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.
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3 Series BMW (E30)
The BMW E30, the successor of the E21 3 Series, is the second generation of the BMW 3 Series. It was manufactured between 1982 and 1994. In addition to being the first 3 Series to be produced in 4-door sedan and wagon/estate body types, the model range featured 2-door coupe and convertible body variants. It was propelled by four-, six-, and six-cylinder diesel engines, the latter of which was a first for the 3 Series. The first BMW with all-wheel drive was the E30 325iX.
Built on the E30 architecture, the original BMW M3 model was propelled by the BMW S14 four-cylinder petrol engine, which had a maximum output of 175 kW (235 bhp). On the E30 chassis was also built the BMW Z1 roadster. The E30 started to be phased out in 1990 after the release of the E36 3 Series.
BMW 3 series E30 specs and history
The BMW 3 Series, an entry-level luxury vehicle that was produced by BMW from 1982 to 1994, is now in its second generation and is known as the BMW E30.
All the same but better! The engineers and designers that worked on the second generation of the 3 Series adopted that as their motto. The formula for developing a model with the index E30 was straightforward but effective: take the strengths of the E21 and multiply them.
They claim that after receiving official images of the new 3-Series, an editorial office of a reputable automotive publication assumed Munich had made a mistake and included a picture of the outgoing model instead. It makes sense that the “thirtieth,” developed by the Klaus Lute team, would follow E21 logically on the outside. However, the “shark” grille is no longer there, and all models of the model received “four-eyed” headlights independent of engine output. What’s more, the new design turned out to be more aerodynamically sophisticated. For instance, lifting capacity was 15 percent less.
Variety is the key term in the E30 lexicon. The new family, unlike its predecessor, provided five body styles: a 2-door and 4-door sedan, a wagon, and two cabriolets: a business car and a version from atelier Baur that was formally recognized in Munich. In 1985, the diesel model (324d, 165 km/h, 6.9 l/100 km) was introduced to customers. Later, the 325iX, with its 171 horsepower, became the first all-wheel drive BMW ever made.
Since the 1987 redesign—models from later production years are commonly referred to as E30 Series 2—a chic station wagon has been added to the lineup. Additionally, the engine lineup was altered, along with the front bumper, taillights, and side window chrome trim.
We also can’t forget about the M3, a model that will undoubtedly go down in history.
more uncommon than a BMW E30 M3
From March 1986 until June 1991, just over five years, the desired M3 E30 was made. 17,970 E30 M3s were produced in total by the time its production cycle was over. The 333i was built in substantially lower quantities even though it was debuted about the same time, in 1985. There were only 204 produced, which is why some collectors prefer the 333i model.
1990
While non-American drivers were given the protection of a driver’s-side airbag this year, The construction of the ultimate E30, the Sport Evolution (EVO III), which debuted in late 1989 and was limited to 600 units, was the big news for M3s. 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.
The quantity of BMW E30 sales
103,704 people purchased the E30 3 Series Touring, which was a respectable amount for the late 1980s.
With a total of 130,611 units sold, its replacement, the E36 3 Series Touring, enjoyed around a 30% greater degree of success.
The 3 Series Touring didn’t start to reveal its true worth until the E46 generation. A total of 428,061 E46 3 Series Touring cars were sold, a 227 percent increase in sales. Impressive? I have no doubts!
The sales increase from the E46 Touring to the E91 Touring wasn’t as large, but it was still impressive. This was to be expected. With 588,863 units sold, over 37% more customers chose the brand to purchase the E91 3 Series Touring. As a result, the E91 platform has produced the best-selling BMW Touring model.
We now have the full sales figures, which come to 501,147 after the F31 3 Series Touring went out of production earlier this year. In other words, over 25% of all sales of the 3 Series.
As was to be predicted, Europe was the largest market, with 33 percent of models sold going to German consumers, 13 percent to British customers, and 10 percent to Italian customers. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Australia were other prosperous nations that imported the 3er Touring.
One statistic that jumps out is from Italy, where Touring vehicles made up 75% of all F3x 3 Series models. Or, as we say in the US, sports wagons.
After the 3 Series GT was discontinued, the new 2019 BMW 3 Series Touring G21 is now going into production. We anticipate it to outsell its predecessor in terms of sales.
Unfortunately, the lovely touring won’t be available on the US market anytime soon, so we opted to test the previous generation once more in the meanwhile.
Is the BMW E30 still produced?
The E30 was made in Rosslyn, South Africa, Munich, Germany, and Regensburg, Germany. In October 1982, series production got under way.
Complete knock-down kits made in Germany were used to assemble the models that were sold in Indonesia and Thailand. These kits were assembled in Jakarta and Bangkok, respectively.
Due to the release of the E36 3 Series coupe variants in 1990, the E30’s production cycle started to wind down. At Regensburg, sedan production came to an end on April 30, 1991. Up to the final E30 model, a Touring, which was made in 1994 and offered as a 1995 model year, other variations were gradually phased out.
The BMW E30 is it rare?
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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Amount of E30 325is produced
There were just 210 units produced, each with 145 kW and 285 Nm of torque. The third vehicle was a 1989-built E30 BMW 325is with a 2.7-liter engine sourced from Alpina. It was constructed after South Africa learned that it would not receive the powerful M3