Win a dashcam

BMW 3 Series
Overview
Manufacturer	BMW
Production	1975–present
Body and chassis
Class	Entry-level luxury car
Chronology
Predecessor	BMW 02 Series

The BMW 3 Series is an entry-level luxury car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975.

It is the successor to the 02 Series and has been produced in six different generations

The first generation of 3 Series was only available as a 2-door sedan, however the model range has since expanded to include a 4-door sedan, 2-door convertible, 2-door coupé, 5-door station wagon and 5-door hatchback body styles. In 2013, the coupé and convertible models started to be badged as 4 Series, therefore the 3 Series range no longer includes these body styles.

The 3 Series is BMW's best-selling model, accounting for around 30% of the BMW brand's annual total sales (excluding motorbikes). The BMW 3 Series has won numerous awards throughout its history.

The M version of the 3 series, M3, debuted with the E30 M3 in 1986.

Generations

The model codes for the six generations of the 3 Series are:

• E21: 1975–1981 Sedan (2-door only) and Cabriolet
• E30: 1982–1991 Sedan (2-door and 4-door), Cabriolet and Touring (also called Sports Wagon)
• E36: 1992–1998 Coupé, Sedan, Cabriolet, Compact and Touring
• E46: 1999–2005 Coupé, Sedan, Cabriolet, Compact and Touring
• E90: 2005–2011 Sedan. E91: 2005–2011 Touring. E92: 2006–2013 Coupé. E93: 2007–2013 Convertible
• F30: 2012–present Sedan. F31: 2012–present Touring. F34: 2013–present Gran Turismo

First generation (E21; 1975–1983)

BMW 3 Series (E21)
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door saloon 2-door cabrio
Layout	FR

The E21 replaced the 02 Series and was initially available as a 2-door sedan (also described as coupe).

At launch, all models used carburetted 4-cylinder engines, however fuel injected models were introduced in late 1975 and 6-cylinder engines were added in 1977. A cabriolet body style - manufactured by Baur - was available from 1978 to 1981.

Second generation (E30; 1982–1991)

BMW 3 Series (E30)
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door saloon 2-door convertible 4-door saloon 5-door touring
Layout	FR (most models) F4 (325iX only)
Related	BMW Z1

Initially, the E30 was produced solely in the two-door sedan body style. Four-door sedan models were introduced in 1983, convertibles were introduced in 1985 and estate ("Touring") models were introduced in 1987.

The E30 was the first 3 Series to be available in wagon and four-door sedan body styles. It was also the first 3 Series to offer a diesel engine, and all-wheel drive was introduced to the 3 Series range with the 325iX model. The BMW Z1 roadster was based on the E30 platform.

The first BMW M3 was built on the E30 platform. The E30 M3 is powered by the high-revving S14 four-cylinder petrol engine, which produced 175 kW (235 hp) in its final European-only iteration.

Third generation (E36; 1992–2000)

BMW 3 Series (E36)
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupé 2-door convertible 4-door saloon 5-door touring 3-door hatchback
Layout	FR layout
Related	BMW Z3

The E36 was sold in the following body styles: saloon, coupé, convertible, wagon (marketed as "Touring") and hatchback (marketed as "3 Series Compact").

The E36 was the first 3 Series to be offered in a hatchback body style. It was also the first 3 Series to be available with a 6-speed manual transmission (in the 1996 M3), a 5-speed automatic transmission and a four-cylinder diesel engine. The multi-link rear suspension was also a significant upgrade compared with previous generations of 3 Series.

The E36 was named in Car and Driver Magazine's 10Best list for every year it was on sale.

The M3 model is powered by the S50 and S52 straight-six engines. It was sold in coupe, sedan and convertible body styles.

The BMW Z3 roadster and coupe models were based on the E36 platform.

Fourth generation (E46; 1998–2006)

BMW 3 Series (E46)
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupé 2-door convertible 4-door saloon 5-door touring 3-door hatchback
Layout	FR (most models) F4 (xi models)
Related	BMW X3 BMW Compact

The E46 was sold in the following body styles: sedan, coupé, convertible, wagon (marketed as "Touring") and hatchback (marketed as"3 Series Compact.

