- Oct 27, 2006
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I'm going to start writing some short posts on cars that I think are legendary, and were/are serious influences on automotive history, culture, and perception. This is obviously a subjective/opinionated and largely unscientific endeavour, but I think it'll be fun regardless. Btw, the fact that I'm starting with the 3-series doesn't mean it ranks #1 in my opinion, it just happens to be the first in the series that I'll be writing. Others soon to follow will be the Corvette and Taurus (reasons to be explained at the time of release). Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy, and any and all feedback and posts will be welcomed heartily.
In today's automotive culture, it seems almost a given that the BMW 3 series is a well-respected and popular entry-level luxury car, though the rising excellence of competitors has somewhat diluted the dominance it once held in it's grasp.
In the beginning of our story, we have to look at BMW and their offerings. In Europe in the 60s, BMW had evolved a series of mid/small-sized sporty sedans and coupes that culminated with the 2002 in 1968. Americans weren't able to buy them outside of very rare circumstances, but the word was out amongst the enthusiasts : you can buy a classy, light, quick, and efficient car, and it handles like a dream! Successful imports by independent businessmen showed the potential for this recipe to be a success in North America.
After a few years of this small-time success, BMW decided to formally launch a North American presence in 1975, at the same time the 3-series was launching in Europe. A short two years passed, and in 1977 (the year I was born), the 3-series was premiered in the US, with the E21 320i models. Two engines were available, and though they produced just 100 and 110 hp respectively, they were quite competitive with other vehicles on the market in terms of power/weight. And of course that handling helped things along nicely. 2 door models were the only option, and the now-familiar 4-round-headlight look started lurking down many urban playgrounds in our country.
In 1982, BMW premiered the E30 revision, and things started to look much closer to what we have today. 4-door models, and even station wagons were produced, with many different engine models from economic 1.6L choices all the way to special 238hp Evo models. Even AWD was available on certain models. The luxury aspects increased, and this is the era when BMW really began to gain serious respect in the industry at large. It was very hard to find another vehicle that offered the same recipe of style and performance in such a package. In the era of ~200hp Vettes, the E30 M3 was a compelling statement of world-class performance in a practical package, quickly becoming the most successful road race car in history. Sales in the US skyrocketed for the entire 3-series linup. And other companies began looking closer at what was happening.
In 1991, BMW showed they were ready to bring the 3 series into the new decade with a further evolution of the vehicle. Ever more options and engine choices were offered, and the size of the vehicle crept up slightly to increase practicality. The trademark handling and style were carried over, aside from the enclosure of the classic BMW round-light front clip. Maximum power rose to 321hp on certain M3 models, and the 6-speed manual option was a fresh choice to contrast against the more common 5-speed options of competitors. By this time, the 3-series was becoming a ubiquitous, and somewhat generic, presence on our roads. Competitors, rightly jealous of the highly consistent sales numbers, began in earnest to try to field decent alternatives to this proven vehicle.
By 1998, when BMW released the E46 version, things had began to heat up. Audi, having gone through the doldrums of shoddy, underperforming vehicles for much of their previous years, had begun to produce cars which were truly worthy of a hard look. In 1997 their 2nd-gen S4 was released, and the overall package of AWD, Turbo, nicely sculped looks, and extensive options presented a real challenge to BMW's previously unquestioned dominance in the market they had almost single-handedly created. The normal A4 models were also respectable and well-balanced alternatives to the 3 series as well. BMW responded with a further evolution of their 3-series in the E46. It was hugely successful, and brought ever higher levels of refinement and performance to the table. During the same time, however, the field continued to widen. Makes such as Cadillac, Lexus, Infiniti and Acura joined a surprisingly diverse group of companies that wanted a piece of the lucrative sport-compact/entry market. Buying a 3-series was no longer a no-brainer decision.
That brings us to the new model, the E90/92/93 series. Two serious changes occur : the resurgence of a Forced Induction model, and the first-ever 8-cylinder 3 series. There are gadgets galore to choose from (and to annoy some), and the styling is the most controversial departure yet seen in a 3 series. The competition is better than ever, with 2nd, 3rd, and higher-gen vehicles from a dizzying array of competitors all offering unique counterpoint to the previously unchallenged dominance of BMW's self-created market.
What does all this mean? I think it can be said safely that if BMW hadn't started us down this road roughly 4 decades ago, we might not have such gems as the G35/G37 series, the CTS, the A4/S4, and so on. It was also a huge milestone in bridging the gap between luxury and performance, and the M3 series have proven that a healthy serving of both can be quite rewarding, both to car companies and to the drivers lucky enough to afford them. Is the 3 series perfect? Is it for everyone? Far from it, but it is nearly indisputably one of the most important cars in modern history. If you bought a new car in the last decade, there is a decent chance that the design was at least somewhat influenced by the venerable 3 series. What is in store for the future of the 3 series? I'm guessing we've seen most of the drastic changes already, my best fortune telling would reveal increases in fuel economy and overall efficiency, as opposed to ground-breaking performance leaps. It's only a matter of time before the dominance of the 3 series in the class that it created will be eclipsed by worthy competitors.
