Home » Technology » The BMW 3 Series celebrates 45 years. It is a staple in the market for sedans with sports genes

The BMW 3 Series celebrates 45 years. It is a staple in the market for sedans with sports genes

The first Series 3 model to appear exactly forty-five years ago was the E21. It was offered as a two-door sedan or convertible with a four-cylinder two-liter engine, which two years later replaced the two-liter six-cylinder.

BMW 3 Series gen. E21

Photo: BMW

From the second generation, marked E30, the range of bodies has been expanded by a four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon, as well as by the successful sports model M3. It is worth mentioning that the first M3 had a four-cylinder, while in the same generation other variants also had six-cylinder engines.

BMW 3 Series gen. E30, here in the top version of the M3 Evo

Photo: BMW

On the platform of series 3 gen. The E30 also produced the Z1 sports models with unique doors that go to the doorstep. It was produced at the turn of the 80’s and 90’s and today it is a prized rarity – exactly eight thousand pieces were created. The letter Z means “Zukunft”, ie “future”.

The BMW Z1 could be driven with the door closed.

Photo: BMW

The E36 generation brought a six-speed manual to the 3 Series – so far they were no more than five-speed – as well as a multi-link rear axle, which has significantly improved driving characteristics. There was also a hatchback version, called the Compact, which almost got a sharp version of the M3. However, only one prototype was created, there was no serial production.

BMW M3 gen. The E36 also existed as a hatchback, but only in one piece – the M3 Compact did not get into series production.

Photo: BMW

One of the most popular with fans is the E46 generation, which was born in 1997 and lasted for nine years. It already has enough electronics to be called a modern car, but it’s not too much yet. And the sharp version of the M3 is, especially in the CSL version, highly valued.

BMW M3 CSL gen. E46

Photo: BMW

Czech designer Jakub Kvaček also played a significant role in the development of the fifth series, called E90 and produced in 2004-2013. In this generation, a supercharged petrol engine came into the “three” for the first time, in the 335i version. As the only generation so far, the sharp M3 had an eight-cylinder as standard.

BMW M3 gen. The E90, designated E92 due to the coupe body, had an eight-cylinder.

Photo: BMW

The next generation, called the F30, only offered supercharged engines, including the sharp M3 – which received a turbocharged in-line six-cylinder. The plug-in hybrid, called 330e, also first appeared in this generation.

BMW 330e gen. F30

Photo: BMW

The current, seventh-row car was awarded the title of Car of the Year for this year. For BMW, this was the first victory in the Czech poll. But the 3 Series has far more to its credit – the American magazine Car and Driver, which has been selecting the ten best cars of the year every year since 1983, has already chosen the BMW 3 Series twenty-three times.

Despite the growing popularity of SUVs and crossovers, the BMW 3 Series is still a key product, producing around four to five hundred thousand units a year in this series.

Take a look at the current offer of new and used cars BMW on Sauto.cz.

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