There were 17,970 E30 M3s built in all.
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Evolution II E30 M3 (1988)
The following limited-edition variant was unveiled a year after the EVO I. Compared to the previous model, the Evolution II (EVO II) included a few extra improvements, the most notable of which was an increase in power to 217 horsepower (162 kW)
BMW offered the Evolution more power in addition to bigger 16 x 7.5-inch wheels, a deeper front splitter, and an extra rear spoiler. Thinner side and rear window glass and a lighter bootlid were used to reduce weight further.
There were 505 E30 M3 Evolutions made in total, 40 of which were marketed as “Tour de Corse” automobiles in France.
1990
A driver’s side airbag was added to non-American M3s this year, but the biggest development was the development of the ultimate E30: Only 600 of the Sport Evolution (EVO III) were made after production started in late 1989. Sport Evos featured a bigger 2.5-liter engine with 235 horsepower, as well as a distinctive front splitter and rear spoiler, brake cooling ductwork in place of driving lights, thinner glass, a smaller gas tank, a lower ride height, a lighter trunk, wider and recontoured fenders, and an altered front grille, the latter of which was done for improved aerodynamics.
This is one of the 781 E30 M3 convertibles that BMW only produced in total.
Beautiful BMW E30 M3s appear on the secondhand car market surprisingly frequently, but this particular example is unique since it is a convertible model, which is much less common than the standard coupe.
In actuality, just 781 convertible versions of the E30 M3 were produced by BMW, compared to almost 17,000 E30 M3 Coupes. The painting on this particular model, which is finished in Diamond Black, shows that it has been carefully taken care of throughout the years because there aren’t many flaws. The original silver wheels go well with the black paint.
The car, which is located in Irvine, California, has been put up for auction through Collecting Cars. The interior of the vehicle has M Tech striped cloth upholstery that is contrasted by patches of grey leather on the dashboard, seat bolsters, and portions of the door panels. The seats do show some minor wear, but this is expected given that the car has been driven 130,906 kilometers (81,300 miles).
Electric windows, heated front seats, and an M-spec steering wheel and gear shifter are a few of the vehicle’s standout features. According to the listing, it is also being provided with its original books and manuals and has been stamped by a BMW dealer. In order to get it ready for sale, it received an oil change at a BMW shop in October 2021. Additionally, it recently had its front end aligned and fresh tires installed.
The 2.3-liter naturally-aspirated inline-four engine in the Convertible, much like in the E30 M3 Coupe, powers the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission.
E30 M3 Special Edition Johnny Cecotto
In April 1989, the Johnny Cecotto edition of the M3 was released, marking the beginning of a second special edition.
The enhanced 215 horsepower catalyzed engine, which in this case received a body-colored valve cover, was installed for the first time in an M3 by BMW. The Evolution II’s thinner glass, front and rear spoilers, and 7.5 x 16-inch BBS wheels with black centers were installed.
Half-leather seats with anthracite or silver M-Technic trim were also included as standard features, as were door sill plates with colored M3 insignias, a Motorsport footrest for the driver, an illuminated leather shift knob, chrome tailpipes, a windshield stripe with a green tint, electric windows, internal headlight adjustment, an on-board computer II, and a cassette storage box.
All 480 were painted Nogaro Silver, Macau Blue, or Misano Red after being constructed.
Additionally, they included a plaque on the center console with Johnny Cecotto’s signature and the production number.
How many BMW E30s were made?
In the 1980s, small rear-wheel drive saloons were hard to come by. The Alfa Giulia, Triumph Vitesse, and other sporting vehicles of the 1960s and earlier were all reminiscent of the E30.
There were several different variants of the well-over two million E30s produced, with engines ranging from the 86 bhp diesel to the 238 horsepower M3.
Despite having more features than earlier models, the weight of the construction was kept to a minimum thanks to stress analysis, and a five-door Touring joined the two- and four-door saloons, with two-door dropheads, which were originally built by Baur and then produced as a factory convertible.
BMW resisted the urge to alter a successful formula, instead improving nearly every aspect of the E21 for the E30. Electronics were utilized in fuel-injected vehicles, a lovely new five-speed transmission was available, the E21’s tail-happy handling had been dialed back in favor of a nice ride/handling compromise, and the heating and ventilation had been greatly enhanced.
In 1987, the five-door Touring was added to the lineup (left); the 325iX gave the 3 Series all-wheel drive.
The 323i offers a close-ratio ZF ‘box as an option for performance fans, but when the E30 was tested, sophistication really stood out. The 323i’s “excellent blend of elegance, smoothness, and reactivity” and its “high quality feel” were praised by Motor.
Although the back seat space was limited, the boot was enormous. The driving position “fits like a glove” and the “teutonically hard” seats were unexpectedly pleasant.
One of the few unique elements was a warning-light panel on the roof above the rearview mirror. Remember that the block from the four-cylinder engine served as the foundation for the turbo F1 engine in the 1980s, in case you thought it was the poor relation!
In order to set it apart from Baur’s Top Cabrio, BMW’s soft-top, which was gorgeous with its top disappearing out of sight, was unusual for the 1980s by having an open cockpit. The only issue the testers had was loud wind noise when standing. It was heavier due to additional bracing, and considerable scuttle shaking was unavoidable with the Sport setup typically used on the 325i, but in 1986 it was dubbed “the fastest production four-seater convertible you can buy.”
With 150 imports in 1986 and 250 in 1987, it was only available in the UK. The Touring, a true performance estate with a modest but useful load capacity that was slightly lighter than the convertible, debuted in 1988.
