All Topics  
BMW M3

 
BMW M3

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

BMW M3



 
 
The BMW M3 is a high performance BMW M GmbH version of the popular BMW
BMW

, is an independent German automotive industry founded in 1916. It also produces BMW Motorrad, is the owner of the MINI brand and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars....
 3-Series
BMW 3 Series

The BMW 3 Series is an entry-level luxury car/compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in five different generations and in no less than five different car body styles....
 compact
Compact car

A compact , small family or c-segment car is a car classification of automobile which are larger than a supermini car and smaller than a large family car....
 automobile
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
. M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46 and E90/E92/E93 3-series. Common upgrades over the "standard" 3-Series automobiles include more powerful and responsive (yet at times smaller) engines, improved handling/suspension, more aggressive aerodynamics/body, and multiple interior/exterior accents with the "M"/Motorsport nomenclature.

E30 M3
Based on the 1986 model year E30 3-Series
BMW 3 Series

The BMW 3 Series is an entry-level luxury car/compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in five different generations and in no less than five different car body styles....
, the first M3 was introduced with a 2.3 L I4
Straight-4

The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
 S14B23 engine
BMW S14

The BMW S14 is a 2.3 L DOHC 16-valve Straight-4 piston engine. It was used in the BMW E30 BMW M3. The S14 is essentially a BMW M10 engine block with a BMW M88 DOHC cylinder head ....
 (or S14 in shorthand).






Discussion
Ask a question about 'BMW M3'
Start a new discussion about 'BMW M3'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


The BMW M3 is a high performance BMW M GmbH version of the popular BMW
BMW

, is an independent German automotive industry founded in 1916. It also produces BMW Motorrad, is the owner of the MINI brand and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars....
 3-Series
BMW 3 Series

The BMW 3 Series is an entry-level luxury car/compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in five different generations and in no less than five different car body styles....
 compact
Compact car

A compact , small family or c-segment car is a car classification of automobile which are larger than a supermini car and smaller than a large family car....
 automobile
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
. M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46 and E90/E92/E93 3-series. Common upgrades over the "standard" 3-Series automobiles include more powerful and responsive (yet at times smaller) engines, improved handling/suspension, more aggressive aerodynamics/body, and multiple interior/exterior accents with the "M"/Motorsport nomenclature.

E30 M3


Based on the 1986 model year E30 3-Series
BMW 3 Series

The BMW 3 Series is an entry-level luxury car/compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in five different generations and in no less than five different car body styles....
, the first M3 was introduced with a 2.3 L I4
Straight-4

The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
 S14B23 engine
BMW S14

The BMW S14 is a 2.3 L DOHC 16-valve Straight-4 piston engine. It was used in the BMW E30 BMW M3. The S14 is essentially a BMW M10 engine block with a BMW M88 DOHC cylinder head ....
 (or S14 in shorthand). The engine design was based on various BMW genealogy; basic block layout from the M10 4 cylinder (found in the 2002 and 320 series) overbored and reinforced to similar specifications of the BMW M88
BMW M88

The BMW M88/3 is an Straight-6 piston engine. It was based on the M88/1 that was used in the BMW M1's street version, with DOHC and multivalve per cylinder....
 inline-6
Straight-6

The straight-6 or inline-6 engine is a six cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
. The valve train and head architecture from BMWs M1 and later M6 inline-6 cylinder was adopted for aggressive breathing, resulting in outstanding performance for the day.

The most notable characteristic of the E30 M3 (relative to later M3 iterations) is its racing pedigree. It was campaigned by BMW as well as other racing teams including Prodrive and AC Schnitzer competing in many forms of racing including but not limited to Rally, DTM, Australian touring car and other series.

One of the main reasons for production of the road car was to homologate the M3 for Group A
Group A

In relation to motorsport governed by the F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile, Group A referred to a set of regulations providing production-derived vehicles for outright competition....
 Touring Car racing
Touring car

A touring car was a popular car body style in the early 20th century, being a larger alternative to the runabout and the roadster. They were open cars, often fitted with convertible tops....
. One of the reasons often cited for its creation was that it was to compete with the "2.3-16V"-model of the Mercedes-Benz W201
Mercedes-Benz W201

The Mercedes-Benz W201 was the last incarnation of the Mercedes-Benz 190 nameplate. It was a sports sedan/compact executive car produced by the Mercedes-Benz division of Daimler-Benz....
 190E which was introduced in 1983, although this was only speculative. When the E30 M3 was in its final years of top level competition, the 2.5 liter S14 engine in full race trim was capable of plus, naturally aspirated.

The E30 M3 road car

The first road-going version produced (catalyzed model). Evolution models (not sold in North America) continued with 2.3 liters but adopted revised exhaust-cam timing, increased compression along with the lack of a catalyst producing approximately . Later the Sport Evolution model production run of 600 (sometimes referred as Evolution III) increased engine displacement to 2.5 L and produced 238 hp (175 kW). 786 cabriolets
Convertible

A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different car body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form....
 were also produced, all by hand in BMW's Garching plant; at the time the example was the world's fastest four-seat convertible
Convertible

A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different car body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form....
.

