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Hero Cars – Episode 02 | BMW M3 E30
BMW M3 E30
Words Marco Mancino / Photos BMW Group
What is the first car that comes to mind when you put the words “driving pleasure” together? I think we can almost all agree that the first BMW M3 in history has the image that takes shape as soon as the argument goes down to involvement, performance, drivability and everything that revolves around the most intimate and visceral driving pleasure. Yes, it is. It was 1986 and with the intention of being able to take part in the Touring car championship with a car that would respond affirmative to those fundamental points of the regulation which imply that a model has to be produced in road version in at least 5,000 units a year and shares several parts with the racing model, the M3 starts a new era and not just for BMW.
Known as the E30, it is the high-performance two-door coupe of the Bavarian brand par excellence and, unlike what one might think, an engine of only 4 cylinders was more than enough. Within a very short space of time it becomes one of the most successful models in motorsport, achieving more than 1,500 class wins and climbing to the top step of the podium in basically any competition, including endurance races. The secret of a universally recognized success goes in large part to the merit of the counterpart regularly homologated for everyday roads, which – unlike what happens nowadays – almost completely mirrors the racing model. Starting from its immediately recognizable look, with those three boxes shape accentuated by wider wheel arches, splitters, side skirts and a rear spoiler sitting on a larger trunk lid compared to the traditional 3 series, all in favor of a better aerodynamic coefficient, but also able to make it obvious that it is not just a version more inclined to performance, but a car literally designed to revolutionize the concept of fast driving. An authentic racing car for everyday roads.
At just 1,540 kg in weight and a length of 4.3 meters, the M3 unleashes its longitudinal 200 horsepower 2.3-liter, a naturally aspirated that reaches a peak of 240 Nm of torque at 4,750 rpm, while the progression continues to soar to nearly 7,000 revs screaming like a bloodthirsty werewolf pack on the first full moon of the year. The driving experience is frenetic, nowhere spoiled by the filters and the driver assistance to which we are now accustomed, grounding linear power onto the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox and which, if taken to more extreme conditions, makes the boundary between fun and dangerous very subtle.
Also available with a dog-leg type gearbox, the M3 is one of those sports cars that should not be measured instrumentally but emotionally, managing – even after decades – to dispense the same emotions, even amplified by the fact that they come to a modern driver like something increasingly rare. Driving feedbacks transmitted by the steering wheel (on the first models without Airbag, later with a thicker crown and Airbag) and that perfect dialogue enjoyed in the frenetic movement between pedals and gear lever are the ultimate way to control a tail that always wants to widen and brush curves to perfection, playing on a low weight and above all on a substantially perfect balance.
In 1988, the already perfect M3 was made even more incredible with the Evolution version, which features an even more massive body and 20 extra horses. In 1990 the 4-cylinder turned from 2.3 to 2.5 and brought maximum power to 238 horsepower, while maintaining the same torque value and therefore the impeccable delivery of one of the most iconic and legendary sports cars ever. It is no wonder that today the E30 series of the M3 is a car sought after by collectors and above all enthusiasts, but it is essential to ensure that you find a model as healthy as possible. It is one of those cars that cannot be explained in words and that should be driven, because only in the middle of the face-to-face experience, the man/machine relationship reaches adrenaline peaks that recall how much the most important and indispensable point of this incredible history of love revolves around a car apparently stitched over the driver. Only at that point we realize that we are facing a true hero who will continue to bring its deeds to life in the soul of those who will have the good fortune to experience the strong and pure emotions that the only 4-cylinder M3 in history is capable to offer.
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