1987 BMW E30 M3
THIS HAS become a must-have for dedicated collectors of European sports cars – the firstgeneration M3. For many, it changed how we thought about off-the-shelf street car performance by providing serious punch in a package that was still light and ver y ‘f lickable’. It’s become a darling of the classic market and is now in big demand.
Clive: Driving an unmolested E30 M3 in traditional left hand drive format, leaves you with an overwhelming feeling of awe. This car was and is the most successful touring race car ever built.
The M3 comes into its own when driven to its full potential and that was, after all, what it was designed for. To be driven in anger, on the limit and to win races.
Driving through the mountain stretch of this test comparison revealed the sheer magic of the car. Using the brakes, driving through the rev range at maximum rpm, turning it into tight corners and powering it out in a controlled slide is an addictive experience. And it keeps coming back for more.
The motor is cammy and just wants to be driven, while the screaming sound of the engine 7000-8000rpm is symphonic and addictive.
Some may argue that the left-hand-drive version is a negative for our roads and that the right-hand-drive conversion models are a better buy. If you are looking for authenticity you should stick with how the car was built.
Sitting on the left-hand side and really working the car the way it was designed for, leaves you with a feeling of what it was like for the true greats like Johnny Cecotto, Steve Soper, Emmanuelle Pirro, Christian Danner, and our own Peter Brock powering these cars to multiple championships.
Chris: The oldest of the fleet, I had forgotten how a well sorted E 30 M 3 handled till we were driving through the twisty roads of Licola.
This particular example had the engine uprated to 2.5lt from 2.3 and it really came into its own between 5-7000rpm, That familiar bark in the high rev range, and intake noise, brought back memories of the famous racing BMWs of the late 1980s. It was a ‘pinch me’ moment.
Combined with the great balance and handling, the M3 was really fun to drive. Even if those approaching drops on the right handers looked far too close at times, driving from the Left hand side, it stuck to the road like it was on rails.
It had the most manageable amount of horsepower available on tap of the three cars, so you were able to extract the most from the M3.