BMW celebrates 30 years M3 greatness
Munich—2016 marks the 30th anniversary of a motoring icon, one which cemented a car company’s reputation for building the world’s highest performing sedans and coupes. It was 1986 when the very first BMW M3 set a new standard by which other carmakers would be measured—and five model generations later—are still judged today.
BMW Motorsport Division, the precursor to BMW M Division, was incredibly rigorous in its development of the first-generation BMW M3. The result was a thoroughbred high-performance two-door sedan – based on the series-produced BMW 3 Series – that was perfectly suited to daily use.
Over the three decades that have followed, BMW M has gently refined its trailblazing creation from one generation to the next, while always taking great care to preserve the original character of the M3. There is arguably still no other car that blends such prominently honed motor sport genes and uncompromised everyday practicality into such an emotionally stirring package.
TOURING CAR RACING WAS THE OVERRIDING DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE FOR THE FIRST-GEN BMW M3
The BMW M3 was not an attempt to produce a sporting flagship for a volume produced model range; instead it originated from the idea of developing a racing car that would also be available in a road-going version. The selected category was the German Touring Car Championship (DTM). DTM regulations stated that for a racing car to be homologated, at least 5,000 road-legal units had to be sold within 12 months.
Having the chance to develop the production and race versions of the car alongside one another presented the development team with a tremendous opportunity, which they capitalized on. The axle kinematics, suspension and damping were all perfectly tailored for racing, as was the braking system, which combined the standard ABS with inner-vented brake discs at the front and an engine- driven high-pressure pump. Details such as the transmission’s shift pattern with first gear at the bottom left also gave a clear indication of the vehicle’s focus on racing.
On top of this came extensive weightsaving measures. While the body with broad wheel arches was manufactured from sheet metal in the traditional manner, the front and rear bumpers along with the side skirts, boot lid and spoiler were made of plastic, reflecting the engineers’ commitment to intelligent lightweight construction.
BMW Motorsport experts tweaked the car’s aerodynamics too, with the C-pillar of the BMW M3 following a slightly shallower angle than the standard body and having a broader base. This allowed the airflow to be directed towards the distinctive rear spoiler more effectively.
EXTENSIVE USE OF HIGH TECH IN THE POWERTRAIN
The experts at BMW Motorsport used the 2.0-liter four-cylinder production engine as basis for the M3’s unit, as the low weight of its construction and its high- revving capabilities meant it had exactly the right ingredients for a racing engine. To transform the well-mannered engine into an athletic performer with sports car credentials, however, they had to subject it to some intensive power therapy.
First, they increased its displacement to 2.3 liters and converted it to a four-valve arrangement. For this purpose, the team employed a suitably modified cylinder head taken from the six-cylinder engine featured in the BMW M1, whose combustion chambers were – conveniently enough – spaced exactly the same distance apart as the four-cylinder unit’s. The crank drive on the BMW M3 was designed to be so rigid that it could handle 10,000 rpm and more. The standard production car’s 6,750-rpm redline, therefore, left plenty of margin for further modifications.
The 2.3- liter unit with four- valve technology produced 200hp and accelerated the M3, which weighed just 1,200 kilograms, from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.7 seconds. Top speed was 235 km/h.
In 1988 the Evo version was unveiled, with power increased to 220hp and top speed to 243 km/h. This was followed in 1990 by the final development E30 M3: the BMW M3 Sport Evolution with a 238hp 2.5-liter engine, produced in a limited run of 600 examples.
The second generation of the BMW M3 (E36) – not developed specifically for motorsport this time – was a much more understated affair. Unveiled in 1992, its six-cylinder engine developed 286 hp from 3.0-liter displacement and peak torque of 320Nm. It also featured BMW’s innovative new camshaft control system, VANOS. The new model set two world records – for the highest output per liter (97 hp/ li.) and the highest specific torque (108Nm/ li.) produced by a mass-produced naturallyaspirated engine.
An extensive facelift in 1995 saw the displacement of the six-cylinder in-line engine increased from 3.0 to 3.2 liters, with output rising to 321hp. Added to which, the new engine also employed Double-VANOS, which brings fully variable camshaft control on both the intake and exhaust sides. In summer 1996 the BMW M3 became the first series-produced car to be offered with the option of an SMG automated manual gearbox.
Featuring an aluminum hood with powerdome, prominently flared wheel arches, an aerodynamically optimized boot lid with rear spoiler lip and four tailpipes exiting the dual-flow exhaust system, the third-generation BMW M3 (E46) unveiled in 2000 cut an extremely eye- catching figure. Power again came courtesy of a naturally- aspirated six- cylinder in- line engine. The completely newly developed unit developed output of 343hp (still from its 3.2 liters) and peak torque of 365Nm.
Instead of being equipped with a straight-six engine, like the two previous generations of the car, the fourth incarnation of the BMW M3 (E90) presented in 2007 was powered by a high-revving, naturallyaspirated V8 developing 420hp. Among the extensive intelligent lightweight design measures employed were the carbon-fiber roof and a front axle made almost entirely from aluminum.
The fifth and current generation of the BMW M3 ( F80) was introduced in spring 2014. In keeping with the change in nomenclature for BMW’s series-produced models, only the four-door sedan is badged “M3,” while the coupe and the convertible variants were given the model designation M4. In all three body variants, a free-revving straight- six engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology and 431hp provides the power, hurtling the M3 from zero to 100 km/h in a supercar-like 3.9 seconds. Lightweight design elements include the extensive use of carbon fiber and aluminum for many chassis and body components, all of which shaved 80 kilograms compared to its predecessor.
This summer, BMW M Division released an exclusive special-edition model – limited to 500 units worldwide – as a special tribute to the successful 30-year history of the BMW M3. With its Macao Blue finish, the BMW M3 “30 Jahre M3” harks back to the first generation of car, for which this color shade was first offered. The Competition Package, which is included as standard and comprises extensive powertrain and suspension modifications, pushes the engine output of the anniversary model up by 19hp to 450hp. Thirty years since the beginning, the “M” still stands for “magic.”