Twenty Years of the BMW M3

1. Twenty Years of the BMW M3 - a Legend in Sports. (Short Version) 2
2. The Birth of a Sports Legend. 5 3. The Successor: Six Cylinders for
Ongoing Success. 13 4. Continuing the Success Story: The
Third-Generation BMW M3. 19 5. The BMW M3 - a Spearhead in Innovation.
28 6. The BMW M3 Models. 32 It is one of the most
successful chapters in the history of the automobile and in
international motorsport alike: the story of the BMW M3 - and to this
day, the end of this unique success story is not even in sight. In
2006 BMW and BMW M GmbH celebrated the 20th birthday of the most
successful touring car of all times. Within two decades, three
generations of the BMW M3 have successfully entered and conquered both
the market and the race track, each of these models quite unique and
legendary in its own right. Dominating the racing scene and paving the
way on the road for a new species of particularly sporting, but
nevertheless highly practical series-production cars fully suited for
everyday use, the BMW M3 to this day thrills a loyal and constantly
growing group of enthusiasts and aficionados the world over. This
unique story of success started back in 1986 with the launch of the
first BMW M3 based on the E30 version of the BMW 3 Series. From the
start, this thoroughbred sports car thrilled not only the motorsport
enthusiast and the racing expert, but also car fans the world over.
Boasting powerful-looking spoilers and strikingly flared wheel arches
all round, the very first BMW M3 was a sensation to behold even at a
standstill. And although the road-going version offered all the
everyday driving qualities required of a modern car, the real home of
the BMW M3 was the race track. Powered by a four-cylinder featuring
avantgarde four-valve technology, the BMW M3 brought home one victory
after the other. Originally conceived for just 5,000 units for the
purpose of homologation, this very first BMW M3 gained growing
popularity right from the start. And apart from the car's convincing
concept, an ongoing increase in engine power from 195 hp all the way to
238 hp added to the car's fascinating thrill. Total production up to the
end of the car's production cycle in 1991 amounted to almost 18,000
units including the BMW M3 Convertible. Subsequently, the two following
generations significantly exceeded even this remarkable sales figure,
the second generation of the BMW M3 based on the E36 model series
accounting for a sales volume of almost 72,000 units, and the third
generation based on the E46 model series achieving an even more
impressive production run of over 85,000 units. Precisely this
success confirms the strategy of BMW M GmbH to convey the qualities of
superior motorsport machines right through to series production. After
three generations and more than 174, 000 units sold, production of the
E46-based BMW M3 ended in 2006 - only to be continued in 2007 with the
fourth generation carrying on this exceptional story of success. The
successor to a legend. Based on the coupé version of the E36
model series, the second generation of the BMW M3 made its appearance
in 1992. At first sight this model looked quite "normal",
without any large spoilers or striking wheel arches - but just one
glimpse into the engine bay told another story, with this being the
first BMW M3 to feature a six-cylinder power unit. Developing maximum
torque of 320 Newton-metres or 236 lb-ft all the way from 3, 600 to 6,
000 rpm, together with maximum output of 286 hp, this outstanding
sports car offered the driver superior acceleration at all times and in
every situation. Indeed, BMW's engineers were able to achieve these
performance figures quite unusual at the time through painstaking
attention to detail and with a number of innovative solutions: Apart
from VANOS variable camshaft management and the upgraded single
throttle butterfly control unit, newly developed engine electronics
able to process more than 20 million instructions per second helped to
give the engine its enormous power and performance. Catering for
growing demand for a four-door model, the second generation of the BMW
M3 was also built in saloon guise, in addition to the coupé and
convertible versions. And the success of all three models was
overwhelming, almost 72, 000 units of all three body variants leaving
BMW's Regensburg Plant throughout seven years of production. These were
joined by another 700 units built as completely knocked down (CKD) kits
at BMW's Rosslyn Plant in South Africa. The BMW M3 saga goes on.
Towards the end of the year 2000, the latest and still current version
of the BMW M3 entered the market as the next generation. Based on the
E46 model series coupé, this version of the BMW M3 again
combines supreme performance, exceptional driving qualities and unique
design, clearly distinguishing the car from other models in the BMW 3
Series. Particularly the front section of the current BMW M3 supporting
the engine compartment lid made of aluminium looks flatter and more
aggressive than on every other regular production BMW 3 Series. And
beneath the engine compartment lid with its striking powerdome lurks
one of the most significant innovations introduced in this model - the
new, even more powerful six-cylinder engine developing maximum output
of 252 kW/343 hp and applying the high-speed engine concept carried
over from Formula 1 and now so characteristic of all cars built by BMW
M GmbH: When revving at a speed of 8,000 rpm, the pistons in the new M3
power unit move up and down at a velocity of more than 20 metres or 66
feet a second, thus reaching a new dimension for a car of this class.
The BMW M3 CSL was also based on this model. Boasting an even more
powerful engine, developing 265 kW/360 hp and featuring radical
lightweight technology using the most advanced materials such as
carbonfibre-reinforced plastics and carbon, the BMW M3 CSL has a
power-to-weight ratio of 3.85 kg/hp - a truly outstanding figure which
raises this BMW M3 to an entirely new dimension of dynamic performance.
Still, the fact remains that yet another model stands out as the fastest
and most expensive of all BMW M3s built so far - the BMW M3 GTR
presented to the public in 2001 for the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).
Indeed, this truly unique car was a genuine eye-catcher from the start
not only through its muscular look, but also and in particular through
its 4.0-litre V8 high-performance power unit developing 330 kW/460 hp
in racing trim and, respectively, 258 kW/350 hp in the road-going
version. This supreme sports car set the standard also in another
respect, its price of approximately Euro 250,000 making it a truly
exclusive offer.