Changes from the standard 3-series

The E30 M3 differed from the rest of the E30 line-up in many ways. The M3 was equipped with a revised stiffer and more aerodynamic body shell as well as "box flared" fenders to accommodate a wider track with wider and taller wheels and tires. The only body panels the standard model 3-series and the M3 shared were the hood and moonroof. It also had three times the caster angle
Caster angle

Caster angle is the angular displacement from the vertical axis of the suspension of a steered wheel in a Automobile, bicycle or other vehicle, measured in the longitudinal direction....
 of any other E30. The M3 shared larger wheel bearings and front brake calipers with the E28
BMW E28

The BMW E28 automobile platform was the basis for the 1981 through 1988 BMW 5-Series automobiles. It replaced the BMW E12 in 1981 and was replaced by the BMW E34 in 1989....
 5-Series. It also had a Getrag 265/5 5 speed gearbox, and rear differential with different final-drive ratio and 25% lockup.

Wrap up

To keep the car competitive in racing following homologation rules changes year to year, homologation specials were produced. Homologation rules roughly stated that the race version must reflect the street car aerodynamically and in engine displacement; therefore, improved models were periodically released for the public. Special editions and homologation specials include: the Evo 1, Evo 2 and Sport Evolution some of which featured less weight, improved aerodynamics, taller front fender arches (Sport Evolution; to further facilitate wheels in DTM), brake ducting, and more power. Other limited-production models (based on evolution models but featuring special paintwork and/or unique interior schemes commemorating championship wins) include the Europa, Ravaglia, Cecotto, and Europameister.

Production of the original E30 M3 ended in early 1992.

Having won more road races than any other model in history, the E30 M3 is considered by many to be the world's most successful road-race car. M3s entered by BMW and privateer racing outfits did dominate the competition for the years it was in production. Its wins include the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft was a touring car racing series held from 1984 to 1996. Originally based in Germany, it held additional rounds elsewhere in Europe and later worldwide....
, European Touring Car Championship
European Touring Car Championship

The European Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series organized by the F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile....
 and even the one-off World Touring Car Championship
World Touring Car Championship

The World Touring Car Championship is an international touring car racing championship organized by the F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile....
 title in 1987
1987 World Touring Car Championship season

The 1987 World Touring Car Championship season was the 1st World Touring Car Championship season. It commenced on March 22, 1987 and ended on November 15 after eleven races....
. The E30 M3 is also a multiple winner of Guia Race
Guia Race

The Macau Guia is an international touring car race run held during the Macau Grand Prix weekend. Since 2005, it has become the final round of the World Touring Car Championship, also known as the WTCC....
, 24 Hours Nürburgring
24 Hours Nürburgring

The 24 Hours N?rburgring is a GT and touring car racing endurance racing event on the N?rburgring, inspired by the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Spa 24 Hours....
 and Spa 24 Hours
Spa 24 Hours

The Total 24 Hours of Spa is an endurance racing event held annually in Belgium at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Conceived by Jules de Their and Henri Langlois Van Ophem just one year after the first 24 Hours of Le Mans, the race was run under the auspices of the Royal Automobile Club Belgium ....
.

Notable publication accolades

In 2004, Sports Car International
Sports Car International

Sports Car International is an automobile magazine in the United States focused on sports cars. It is unabashedly enthusiast-oriented, assuming a good knowledge of sports cars, racing, and automotive history....
 named the E30 M3 car number six on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s
Sports Car International Top Sports Cars

Sports Car International magazine compiled a list of the Top Sports Cars of the last few decades. The selections were simply the opinions of the magazine's editors....
.

In 2007 "Evo
Evo Magazine

Evo is a United Kingdom automobile magazine dedicated to performance cars, from hot hatches to supercars. The first issue was produced in November 1998 as an unofficial successor to Performance Car, which had become part of Car Magazine....
" Magazine rated the E30 M3 top of all the M series BMWs at time of print

In 2007 "Automobile Magazine
Automobile Magazine

Automobile Magazine is an automobile magazine in the United States and is owned by Source Interlink. It was founded by a group of former employes of Car and Driver magazine, led by that publications?s former editor, David E....
 included the E30 M3 in their "5 greatest drivers cars of all time" under the 25 Greatest Cars of All Time.

Performance

  • (2.3L-16v I4
    Straight-4

    The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
    ) - - 0-62 mph: 7.5 s. Top Speed: 146 mph (235 km/h)
  • (2.3L-16v I4
    Straight-4

    The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
    ) - - 0-62 mph: 7.0 s. Top Speed: 149 mph (240 km/h)
  • (2.5L-16v I4) - - 0-60 mph: 6.2 s. Top Speed: 154 mph (248 km/h)


Production figures

ModelPower (kW)Coupe and SedanConvertible
Euro model 143/147 8,661 
US model 4,996 
Evo 1 147 505 
Europa late model 158 1,519 
Evo 2 162 500 
Convertible 143/158  786
Sport Evolution 175 600 
Europameister
(all signed by Roberto Ravaglia
Roberto Ravaglia

Roberto Ravaglia currently runs BMW's Team Italy-Spain in the World Touring Car Championship , who took Alessandro Zanardi to a famous race victory at Oschersleben....
)
143 148 
Cecotto
Johnny Cecotto

Alberto "Johnny" Cecotto is a former Grand Prix motorcycle racing Grand Prix motorcycle racing road racing and Formula One driver. The son of Italian immigrants, he was one of the few people to have competed in both motorcycle and Formula One Grand Prix....
  • 25 as special edition Ravaglia
    Roberto Ravaglia

