3-litre straight-six for near-M3 performance.
When this 3 Series range came to the end of its life in 2013, BMW had again topped three million sales for all versions.
2007 BMW M3 E90
Just as the M3 faithful had come to regard a six-cylinder engine as a given in BMW’s compact performance model, the company went and used a 4-litre V8 in the new E90.
It might have upset a few diehards, but the high-revving, race-inspired V8 offered 414bhp in standard tune and even more in some limited-run versions.
That equated to 0-62mph in 4.6 secs for the base M3 in saloon, Coupé or Convertible body styles, while the 4.4-litre GTS special edition lowered that to 4.4 secs thanks to its 444bhp motor.
BMW also made a one-off M3 pick-up based on a Convertible model. It started as an April Fool stunt and ended up as a workshop truck for the company’s M division, following in the wheel tracks of a similar pick-up built using an E30 M3 in the 1980s.
2011 BMW 3 Series F30
The sixth generation of BMW 3 Series broke cover in October 2011 and the first cars arrived with customers in February 2012.
Again, BMW had played it relatively safe, not daring to upset such a key model’s drivers.
Having run out of E code numbers, the company logically moved to the F designation, so this is the F30. The range started with the saloon, as usual, with the Touring (estate) following in May 2012.
The expected Coupé and Convertible models were now part of the 4 Series range, but BMW had one other 3 Series model up its sleeve in the form of the Gran Turismo. This was a five-door fastback version of the saloon and gave BMW a hatchback rival for Audi’s A5.
Another big change for this 3 Series was that the 328i and 330i were no longer six-cylinder models, instead using turbocharged, four-cylinder motors.
2014 BMW M3 F80
It was a return to a straight-six engine for the F80 generation of BMW M3, though the 425bhp, 3-litre motor now used a pair of turbochargers.
This power was channelled through a seven-speed, twin-clutch, sequential manual gearbox and resulted in 0-62mph in 4.1 secs.
Top speed was capped at 155mph as it had been with previous M3 models. However, the optional M Driver’s Package upped that limiter to 174mph.
If you wanted a Coupé or Convertible with this engine and pace, you had to order it as a 4 Series, because the M3 was now strictly a four-door saloon.
A CS version of the M3 came with a 453bhp version of the 3-litre engine and 50kg (110lb) less weight, thanks to a carbonfibre bonnet, lightweight interior trim and thinner door glass.
2018 BMW 3 Series G20
Like its immediate predecessor, the current BMW 3 Series now only comes as a saloon or Touring (estate). Coupé and Convertible models are part of the 4 Series line-up.
Known as the G20 within BMW circles, this 3 Series saloon was launched in 2018, followed by the G21 Touring in mid-2019.
There’s now a variety of turbo petrol and turbodiesel engines, as well as plug-in hybrid power, plus a choice of rear- and four-wheel drive.
This 3 Series also forms the basis of the BMW i3, an all-electric, long-wheelbase model specific to the Chinese market. It uses a 282bhp electric motor to power the rear wheels and can cover up to 327 miles on a full charge.
BMW did not use the i3 name in the rest of the world due to possible confusion with its 2013 hatch of the same name, so its latest battery-electric compact saloon is called i4 outside China.
2022 BMW M3 Touring G81
The latest incarnation of the BMW M3 arrived in 2020 with an upgraded version of the 3-litre, turbocharged, six-cylinder engine.
With 472bhp to begin with, the Competition model upped that to 503bhp and the CS further increased power to 543bhp.
Only offered as a four-door saloon to begin with, the M3 found a new lease of life when BMW introduced the Touring model in 2022.
Not only did this finally give M3 enthusiasts the estate car they’d been craving for decades, it delivered a family wagon capable of giving a Porsche 911 a bloody nose.
The M3 Touring served up 503bhp delivered through the standard xDrive system to all four wheels, giving 0-62mph in 3.6 secs.
To ensure this estate drives and handles like an M3 should, BMW added extra bracing to the rear of the body and developed a unique rear subframe.