The E46 generation introduced various electronic features to the 3 Series, including satellite navigation, electronic brake-force distribution, rain-sensing wipers and LED tail-lights. All-wheel drive, last available in the E30 3 Series, was reintroduced for the E46. It was available for the 325xi and 330xi sedan/wagon models. The E46 was the first 3 Series to be available with an engine using variable valve lift ("valvetronic").

The M3 version of the E46 was powered by the S54 straight-six engine and was available in coupé and convertible body styles. The transmissions available were a 6-speed manual or the 6-speed "SMG-II" sequential manual gearbox.

Fifth generation (E90/E91/E92/E93; 2005–2013)

BMW 3 Series (E90/E91/E92/E93)
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupé 2-door convertible 4-door saloon 5-door touring
Layout	FR (most models) F4 (xi models)
Related	BMW X3

The fifth generation 3 Series was produced in the sedan, wagon, coupé and cabriolet body styles. Due to the separate model codes for each body style, the term "E9X" is sometimes used to describe this generation of the 3 Series.

In 2006, the 335i became the first 3 Series model to be sold with a turbocharged petrol engine. The E90 also saw the introduction of run-flat tires to the 3 Series range. Consequently, cars with run-flats are not equipped with a spare tire.

The E90/E92/E93 M3 was powered by the BMW S65 v8 engine. It was released in 2007 and was produced in sedan, coupe and cabriolet body styles.

Sixth generation (F30/F31; 2011–present)

BMW 3 Series (F30/F31)
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door saloon 5-door touring 5-door fastback
Layout	FR (most models) F4 (xDrive models)
Related	BMW F32/F33 BMW F34

The F30/F31 has been produced in the sedan, station wagon and 5-door fastback ("Gran Turismo") body styles. A long wheelbase sedan is also available in China.

For the F30/F31 series, the coupe and convertible models were split from the 3 Series and sold as the BMW 4 Series. There are two additional 5-door body styles: a taller fastback marketed as the 3 Series Gran Turismo (F34), and a lower to the ground liftback called the 4 Series Gran Coupe (F36).

The F30/F31 was the first time that the entire 3 Series range used turbocharged engines. In 2016, a plug-in hybrid drivetrain was first used in the 3 Series, in the 330e model. Also in 2016, a 3-cylinder engine was used for the first time in a 3 Series.

The M3 version (designated F80, the first time an M3 has used a separate model designation) was released in 2014 and is powered by the S55 twin-turbo straight-6 engine.

M version

The M3 is the most powerful version of the 3 Series, developed by BMW's in-house motorsport division, BMW M.

M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46, E90/E92/E93, and F30 3 series, and sold with coupe, saloon and convertible body styles. Upgrades over the "standard" 3-Series automobiles include more powerful and responsive engines, improved handling/suspension/braking systems, aerodynamic body enhancements, lightweight components, and interior/exterior accents with the tri-colour "M" (Motorsport) emblem.

The last M3 coupe was produced in Germany on 5 July 2013, replaced by the F82/F83 M4 Coupe and convertible starting with the 2015 model year, but the M3 name remains in use for the saloon version.

Awards and recognition

The 3 Series has been on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list 22 times, from 1992 through 2014, making it the longest running entry in the list. In their December 2009 issue, Grassroots Motorsports magazine named the BMW 3 Series as the second-most important performance car built during the previous 25 years.

Production and sales

Calendar year	Total production	US sales
1995		54,720
1996		50,248
1997	337,800	-
1998	376,900	-
1999	454,000	77,138
2000	509,007	89,681
2001	533,952	103,227
2002	561,249	115,428
2003	528,358	111,944
2004	449,732	106,549
2005	434,342	106,950
2006	508,479	120,180
2007	555,219	142,490
2008	474,208	112,464
2009	397,103	90,960
2010	399,009	100,910
2011	384,464	94,371
2012	406,752	99,602
2013	500,332	119,521*
2014	480,214	142,232*
2015	444,338	140,609*
2016	411,844	106,221*

* includes 4-series