    Roberto Ravaglia currently runs BMW's Team Italy-Spain in the World Touring Car Championship , who took Alessandro Zanardi to a famous race victory at Oschersleben....
  • 50 as Cecotto Switzerland (throttled to 155 kW)
158 505 
Total ~18,000


Significant victories in auto racing

Championships
  • World Touring Car Championship
    World Touring Car Championship

    The World Touring Car Championship is an international touring car racing championship organized by the F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile....
    ; 1 title (1987
    1987 World Touring Car Championship season

    The 1987 World Touring Car Championship season was the 1st World Touring Car Championship season. It commenced on March 22, 1987 and ended on November 15 after eleven races....
    )
  • European Touring Car Championship
    European Touring Car Championship

    The European Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series organized by the F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile....
    ; 2 titles (1987 and 1988)
  • British Touring Car Championship
    British Touring Car Championship

    The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s and...
    ; 2 titles (1988 and 1991)
  • Italia Superturismo Championship; 4 titles (1987, 1989, 1990 and 1991)
  • Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
    Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft

    The Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft was a touring car racing series held from 1984 to 1996. Originally based in Germany, it held additional rounds elsewhere in Europe and later worldwide....
    ; 2 titles (1987 and 1989)
  • Australian Touring Car Championship
    V8 Supercar

    V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category operated under the regulations of the F?d?ration Internationale de l'Automobile . It is the most popular motorsport in Australia, has a considerable following in New Zealand, and is steadily growing in popularity across the world where television coverage allows....
    ; 1 title (1987)


Races
  • Guia Race
    Guia Race

    The Macau Guia is an international touring car race run held during the Macau Grand Prix weekend. Since 2005, it has become the final round of the World Touring Car Championship, also known as the WTCC....
    ; 5 wins (1987, 1988, 1991, 1992 and 1993)
  • 24 Hours Nürburgring
    24 Hours Nürburgring

    The 24 Hours N?rburgring is a GT and touring car racing endurance racing event on the N?rburgring, inspired by the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Spa 24 Hours....
    ; 4 wins (1989 – 1992)
  • Spa 24 Hours
    Spa 24 Hours

    The Total 24 Hours of Spa is an endurance racing event held annually in Belgium at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Conceived by Jules de Their and Henri Langlois Van Ophem just one year after the first 24 Hours of Le Mans, the race was run under the auspices of the Royal Automobile Club Belgium ....
    ; 4 wins (1987, 1988, 1990 and 1992)


Production contemporary reviews

The E30 M3 was met with rave reviews during its introduction and production. Even today, it is well-regarded within the automotive press and fondly remembered as one of the most exciting BMWs ever produced.

E36 M3


The E36 M3 débuted in February, 1992 and hit the dealers`showrooms in November that year; it was the first M3 powered by a six-cylinder engine, displacing 2990 cc and developing . Initially available as a coupé
Coupé

A coup? or coupe is a closed car body style, the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time. Coup?s are often hardtopped sports cars or sporty variants of sedan body styles, with doors commonly reduced from 4 to 2, and a Close-coupled sedan interior offering either two seats or 2+2 seating ....
 only, BMW introduced M3 convertible/cabriolet and saloon/sedan versions in 1994. The E36 is also the first M3 to be manufactured in right-hand drive.

Also in 1994, BMW produced the limited-edition M3 GT as a racing homologation special; all GTs were British Racing Green and featured an upgraded 3.0 liter engine. 350 GTs were built.

In summer, 1995 M3 coupé and saloon were upgraded to a 3.2 liter inline-6; at the same time, the cars received clear indicator lenses, new wheels and a 6-speed gearbox. The Cabriolet did not receive these changes until spring 1996.

All E36 M3s were built in BMW`s Regensburg
Regensburg

Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen River rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube....
 factory; in total, 46,525 coupés, 12,114 Cabriolets and 12,603 saloons were produced. Saloon production ended in December, 1997; the coupé ceased production in late 1998; and the Cabriolet in December, 1999.

North American models

The first E36 M3 to be imported to the United States was the 1995 model, which received a 3.0 L 24-valve DOHC inline-six engine with and (S50B30US
BMW M50

The BMW M50 is an Straight-6 piston engine. It was introduced in March 1989 to replace the BMW M20 and was replaced by the BMW M52 in 1994. Displacement ranges from 2.0 L to 3.2 L....
), a different suspension and a 0- time in about 6 seconds. It was available with 5-speed manual
Manual transmission

A manual transmission is a type of Transmission used in automotive applications. It generally utilizes a driver-operated clutch operated by a pedal or lever, for regulating torque transfer from the engine to the transmission, and a gear-shift either operated by hand or by foot ....
 and automatic transmission
Automatic transmission

An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manual transmission....
s.

