Modernising BM’S classic 3 Series
The TM concept30 is a homage to the E30 on its 30th anniversary
ODAY’S BMW 3 Series looks nothing like the original boxy E30 generation of the 1980s, as aerodynamic and aesthetic considerations have massaged the car into a much smoother-edged and sleeker shape.
But what would the 3 Series look like today if it had undergone only small evolutionary bunny-hops in the same fashion as, for example, the Porsche 911?
Hungarian design firm TMCars asked precisely that question and came up with the design you see here. Called the TM concept30, it’s a homage to the E30 3 Series on its 30th anniversary.
It isn’t merely a design study however, as TMCars offers a styling kit that can make-over any E30 car to look the same.
The company claims that the concept30 keeps the E30’s three main character lines intact, including the shoulder line which runs from the headlamps along the sides to the tail lamps.
“The line on the lower side of the body which connects the front intakes with the exhaust outlets, and the body wideline inbetween, which shapes the front and the rear
Tbumpers, and runs along the sides as a fine edge,” it says.
According to TMCars, the concept30 was designed from the outset with a limited production series in mind. It consists of 12 pieces that replace or attach to any E30 coupé, which the company says, “is the easiest way of having a modern looking classic”.
E30 owners can choose from one of two different designs: street spec which retains the glasshouse and roof of the original car, while its wheel arches are designed for the original suspension fitted with slightly wider wheels; and a race version that adds wider C-pillars like the first-generation M3, and wheel arches can be custom-made to fit any suspension and wheels used on race-car versions.
Common features of the two versions include intersecting trapezoid LED lamps that replace the classic round headlights, the shark nose fascia with satin coloured black dividing inserts for the grille and the modern tail lamps.
TMCars says it has ensured that both versions comply with European regulations so that they can be used on the road. Whether the Hungarian company will go ahead and produce the concept30 kit depends on customer reaction to the project. What do you think?
- Motoring Staff