BMW celebrates 30 years of M3 model

The BMW M3 is turning 30 this year and to celebrate, BMW is remembering some rare models and factory-made one-offs.

The original M3 was created as a deliberate weapon to dominate German touring-car racing. And it did.

The road versions of BMW’s racer became quite popular, and eventually sedan and convertible configurations were added to the roster.

The first M3 pickup was created when a group of M engineers had more than a few drinks and needed a good and entertaining way to haul parts between the various outbuildings of the factory.

Starting with a regular 3 Series convertible, they hacked a bed out of where the trunk and rear seats would normally be found and dropped a two-litre Italian market version of the M3’s four-cylinder engine under the hood.

Later, this unit was replaced with the standard M3’s 2.3-L engine for more hauling capability. The awkward-looking thoroughbred pack-horse served BMW dutifully for 26 years but eventually began to show signs of age. So BMW did what anyone would do: it recreated the same crazy formula on the E92 generation of M3.

Once again, a convertible M3 was sourced and a pickup bed was formed from diamond plate metal. And unlike the first-generation truck, this one’s street legal.

Other special M cars on display are the original E30 M3 touring car, the 1996 M3 “compact,” an E39 M3 station wagon, and a rare E39 M3 CSL.