A CSL (Lightweight) M3 was produced in limited numbers for the 1995 model year:

The 1996-1999 model years had displacement bumped up to 3.2 L, still with , but torque increases to which is the same S52B32US
BMW M52

The BMW M52 is a Straight 6 piston engine. Displacement ranges from 2000 cc to 3200 cc. It is a DOHC 24-valve engine, originally introduced with VANOS Variable Valve Timing....
 engine used in the early M Roadster
BMW M Roadster

The BMW M Roadster is the BMW M performance model of the BMW Z3 and BMW Z4 convertibles. It was produced between 1998 and 2002 and again beginning in 2006....
 and M Coupe
BMW M Coupe

The BMW M Coupe is a Shooting-brake styled high-performance automobile produced by BMW. As of February 2009, two generations of the M Coupe have been manufcatured, one based on the BMW Z3 Coupe and the second off of the BMW Z4 Coupe....
. The manual gearbox remains a 5-speed despite the European versions being upgraded to 6-speed. The 1996+ model is known for being more difficult to tune for performance, due to slightly smaller intake manifold runners and more complicated electronics (OBD-II). It was also available as a sedan starting in model year 1997, and as convertible
Convertible

A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different car body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form....
 in 1998. Production of the sedan was halted in 1998, while the other models continued until 1999.

US sales figures include a total of 18,961 coupes, 7,760 sedans and 6,211 convertibles.

Performance

VersionPower0-60 mphTop Speed
3.0 L-24v I6
Straight-6

The straight-6 or inline-6 engine is a six cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
Euro
5.4 s
(electronically limited)
U.S.
5.6 s
(electronically limited)
3.2 L-24v I6
Euro
5.2 s
(electronically limited)
U.S.
5.5 s
(electronically limited)
The E36 M3 was also available as a saloon in the UK for a limited period during 1995-6, during which around 400 RHD models were sold in the UK. This variation had slightly softer suspension but could be purchased with the firmer coupe set-up if the customer wished. Performance figures did not change with the standard (more than the US model by some margin). The 3.2 Evo was introduced with .

Special Models

There were six special-edition models of the E36 M3 produced: the M3 Euro-Spec (Canadian Edition), M3 CSL (M3 LTW), M3 GT, M3 GT-R, M3-R and the Imola Individual GT2 (the last of the E36s)

There was also an M3 Anniversary Edition only produced in 1999 for Australia. This was the final year of production for the mighty E36, with only 50 coupes and 70 convertibles being made. Furthermore, "BMW Individual" were able to custom design an M3 with specific coloured leather, woodgrain and other personalized options including polished magnesium alloy wheels from the Anniversary edition. Convertibles lacked the sports seats found in the coupe but retained every other feature.

M3 Euro-Spec (Canadian Edition)
In 1994 agreements existed between Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 and several countries in Europe which allowed any car authorized in one participating country to legally be sold in any of the others. Though BMW had unveiled the next generation E36 M3 in Europe in 1992, the company felt that the production version would need to be priced much higher for export to North America than the market would allow. While the engineers worked on a less expensive North American version of the E36 M3, BMW Canada seized the window of opportunity: 45 numbered European specification M3 coupes were specially produced and imported into Canada.

Even with a base price of $59,900 (a substantial sum for the day given that the standard equipment list did not include forged lightweight wheels, air conditioning, a sunroof or even metallic paint), all 45 cars were spoken for in just 3 days. Unlike the other special versions of the E36 M3, buyers were free to choose any colors and options they wanted on their cars. The cars all came equipped with the 3.0 L inline 6 cylinder engine, vented brakes with floating rotors, glass headlights and other European standard equipment. They were initially delivered to Toronto
Toronto

Toronto is the List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population in Canada and the Provinces and territories of Canada Provincial and territorial capitals of Canada of Ontario....
, then shipped all across the country to the dealerships where they were ordered.

Canada would not see another E36 M3 for sale until two years later, when BMW finally made the American versions of the 1997 M3 available for sale. Forty five Euro-Spec Canadian Edition cars were built, each one having a numbered engraved plaque in both the glovebox and the custom leather case which holds the owners manuals. Only the Australian M3-R was built in lower numbers.

M3 CSL (E36)
Beginning with the first E36 M3s delivered, BMW racers began pressuring BMW for a race-ready version with which to compete against Porsche 911
Porsche 911

The Porsche 911 is a sports car made by Porsche Aktiengesellschaft of Stuttgart, Germany. The famous, distinctive, and durable design is notable for being rear engined like the Porsche-designed Volkswagen Beetle it had been based on....
s in sports-car racing.

In 1995, BMW relented and began building batches of the M3 CSL at BMW Individual. Upon completion they were sent to Prototype Technology Group (PTG) Racing in Virginia for final preparation, which included the front and rear Motorsport flag decals, and "trunk goodies." In the boot there was a different oil pan with dual pick up oil pump, longer oil dipstick tube, front strut bar, lower x brace that owners could install at the risk of voiding the standard BMW warranty. The car also came with the normal M3 low wing mounted but most dealers installed the special high wing when prepping the car for sale. A adjustable front lower lip/spoiler was installed. Each new owner was given a 1 page legal document to sign stating that any installation of trunk items voided the new car warranty. The ECU had the top speed limiter removed which resulted in a drag induced top speed. Forged 17" alloy wheels, 7-1/2" wide in the front and 8-1/2" wide in the rear, mounted with identically sized 235/40-17 tires front and rear were an additional difference from the standard 17" x 7-1/2" wide cast alloy wheels mounted with 235/40-17 tires on standard M3's. A 3.23 rear differential was installed vs the normal 3.15 installed in 1995 model year M3's.

There is a minor controversy in which some people believe the M3 CSL should not be called an M3 CSL (referring to the famous 3.0 CSL
BMW E9

The BMW New Six CS is the two-door sport coup? in BMW's BMW New Six line, produced from 1968 to 1975 alongside the four-door BMW E3 sedan.It featured BMW M30 straight-6 engines of 2.5, 2.8 and 3.0 litres in road cars, with larger units used in racing....
), but rather an M3 Lightweight, as that was the name that BMW advertised the car as.