The M3 is not listed here because it will soon be discussed in its own buying guide. The same is true for other versions that were only available in specific markets, like 2.4 diesels and the 320iS.
A rare BMW E30 M3?
There are rare classic automobiles and then there are the really rare ones. With only 25 examples produced solely for the UK market, the Roberto Ravaglia edition E30 M3 is the most rare of all E30 M3s (BMW classifies the 480 Cecotto editions and 25 Ravaglia editions together, therefore the plaque reading 74/505). Only 16 of the 25 were made in Misano red, which is considered the model’s defining color. By winning nearly all of the races they contested, Johnny Cecotto and Roberto Ravaglia established the E30 M3 the most successful touring vehicle of all time and ensured the M3’s unquestionable legendary position. BMW created the M3 Cecotto and M3 Ravaglia as two limited edition versions as a tribute to their idols. The only E30 M3 made expressly for the UK, the Ravaglia is distinguishable by its limited paint colors (either Misano red or Nogaro silver), unusual wheels, body color painted rocker cover and plenum, and, of course, special edition plaque. It is unclear how many of the original 25 are still in existence, and even more critically, how many have the kind of provenance and history that today’s prices make crucial for any potential owner. This gorgeous M3 Ravaglia is one of them. The homologation special EVO II created towards the end of the chassis run is essentially a rarer variant of the Ravaglia and Cecotto cars.
Due to its near-perfect provenance, this excellent E30 M3 Ravaglia was delivered as a brand-new vehicle to Bolton BMW in September 1989. In its 28 years, the automobile has only traveled 53,500 miles with 4 keepers; the most recent owner, our customer, has had the vehicle since 1994 after purchasing it as an authorized used BMW from Vines in Horsham (which no longer exists as a branch). In his 23 years of ownership, this man has only driven 14,500 miles; he keeps the car in a heated garage and only uses it sometimes on dry days.
Munich Legends has had the good fortune to care for E30 M3s for well over 20 years, and we are renowned across the automotive industry for our knowledge of these incredible vehicles. Our technical team thoroughly and meticulously examined this exquisite Ravaglia, and they are really pleased with what they found. The Misano red paintwork is in exceptional shape, has a deep, lustrous shine, and is quite original. It is also corrosion free, sturdy, and mechanically perfect. With a beautiful patina on the leather and barely any evidence that the car has traveled 53,000 kilometers in its 28 years, the interior is pristine. It’s all precisely how it should be.
With a fresh inspection, two services, a MOT, a pre-delivery check, and four new tires, this exceptional M3 Ravaglia will be handed over to its new owner.
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How uncommon are BMW E30s?
A 1990 BMW E30 M3 Sport Evolution III that is incredibly uncommon will be auctioned off by Collecting Cars. American bidders can immediately place bids on the automobile, and international bids will be accepted through October 20. One of the most elusive BMWs in the world is the E30 M3 Sport Evolution III. There were only 600 manufactured, and it was constructed between 1980 and 1990.
The E30 M3 was a hit right from the bat. Even though it dominated the DTM and won a ton of races, BMW didn’t take its success for granted. Instead, the Munich engineers chose to work on making the car even better. This is how the Sport Evolution model, which has a name that is also extremely appropriate, came to be.
The Sport Evolution was an improvement, if you will; it increased power output, stiffened the car in numerous areas, improved the brakes, and improved the exterior design to take advantage of aerodynamics. Other improvements included a reworked differential, 16-inch BBS alloy wheels, and adjustable front and rear spoilers.
The 2.5-liter four-cylinder “S14” engine in the E30 M3 Sport EVO generates up to 238 horsepower and powers the rear wheels through a dogleg five-speed manual transmission. Only Brilliant Red or Jet-Black paint jobs with red bumper stripes were offered for the EVO III, which also featured lighter windows with thinner glass. Recaro front seats, red seat belts, and suede steering wheel, gear shifter, and handbrake grip trim can be found inside.
Electric windows, anthracite headlining, a sliding sunroof, headlamp washers, a rear window sunblind, velour floor mats, an on-board computer, a BMW Bavaria radio system, and headlight beam adjustment are further features of this vehicle.
Along with updated H&R Cup suspension that was purchased in packaged, brand-new condition under the current owner, an aftermarket Stromung performance exhaust system has also been added. A finned differential cover, an oil cooling kit, and a UUC short shifter are additional fitments.
There were 33 offers at the time of writing, with the highest bid resting at $120,000. The car has 128,000 kilometers on it.
The value of a BMW E30.
All E30 prices have been climbing rapidly in recent years. For a 318i or 325e in good condition, budget between $3,000 and $4,000, and between $5,000 and $6,000 for a 325i.
Are BMW E30 values rising?
The 325i saloon is the fastest seller, with prices ranging from PS1.1k for a project that only a real optimist would attempt to PS8.5k for a flawless time-traveling Tardis that will take you back to the roaring 1980s. White high-top sneakers and geometric jumpers are optional.
When the range was PS 1k to PS 6.75k, that is a 25% increase in a year. In our growth chart, the four-cylinder automobiles are right next to the Bugatti Veyron, Bugatti EB110, and Ferrari Enzo thanks to an 8.3% increase in price for a price range between PS0.9k and PS6.5k.
As usual, the movements are propelled by the force created when increasing nostalgia and the dearth of decent survivors intersect, and it’s forcing some extensive repairs when purchasers can’t find the cars they want in the condition they desire.
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