It’s been 25 years since legendary BMW Motorsport engineer Paul Rosche lopped two cylinders from a six-cylinder M635Csi coupe engine to create a high performance four-cylinder powerplant for the 3 Series.
Thus began the M3 legend that debuted at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Despite its comprehensive high performance technology, the first M3 weighed just 1200kgs. The bodywork had lots of aero kit including a C-pillar which was wider and more tapered to improved airflow to the rear wing, wider quarter panels and flared wheel arches.
Initially, BMW capped production of the first series at 5,000 cars – the minimum required to be classified as a ‘production’ car for the newly created Group A World Touring Car Championship racing series. The M3 dominated that series (won by Schnitzer Team driver Roberto Ravaglia) and scored lots of other significant victories as well, including the first BMW victory for 14 years in a World Rally Championship event (Corsica Rally).
Along the journey to 2010, new M3 models with six cylinder engines and then V8 engines arrived and, from 1994, the world saw four-door and convertible variants. But the underlying philosophy has remained true for the M3 – a dynamic, high performance image leader for the 3-Series.
And technology has always been at the cutting edge – from lightweight carbon fibre roofs to sequential M gearboxes and variable M differential locks.
Recently BMW announced it was withdrawing from Formula One Grand Prix racing but rest assured – back home in Germany the company’s engineers and test drivers are currently working hard on the next M3 and another chapter in the history of one of the world’s great cars.