While it is true that BMW's press referred to the car as the M3 Lightweight, each M3 CSL's build sheet (the instructions from BMW AG to BMW Individual) clearly labeled the car as an M3 CSL, so there can be no doubt that the factory itself thought of the car as a CSL. In addition, the additional manual that came with the car identified it as the CSL.

This controversy can perhaps be attributed to the fact that the English translation of CSL is Coupé Sports Lightweight.

Although BMW promised to build at least 85 examples, BMW never released the number of M3 CSL's built, and because of the peculiar assembly line, to this day may not be known. However, enthusiasts now believe that there exist approximately 120 models.

The first two cars, which were used as press cars, are not technically M3 CSL's as they were regular production M3's that PTG made similar in appearance to the not-yet-built CSL. After press duties, those two cars were brought back into the PTG stable.

Racing History

In an ironic twist, the car that BMW built to race was hardly raced.

Outside of multiple cars raced in the BMW CCA Club Racing series (an amateur series specific only to BMW models) PTG had between two to four models that they raced in IMSA
International Motor Sports Association

The International Motor Sports Association is an United States auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from William France Sr....
. It seems that one of those cars was sold to Jeff McMillian, in which he won the SCCA World Challenge series, without winning a single race. One was raced in the SCCA's Touring 1 class by John Browne, and one or two may have been raced in the extinct Motorola Cup.

M3 GT
The M3 GT Coupe was a limited-edition mainland Europe only edition of which 356 were made, 50 further M3 GT Individuals were made in right-hand drive for the UK market. All built in 1995.

Famous for being British Racing Green with a Mexico Green interior - a peculiar choice when the traditional German national racing colors were white with red numbers.

The BMW M3 GT was a homologation series special built to allow the E36 M3 to compete in the FIA-GT class II, IMSA GT and international longdistance races.

M3 Evolution Imola Individual (M3 GT2)
The M3 Evolution Imola Individual was a limited-edition (200 units for Europe with part VIN WBACB5103-AN307--, 50 for the United Kingdom) car sometimes referred to as the M3 GT2. The engine and performance characteristics of the car were unchanged from the 1996+ euro M3, and a special exterior and interior colour combination was once again chosen by BMW; Imola red (405) paint with Nappa leather & Amaretto seats in Imola red and anthracite seats. It also included side airbags, the M3 GT Bi-Plane rear spoiler, front corner spoiler extensions, electric seats, and polished alloy wheels.

M3-R
Fifteen M3's were ordered by BMW Australia in 1994 to race in the Australian Super Production series. All were delivered to Frank Gardner Racing
Frank Gardner (driver)

Frank Gardner is a former racing driver from Australia. He is best known as a Touring car racing and Sports car racing driver. He also participated in nine World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 11 July 1964....
  for final preparation. 11 were made available to the general public, (who have to possess a CAMS license to be allowed to buy one), 4 were retained for the race series, the M3R had locally sourced King springs fitted to group n adjustable struts and rear perches, AP racing twin plate clutch and 4 piston brake calipers, dual pickup sump, an oil restrictor in the head, A C Schnitzer cams, a 3.25:1 ratio medium case diff and M5 driveshaft, cold air snorkel into air filter box replacing left hand fog light, non functional rear seat, air conditioner delete and more aggressive tune, GT front splitter and rear spoiler with extensions and gurney strips. this was the most powerful production E36 made with . a bolt in FIA approved roll cage was also a factory option (locally produced by Dencar)there were several differences between the cars depending on customer requirements, early numbers had non staggered BBS wheels, later had staggered BBS wheels (individually numbered plaque fitted to centre console below emergency brake lever)

M3 compact
To celebrate the 50th birthday of the German automobile magazine Auto Motor und Sport in 1996, BMW M GmbH handbuilt (at least) one official BMW E36 M3 compact. The car was tested and written an article about in the June edition of the named magazine.

The car embodied all the technical (engine, driveline, suspension) and optical (bumpers, wheels, mirrors, dashboard) characteristics of the stock E36 M3. It was powered by the 321 DIN-hp 3.2-litre engine, and its color was red with a black cloth/alcantara interior. It had the forged Styling 24M 5-doublespoke wheels that came standard on the M3 cabriolet, an exhaust with fairly centered quad exhaust tip, Recaro sports bucket seats, red four-point seatbelts and an alcantara wrapped steering wheel and gear lever. For some reason, BMW M GmbH removed the front fog lights.

The car was donated to the automobile magazine, but there are no details of the car's present whereabouts.

Accolades

The E36 M3 is considered one of the best-handling cars of all time, and was in fact named "Best-Handling Car Ever – at any Price" by Car and Driver
Car and Driver

Car and Driver is an United States automobile enthusiast magazine. Its total Magazine circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hachette Filipacchi M?dias....
 in 1997.

The E36 M3 was also known for exceptional fuel economy in such a high performance car, particularly the North American version.

