From the road to the track: A look at the history of BMW E30 M3

Today, if you want a high-performance sedan or coupe that puts out an astounding amount of power right from the factory, you'll likely think of the BMW M3 and M4. These cars have proven to be incredible to drive and are absolute weapons on racetracks and on the roads.

The M3 and M4 all trace back to the one that started it all — the first-ever BMW M3, the E30. To qualify for Group A touring car racing use, the regulations required 5,000 road-legal versions of the race car to be sold within 12 months. With the decision made to go racing, the M3 was created — though you might be surprised at how it produces less than half of the power of the modern-day M3.

Powertrain

• Engine: BMW S14B23, 2,302cc in-line four twin-cam, with individual throttle bodies
• Horsepower: 192bhp at 6,750rpm
• Torque: 230Nm at 4,750rpm
• Drivetrain layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive

History of the BMW E30

The BMW E30 is the second generation of the brand's 3 Series line of compact executive cars. When it was introduced in 1982, the E30, like its predecessor, was only offered in a two-door body style (kind of funny how the modern 3 Series became the one with more doors).

The E30 was also the last generation of 3 Series to feature the quad round head lights that are synonymous with BMW cars from that era. In fact, with development of the E30 starting in the 1970s, its design shares plenty of similarities with the E21 model that it replaced, and those unfamiliar with these cars might even confuse the two generations.

However, that's where the similarities end — the E30 is equipped with newer technology including ABS and electronic fuel injection, and its suspension has also been reworked to improve its handling characteristic. It is also said to be better built and less prone to rust issues that were common with the E21.

While the updates have already made the E30 a pleasant and capable car, BMW pushed it even further with the introduction of the first-ever M3.

Allure - a race car for the roads

Sporty cars are typically made for driving enthusiasts who want a fast car for the roads, but the E30 M3 wasn't such a car. Instead, it was primarily developed for motorsports use, and its road-legal counterpart was the direct result of that — the rule books dictated the vast amount of road cars to be sold for homologation purposes.

When a car is developed to win races, it is only natural for the manufacturer to throw everything it knows and has at it. This meant that BMW Motorsport GmbH (prior to becoming BMW M) took the best components from the BMW racing parts collection and fitted them all to the E30.

At the heart of this 3 Series made to race is a truly special engine — the BMW S14. While the E30 3 Series was available with six-cylinder engine options, the M3's S14 engine is only a four-cylinder. It shared the same cast-iron block as the BMW M10 engine (the same block used in F1 and withstood 1,400bhp in qualifying trim), and had a newly developed four-valve per cylinder head that was derived from the M5's S38 straight-six.

Complete with individual throttle bodies, the 2.3-litre S14 engine puts out 192bhp and 230Nm — which doesn't sound like plenty — but with just around 1,200kg to propel, the M3 completes the century sprint in just 6.7 seconds and goes on to achieve a top speed of 235km/h.

In the later versions of the M3, the engine was further reworked to produce even more power — the M3 Evo 2 made 217bhp and 245Nm of torque, while the final M3 Sport Evo put out 235bhp and 240Nm of torque with the S14's displacement now increased to 2.5-litre.

The engine wasn't the sole special item. Race-derived components such as the dog-leg gearbox (with first gear on the left-down position), trick suspension and damping tuning, aggressive bodywork with flared fenders along with the alteration of the rear window rake for aerodynamic gains (reducing the drag coefficient of the M3 from a typical 3 Series' 0.37Cd to 0.33Cd), ramped-up the performance of the E30 M3 and set it clearly apart from the ordinary E30 — whether you are simply looking at it, or behind the wheel, there's no mistaking the two.

Inside, the E30 M3 features a relatively plain and simple interior that clearly leans towards the sportier side — you won't find plush leather and wood panels here.

Cultural significance - lethal race machine coined as one of the best-handling cars ever

By now, it's clear that the BMW E30 M3 was made to race. But it isn't just that — the M3 is a winner. The E30 M3 was widely used in various motorsports series and it even competed as a rally car. However, the most success it enjoyed was in touring car racing. The E30 M3 won the 24 Hours of Nurburgring five times in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1994. It also won the Spa 24 Hours four times in 1987, 1988, 1990 and 1992. Furthermore, it achieved these accolades while competing against a field of extremely competitive and powerful cars such as the Ford Sierra RS 500 and the Skyline GTS-R.

The E30 M3 also holds the title in several Touring Car Championships, including the World Touring Car Championship in 1987, the European Touring Car Championship in 1987 and 1988, the British Touring Car Championship in 1988 and 1991, and the DTM in 1987 and 1989.

The E30 M3 wasn't just a race car for the roads, it was a highly successful one. It comes as no surprise that the E30 M3 is seen by many as one of the best-handling cars ever made. With a suspension that was painstakingly engineered for handling and stability, the M3 has an excellent balance between agility and composure to allow consistent and lethal performance on the tracks and on the roads.

Unlike other popular cars that rose to fame due to pop-culture and other influences, the E30 M3 was desirable almost entirely due to its own merits. In fact, mention the car and the image that pops up is likely to be the M3 race car in white with the M colours completing its iconic livery.

You might be able to get one, but you won't get to drive it here

The E30 M3 was only available in left-hand drive, hence you won't be able to register it for use on Singapore's roads even if you manage to buy and import one here.

While the E30 M3 was relatively affordable more than a decade ago (old forums mentioned it to be around US$20,000 (S$27,000)), current prices for one in good condition is around GBP 86,000 (S$146,000), while the rare M3 Sport Evolution has even been sold for around US$200,000. So if you want to get one for your collection, be prepared to spend a fair bit.

We do, however, have a fully restored unit in red, which makes an appearance every so often at local BMW events. So, you won't have to leave Singapore to catch a glimpse of this legendary homologation special.

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This article was first published in sgCarMart.