Thanks for reading. I welcome any/all feedback and comments.
In today's automotive culture, it seems almost a given that the BMW 3 series is a well-respected and popular entry-level luxury car, though the rising excellence of competitors has somewhat diluted the dominance it once held in it's grasp.
In the beginning of our story, we have to look at BMW and their offerings. In Europe in the 60s, BMW had evolved a series of mid/small-sized sporty sedans and coupes that culminated with the 2002 in 1968. Americans weren't able to buy them outside of very rare circumstances, but the word was out amongst the enthusiasts : you can buy a classy, light, quick, and efficient car, and it handles like a dream! Successful imports by independent businessmen showed the potential for this recipe to be a success in North America.
After a few years of this small-time success, BMW decided to formally launch a North American presence in 1975, at the same time the 3-series was launching in Europe. A short two years passed, and in 1977 (the year I was born), the 3-series was premiered in the US, with the E21 320i models. Two engines were available, and though they produced just 100 and 110 hp respectively, they were quite competitive with other vehicles on the market in terms of power/weight. And of course that handling helped things along nicely. 2 door models were the only option, and the now-familiar 4-round-headlight look started lurking down many urban playgrounds in our country.
In 1982, BMW premiered the E30 revision, and things started to look much closer to what we have today. 4-door models, and even station wagons were produced, with many different engine models from economic 1.6L choices all the way to special 238hp Evo models. Even AWD was available on certain models. The luxury aspects increased, and this is the era when BMW really began to gain serious respect in the industry at large. It was very hard to find another vehicle that offered the same recipe of style and performance in such a package. In the era of ~200hp Vettes, the E30 M3 was a compelling statement of world-class performance in a practical package, quickly becoming the most successful road race car in history. Sales in the US skyrocketed for the entire 3-series linup. And other companies began looking closer at what was happening.
In 1991, BMW showed they were ready to bring the 3 series into the new decade with a further evolution of the vehicle. Ever more options and engine choices were offered, and the size of the vehicle crept up slightly to increase practicality. The trademark handling and style were carried over, aside from the enclosure of the classic BMW round-light front clip. Maximum power rose to 321hp on certain M3 models, and the 6-speed manual option was a fresh choice to contrast against the more common 5-speed options of competitors. By this time, the 3-series was becoming a ubiquitous, and somewhat generic, presence on our roads. Competitors, rightly jealous of the highly consistent sales numbers, began in earnest to try to field decent alternatives to this proven vehicle.
By 1998, when BMW released the E46 version, things had began to heat up. Audi, having gone through the doldrums of shoddy, underperforming vehicles for much of their previous years, had begun to produce cars which were truly worthy of a hard look. In 1997 their 2nd-gen S4 was released, and the overall package of AWD, Turbo, nicely sculped looks, and extensive options presented a real challenge to BMW's previously unquestioned dominance in the market they had almost single-handedly created. The normal A4 models were also respectable and well-balanced alternatives to the 3 series as well. BMW responded with a further evolution of their 3-series in the E46. It was hugely successful, and brought ever higher levels of refinement and performance to the table. During the same time, however, the field continued to widen. Makes such as Cadillac, Lexus, Infiniti and Acura joined a surprisingly diverse group of companies that wanted a piece of the lucrative sport-compact/entry market. Buying a 3-series was no longer a no-brainer decision.
That brings us to the new model, the E90/92/93 series. Two serious changes occur : the resurgence of a Forced Induction model, and the first-ever 8-cylinder 3 series. There are gadgets galore to choose from (and to annoy some), and the styling is the most controversial departure yet seen in a 3 series. The competition is better than ever, with 2nd, 3rd, and higher-gen vehicles from a dizzying array of competitors all offering unique counterpoint to the previously unchallenged dominance of BMW's self-created market.
What does all this mean? I think it can be said safely that if BMW hadn't started us down this road roughly 4 decades ago, we might not have such gems as the G35/G37 series, the CTS, the A4/S4, and so on. It was also a huge milestone in bridging the gap between luxury and performance, and the M3 series have proven that a healthy serving of both can be quite rewarding, both to car companies and to the drivers lucky enough to afford them. Is the 3 series perfect? Is it for everyone? Far from it, but it is nearly indisputably one of the most important cars in modern history. If you bought a new car in the last decade, there is a decent chance that the design was at least somewhat influenced by the venerable 3 series. What is in store for the future of the 3 series? I'm guessing we've seen most of the drastic changes already, my best fortune telling would reveal increases in fuel economy and overall efficiency, as opposed to ground-breaking performance leaps. It's only a matter of time before the dominance of the 3 series in the class that it created will be eclipsed by worthy competitors.
Thanks for reading. I welcome any/all feedback and comments.
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