E46 M3


The E46 M3, first introduced in October, 2000, appeared worldwide with the new 3.2 L S54B32
BMW M54

The BMW M54 is a straight-6 engine, debuting in the year 2000. It is an evolution of the BMW M52. The engine has VANOS variable valve timing to adjust timing of both intake and exhaust valves....
 engine. At the time of the car's introduction, this engine had the highest specific output
List of automotive superlatives

This page lists Wiktionary:superlatives of the automobile industry - that is, the smallest, largest, fastest, lightest, best-selling, and other such topics....
 naturally aspirated
Naturally-aspirated engine

A naturally-aspirated engine is a piston engine internal combustion engine that depends solely on atmospheric pressure to draw in combustion air....
 engine ever made by BMW, producing and .

The first batch of E46 M3s delivered were Laguna Seca Blue. The available SMG
SMG

The initials SMG may refer to:* Boston University School of Management* Super Mario Galaxy, a video game for Wii featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario...
 Drivelogic (also known as SMG II) transmission, a Formula 1-style electrohydraulic manual gearbox with no clutch pedal and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, is also a highlight. The model also came with a new 6-speed transmission and red-line RPM of 8000, a first for any BMW. The engine also consisted of 6 independent throttle bodies and electronically driven throttles (without a cable).

In the US, the E46 finally comes with virtually the same engine output as the European version, unlike in the E36 where it was heavily detuned. Power is now at , five down on the German model due to an extra catalytic converter in the downpipe.

Performance

The M3's S54 naturally aspirated engine produces more than per litre (340 hp/3.2 litre).

EUR Models @ 7900 rpm
  • Torque: @ 4900 rpm
  • 0- — 4.6 seconds for manual, 4.7 seconds for SMG, 5.1 seconds for cabriolet
  • 1/4 Mile — 13.3 s @
  • Top Speed:
  • Skid Pad: 0.98g


US Models /
  • 0-60 mph — 4.5/4.8 seconds (new/40k 6-speed Manual)[car & driver 3/03], 5.0/4.8 Seconds (auto/manual SMG)[car & driver 7/02]
  • 1/4 Mile — 13.3 s @
  • Top Speed: (electronically limited)
  • Top Speed: (delimited and indicated, real speed is )
  • Skid Pad: 0.98g


Cabriolet / Convertible model 1/4 Mile ± 0.5 sec

Special Models

There are three different E46 M3s produced: Model M3 (Sport, Winter, Competition), The M3 CSL, and the M3 GTR V8 (limited production).

M3 GTR
An E46 GTR came to life on February 2001, powered by a 4000 cc V8 producing (race version—street version produced . Unlike the straight-six powered M3 versions, which were outpaced by the Porsche 996
Porsche 996

The Porsche 996 is the company's internal name for the version of the Porsche 911 model manufactured and sold between 1998 and 2005. It has since been replaced by the Porsche 997....
 GT3, the racing version of the E46 M3 GTR 16 was very successful in the American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series

The American Le Mans Series is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance racing and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans....
 (ALMS), entered by Schnitzer Motorsport
Schnitzer Motorsport

Schnitzer Motorsport is a successful Motorsport Team based in Freilassing near Munich, Germany. In the last years, they mainly competed as BMW Team Germany in the World Touring Car Championship with drivers J?rg M?ller and Augusto Farfus who moved from Alfa Romeo during the winter leading up to the 2007 season....
. Rivals such as Porsche
Porsche

Porsche SE or Porsche is a Germany automotive industry of luxury vehicle automobiles, which is majority-owned by the Porsche family and Pi?ch families....
 pointed out that this car was more of a prototype
Prototype

A prototype is an original type, form, or instance of something serving as a typical example, basis, or standard for other things of the same category....
 as no V8 engine was available in the road-going BMW E46, which is in violation of the spirit of Gran Turismo. In 2001, ALMS regulations stated that cars must be for sale on two continents within twelve months of the rules being issued. To fulfill this rule, BMW put 10 road going GTRs on sale after the 2001 season, for 250,000 euros (then $218,000) each, allegedly only available for select customers.

Due to this, the ALMS rules were altered for 2002 to state that 100 cars and 1000 engines must be built for the car to qualify without penalties. Although BMW could have raced the V8
V8 engine

A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinder s mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
 with the new weight and power penalties under these new regulations, they chose to pull out of the ALMS, effectively ending the short-lived M3 GTR's career.

Two Schnitzer Motorsport
Schnitzer Motorsport

Schnitzer Motorsport is a successful Motorsport Team based in Freilassing near Munich, Germany. In the last years, they mainly competed as BMW Team Germany in the World Touring Car Championship with drivers J?rg M?ller and Augusto Farfus who moved from Alfa Romeo during the winter leading up to the 2007 season....
 GTR cars saw a comeback in 2003 at the 24 Hours Nürburgring
24 Hours Nürburgring

The 24 Hours N?rburgring is a GT and touring car racing endurance racing event on the N?rburgring, inspired by the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Spa 24 Hours....
, winning 1-2 in 2004 and 2005, as well as entries in the 24 Hours Spa. Onboard coverage recorded in 2004 Hans-Joachim Stuck, Pedro Lamy
Pedro Lamy

Jos? Pedro Lamy Mourao Vi?oso, Order of Infante D. Henrique, better known as Pedro Lamy, Pronunciation , is a professional racing driver from Portugal, notable for being the first Portuguese driver to score a point in a World Championship event, in the 1995 Australian Grand Prix, for Minardi....
, Jörg Müller
Jörg Müller

J?rg M?ller is a Germany race driver, driving for BMW in the World Touring Car Championship ....
 & Dirk Müller
Dirk Müller

Dirk M?ller is a Germany race driver, driving for Tafel Racing in the 2008 American Le Mans Series. His former Schnitzer Motorsport team-mate J?rg M?ller is unrelated, as is French driver Yvan Muller....
 on the Nürburgring
Nürburgring

The N?rburgring, simply known as "The Ring" by enthusiasts, is a motorsport race track in N?rburg, Germany. It was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of N?rburg in the Eifel, which is about south of Cologne, and northwest of Frankfurt....
 and Spa-Francorchamps.

