Twintig jaar 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.