Classic Car Buyer – Issue 821 March 11 2026 – Classic Car Buyer

But where would you put them on your podium? emarkably, it’s now been 40 years since customers could first get their hands on a BMW M3. Such is the model line’s iconic status, it’s hard to imagine an automotive world where it never existed, and yet without the FIA’s homologation rules, that could well have been the reality. Although it’s known as one of BMW’s greatest ever road cars, the truth is that the E30 M3 was primarily built to go racing.

Indeed, the car was developed in-house by BMW Motorsport with a steely focus on winning. The range- topping road car was the 325i, but its heavy six-cylinder was ditched in favour of a lighter four-pot based on the old iron-blocked M10 engine from the 2002 era. BMW’s M Division stretched out its displacement to create the new S14 unit, which was good enough for 200bhp, or 238bhp once the engine grew to 2.5 litres in the highly sought-after Sport Evolution ENGINE: 2302cc, 4-cyl POWER: 197bhp TOP SPEED: 146mph 0-60MPH: 6.5secs ECONOMY: 34mpg GEARBOX: 5-speed manual £100,000 model.

The transmission was a Getrag five-speed manual, with European models fitted with a race- bred dogleg version. One of the most obvious changes to create the M3 was its box-arched bodywork, which allowed for a wider track and revised suspension. It used 5 Series-sourced stub axles and bearings, and there were also stiffer springs, Boge dampers, thicker anti-roll bars and five-stud 15-inch BBS alloy wheels.

Anti-lock brakes were also standard. Aside from the wheelarches, the biggest change to the M3’s body was the rear screen. To improve aerodynamics, the M3 had a rear screen with a shallower angle, necessitating thicker rear pillars. European stage. In the hands of Roberto Ravaglia, the E30 won the inaugural FIA World Touring Car Championship of 1987, while in the same year, Eric van de Poele drove the car to victory in the German series.

Ravaglia then added to his world title by claiming the German crown in 1989, while over in Britain, Frank Sytner took the 1988 BTCC title with his Prodrive car in its second year out. The M3 also took the 1991 title in de-stroked 2.0-litre form, with Will Hoy at the wheel. The responsive powertrain, combined with running gear worthy of the racetrack and a kerb weight of just 1200kg, make the M3 especially rewarding. By today’s standards it’s not blisteringly fast, BMW also used a bespoke bootlid, which sat higher, and there were unique bumpers, too.

The M3 was presented to the public at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show, and production began in March 1986. Although 5000 had to be built to satisfy homologation rules, nearly 18,000 were produced in all, and following year-to-year rule changes, new specials were sold in limited volumes.

hosts its next Classic and Vintage Car Auction at the Haynes Motor Museum on March 26. Among the entries are several Jaguars, a trio of rare Mercedes, a Mk1 Mini Cooper, a Lotus Esprit Turbo, a Rolls-Royce Camargue and even a Tickford-bodied Lagonda 3 Litre with an astonishing haul of spare parts.

The cars are not from a MGA COUPE AUSTIN MINI NISSAN PATROL £3.35 CLASSIC CHOICE: 1980s HOMOLOGATION HEROES BUYING THE FIAT 126 The full lowdown on the bargain bambino sole collection but from a host of different vendors and deceased estates all over the country. Some have been off the road for decades, while others have recently been used and may only require light recommissioning. MORE ON PAGE 5 OFCLASSICS FORSALE 100s KEPT IN TRANSLATION Classic concept cars that made it to production MARKET TRENDS: CLASS OF 2001 TRIED & TESTED: TRIUMPH TR3A BODYSHELLS & BODY PANELS SUSPENSION PARTS TOURIST TROPHY CLASSIC GOLD INTERIOR TRIM BODY & CHASSIS | ENGINE | BRAKES | STEERING & SUSPENSION | INTERIOR | PERFORMANCE & TUNING | & MUCH MORE DYNOLITE OILS SCAN THE QR CODE TO SIGN UP TO OUR EMAIL NEWSLETTER Be the first to know about sales and offers from Moss Europe, as well as new and back-in-stock items, our latest blogs about classic car ownership, and much more.

MX-5 AGUAR J SPECIALISING IN MG, TRIUMPH, AUSTIN-HEALEY, MORRIS, CLASSIC MINI, JAGUAR, MX-5, AND UNIVERSAL PARTS FULL RANGE OF PRODUCTS AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN-STORE. moss-europe.co.uk 0800 281 182 FREE CATALOGUES moss-europe.co.uk | moss-europe.eu ISSUE 30 PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR MGB including technical advice and detailed schematics TR5-6 moss-europe.co.uk | moss-europe.eu ISSUE 23 PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR including technical advice and detailed schematics ISSUE 16 PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR SPITFIRE moss-europe.co.uk | moss-europe.eu ISSUE 25 PARTS & ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR including technical advice and detailed schematics moss-europe.co.uk | moss-europe.eu & MORE SUBSCRIPTION OFFER If you like what you see in Classic Car Buyer, why not get it delivered to your door and save lots of money by taking out a subscription?

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: 2ba0dc4c29426461
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• File Size: 84,503,251 bytes (80.589 MB)
• Title: –
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• Pages: 49
• Language: English (en)

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