Private teams (Scheid, Getrag
Getrag

Getrag is a leading manufacturer of automobile manual transmissions. The company was founded on 1 May, 1935 in Ludwigsburg, Germany by Hermann Hagenmeyer as the Getriebe- und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer AG ....
, etc.) also have fit 4000 cc BMW V8 engines into the E46 body to race on the Nürburgring
Nürburgring

The N?rburgring, simply known as "The Ring" by enthusiasts, is a motorsport race track in N?rburg, Germany. It was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of N?rburg in the Eifel, which is about south of Cologne, and northwest of Frankfurt....
, winning some VLN
VLN

Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal N?rburgring, or The Association of Organisers of the Endurance racing on the N?rburgring are the organisers of a ten-race series held on the N?rburgring....
 races in the last years.

M3 CSL (E46)
BMW made a limited run (less than 1,400 units) of the M3 CSL (E46) machines between June and December 2003. The CSL (Coupe Sport Lightweight) received an aggressive weight reduction campaign, more power (up to 360 hp), and sharper handling characteristics than the standard M3, courtesy of larger anti-roll bars, stiffer spring rates, and semi-slick
Slick tire

A slick tyre is a type of Tire that has no tread pattern, used mostly in auto racing. The first production "slick tyre" was developed by a company called in the early 1950s....
 racing compound tires (Michelin Pilot Sport Cups). From the exterior, the CSL is distinguished from its standard sibling with a different wheel design, larger integrated rear spoiler
Spoiler (automotive)

A spoiler is an Automotive aerodynamics device whose intended design function is to 'spoil' unfavorable air movement across a body of a vehicle in motion....
 and a large air intake hole on the left side of the front bumper. Weight loss was achieved through use of a carbon-fiber roof, trunk lid made of sheet molding compound, lighter exhaust manifold, thinner rear glass, carbon fiber front bumper, rear diffuser, interior door panels and console, lightweight racing seats, removed sound insulation, and the removal of side air bags. The M3 CSL's engine differs from the M3 with different camshafts, carbon-fiber intake manifold and alpha-N engine management. Several other features available in a regular M3 as standard such as air conditioning and radio were also deleted, although these options could be added at the request of the owner. SMG II sequential manual gearbox was made standard. Owing to the small production run and the complications and expense of clearing DOT
Department of Transportation

The Department of Transportation is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. The largest is the United States Department of Transportation, which oversees interstate travel....
 and EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an List of United States federal agencies of the federal government of the United States charged to Regulation of chemicals and protect human health by safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land....
 standards for the North American market, BMW never exported the CSL to the United States, although some parts from it were later made available on the regular M3 as part of an optional Competition Package.

While the CSL was comparable in performance to the Ferrari 360
Ferrari 360

The Ferrari 360 is a mid-engine two-seater sports car produced from late 1999 until 2005. The 360 replaced the Ferrari F355 and was itself replaced by the fairly similar Ferrari F430....
 at half the price, this version of the M3 is often criticized as being too racing-oriented and significantly more expensive than the standard model. With its design so highly focused on weight loss the CSL became less of the "every day car" that the M3 is known for. Another criticism was the unavailability of a manual gearbox as some purists did not find the SMG as satisfying as a traditional stick-shift. Aftermarket tuners like AC Schnitzer
AC Schnitzer

AC Schnitzer Automobile Technik is a third party tuning company based in Aachen, Germany specializing in BMW and BMW MINI cars, as well as BMW motorcycles....
 have also tweaked regular M3s to perform like the CSL, but at a much lower cost.

M3 Competition Package
While it is known as the M3 Competition Package in the US and mainland Europe, it is also known as the M3 CS (Club Sport) in the UK.

Although the M3 CSL was never exported to the United States, for MY2005 BMW introduced an M3 Competition Package in both Europe and the US (a.k.a. CS/Club Sport in the UK): a $4,000 option which offered a number of upgrades taken from M3 CSL. The package includes:

  • 19-inch BBS
    BBS Kraftfahrzeugtechnik AG

    BBS Kraftfahrzeugtechnik Aktiengesellschaft is a high performance automobile wheel design company headquartered in Schiltach, Germany. BBS serves North America through BBS of America, located in Braselton, Georgia, adjacent to the Road Atlanta Racetrak....
     spin-cast (flow formed) alloy wheels (marketed as "forged")
  • Specially tuned spring rates for the Competition Package; this was carried over to all M3 production from 12/04 on.
  • CSL steering rack: More direct steering ratio of 14.5:1 (vs. standard M3's 15.4:1)
  • CSL's M-Track Mode DSC with a button mounted on the steering wheel (deletion of cruise control and steering wheel mounted radio/phone controls)
  • CSL's Compound cross-drilled rotors; larger front rotor of 13.6 inches (from 12.6 inches) with black painted calipers
  • Alcantara
    Alcantara (material)

