The 1991 BMW Motorsport E30 M3
Why It's Special:
After racking up twelve Touring Car championships, 4 victories at the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring and 4 victories at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps I think it is safe to consider the E30 M3 as a motorsport legend. After sitting on the sidelines in the mid 1980’s watching the rival Mercedes-Benz 190E rack up victory after victory BMW decided to make its return to saloon car racing. FIA Group-A rules stipulated that 5,000 homologation cars must be built in one year to gain entry into the various championships and thus the E30 M3 was born. A beautifully balanced car with superb handling and road manners, the E30 M3 was an instant success. As noted above it was brutally fast on the track and displayed incredible reliability.
Under the Hood:
This is in part due to the engine block being heavily based on the M12/13 1.5 liter Inline-4 Formula 1 design of the 1980’s, which in qualifying trim developed 1300 horsepower with 5.5 bar (81 psi) of turbo boost!
To further enhance the engines pedigree, the 4-valve DOHC cylinder head was taken off the legendary BMW M1 supercar, shortened to fit the new 4-cylinder design. The E30 M3 version, known as the S14 originally displaced 2.3 liters, developed 200 horsepower and 170 ft-lbs of torque. Right off the bat the engine was approaching 100 hp/liter, naturally aspirated, which was unheard of at the time.
Throughout the five year production run the engine would be updated and refined, ultimately producing 238 horsepower in the Sport Evolution model. Top-shelf parts are found throughout the chassis including a Getrag 5-speed transmission, Bosch engine management and BBS light alloy wheels.
The Verdict:
Perhaps what makes the E30 M3 so desirable and appealing was best stated by Formula 1 maestro Jean Alesi, “the BMW M3 is one of the most enjoyable, best handling road cars I have ever driven, offering astonish balance due to its weight distribution, telepathic steering, with a chassis that is alive and gives the car personality, which is missing from many of today’s mundane cars.”
// Continue to the 2007 Renaultsport Clio 197 Vehicle Overview //