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BMW M3

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BMWM3

E30, European specification without catalyst

Power
200 PS
0–100
6.7 s
Top speed
235 km/h

BMW M3 1987

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Photographs: Handelsgeselschaft, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Illustrative of the model.

Curator’s note

The original M3, a homologation special that dominated touring-car racing.

The first M3 was built so BMW could race the 3 Series in Group A touring cars. Its 2.3-litre 16-valve engine made 200 PS, and almost every body panel differed from the regular E30 to improve aerodynamics.

  • High-revving S14 four-cylinder
  • Box-flared wheel arches
  • Raised boot lid with rear spoiler
  • Dog-leg five-speed gearbox
0–100 km/h6.7s111th of 140 · best 1.8 s
Top speed235km/h102nd of 140 · best 420 km/h
Power197hp130th of 140 · best 1,888 hp
Torque240Nm134th of 140 · best 2,360 Nm
Race the M3 ⚑Launch it, you shiftSpin it in 3DPaint itIts parts in 3DIts engine in 3DRebuild its engine

The story

BMW M3

BMW needed to build thousands of road cars to homologate the M3 for Group A racing. The S14 engine borrowed its cylinder-head design from BMW’s M88 six-cylinder.

The flared arches made room for wider tracks, and the raised rear window and boot lid improved airflow to the spoiler.

Generation
E30, 1986 to 1991
Built in
Munich, Germany
Gearbox
5-speed manual (dog-leg)
Kerb weight
1,165 kg

Character

Comfort 5 Pace 7 Off-road 1 Tech 6 Presence 8

Dimensions

4,345 mm long 2,565 mm wheelbase 1,370 mm Width 1,680 mm
01

The M3 won the 1987 World Touring Car Championship and the DTM in 1987 and 1989.

02

Bernard Béguin won the 1987 Tour de Corse, a WRC round, in an M3.

03

BMW built 17,970 E30 M3s of all types.

04

Weight figure is kerb weight.

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3D model "1991 BMW M3 (E30)" by DisneyCars (CC Attribution), via Sketchfab

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