    Alcantara is the name given to a composite material used to cover surfaces and forms in a variety of situations and applications.The material was developed in the 1970s by Miyoshi Okamoto, a scientist working for the Japanese chemical company Toray ....
     steering wheel, gear lever and hand brake
  • Interlagos Blue exterior paint available as an exclusive color option.
  • Unique cube aluminum interior trim


E90/92/93 M3


The fourth generation BMW M3 was announced on the 2007 Geneva Auto Show (Switzerland, March 6-18th, 2007) with the BMW M3 concept. As was the case with the E46 M3 Concept and E60 M5 Concept, the M3 Concept hid almost nothing of the looks of the production version, that had its world premiere on the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show IAA (Germany, September 13th to 23rd).

Just as the previous M3 generations all introduced a completely new engine, the fourth generation M3 did the same: the BMW S65
BMW S65

The S65 is a naturally-aspirated engine DOHC 32-valve automobile V8 engine from BMW.Derived from the BMW S85 V10 engine used in the BMW M5/BMW M6, it shares the same basic architecture and aluminium construction....
 engine was introduced. This S65B40 is a naturally aspirated, high revving 4-litre V8 (based on the S85B50 5-litre V10 that powers the E60/E61 M5 and the E63/E64 M6 to date) delivers at 8,300 rpm and peak torque is at 3,900 rpm, which represents a power increase of 22% over the E46 M3. The engine weighs less than the outgoing six cylinder for a total weight of . A six-speed manual transmission is standard. As from April 2008, BMW offers a new double-clutch gearbox, called M-DKG (Doppel-Kupplungs-Getriebe) or M-DCT
Twin-clutch Gearbox

A twin-clutch gearbox, double clutch transmission or dual clutch transmission is a semi-automatic transmission with separate clutches for odd and even gears....
 (Double Clutch Transmission) as an option, which reduces shift pauses to less than a tenth of a second and shortens the car's 0- sprint time by 0.2 seconds vs. manual. It features both automatic and manual modes in a manner similar to the SMG gearboxes in the E36 and E46. The E92 M3 coupe inherits the carbon-fiber roof from the E46 CSL as part of the weight-saving program. For 2009, the E9x M3 received the same revisions as the non-M 3 series. The changes include revised front and rear bumpers, and LED tail lights.

The new M3 is once again available as a 4-door sedan, based on the E90 3-Series, but unlike the regular models, this car shares the coupe's front end, including headlights. However, it does not get the 2-door's carbon-fiber roof. The E93 hardtop convertible version joins the lineup shortly after the E92's launch, while an E91 wagon is due in the first quarter of 2009. A CSL lightweight version is heavily debated and longed for amongst car enthusiasts, and cars suspected to be the new M3 CSL have already been spotted at the famous Nordschleife (North Loop) of the German Nürburgring
Nürburgring

The N?rburgring, simply known as "The Ring" by enthusiasts, is a motorsport race track in N?rburg, Germany. It was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of N?rburg in the Eifel, which is about south of Cologne, and northwest of Frankfurt....
.

BMW M
BMW M

BMW M GmbH is a subsidiary of German car manufacturer BMW AG. Established in May 1972 with just eight employees, it grew to 400 employees by 1988....
otorsport announced in February 2008 that Rahal Letterman Racing
Rahal Letterman Racing

Rahal Letterman Racing is an auto racing team that currently races in the IndyCar Series. It is co-owned by 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal and television talk show host and comedian David Letterman and is based in Hilliard, Ohio....
 will campaign two factory-backed E92 M3s in the American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series

The American Le Mans Series is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance racing and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans....
 in 2009, following a two-year absence by the brand.

Performance

  • 0-: 4.4 - 4.5 seconds for E92 Coupe/ 4.5 - 4.7 seconds for E90 Sedan / 5.1 - 5.3 seconds for E93 Convertible
  • 1/4 mile: 12.7 seconds @
  • Top Speed: indicated/ electronically limited
  • Skid Pad: 0.98 g
  • Slalom:


BMW M3 Challenge

The "BMW M3 challenge" is a freeware racing game developed by BMW for simulation and entertainment purposes. The PC
Personal computer

A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator....
 game includes single and multi-player modes.

Developed by Blimey! Games and 10tacle Studios in cooperation with BMW engineers, it is a car simulation that reproduces real life car physics such as body roll
Body roll

On wheeled or tracked vehicles, body roll is a reference to the load transfer of a vehicle towards the outside of a turn. When a vehicle is fitted with a Suspension , it works to keep the wheels or tracked vehicle in contact with the road, providing grip for the driver of vehicle to control its direction....
 and skidding.

It allows the player to perform advanced driving maneuvers such as feathering the brakes, moderating the clutch engagement level, or using lower gears to slow down the engine, thereby decreasing speed.

BMW M3 Challenge features a drivable representation of the GP portion of the famous Nürburgring
Nürburgring

The N?rburgring, simply known as "The Ring" by enthusiasts, is a motorsport race track in N?rburg, Germany. It was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of N?rburg in the Eifel, which is about south of Cologne, and northwest of Frankfurt....
 German race track.

External links

  • 2008 Chicago Auto Show: BMW M3 Race Version
  • BMW M3 Coupé international website