E30
December 21st, 2010 by NZ Classic Car
From the first E30 to the most recent E92, BMW’s M3 has never stopped evolving and never stopped seeking automotive perfection. It’s transitioned from the light, small, and motorsports-intended E30 M3 to larger, more powerful, and built equally for street and track, but some common traits remain. Where those traits lie and how strong they realistically still are is a topic of much debate, but this video included below sheds some light the development of this motoring icon. Choosing to dwell mostly on the classic E30 M3 the video shows off some racing footage and explains how the E30 laid the groundwork for the other M3s to come.
Click the box below to watch the video. Read the rest of this entry »
December 3rd, 2009 by NZ Classic Car
The ’80s was a decade best remembered for The Cosby Show, shoulder pads, yuppies, Pac-man, the birth of the CD and let’s not forget the mobile phone.
It was during that time as well that a new beast was being born in Germany — one which would dominate the sports coupe market for more than 20 years.
In 1986, BMW’s Motorsport division was champing at the bit to take its E30 3 Series racing in the world touring car championship, which was open principally to stock production cars. At that time the popular German and European touring car championships were held under the Group A regulations, which stated that a car could only be homologated if at least 5000 examples had been built within a 12—month period. This meant BMW not only had to build a new racing car, but also a homologation special for the street. And while the rules dictated that race cars had to be designed as street-legal as possible, the M Division developed and unleashed a legitimate track monster — the original E30 BMW M3.
Read the rest of this entry »May 10th, 2009 by NZ Classic Car
An excellent soft-cover offering from reprint specialist Brooklands. However, this is not a series of reprints but a specially commissioned restoration and maintenance guide for the E30 cars. And, with the E30 BMWs now becoming very affordable, many of these cars are now within the scope of enthusiasts who would rather maintain their cars at home rather than through the expensive BMW service agents.
Everett identifies all the models within the E30 range, then starts with tips on selecting a sound car and how to set up a proper maintenance schedule, before embarking on a series of comprehensive chapters covering suspension, brakes, electrical, engine and interior restoration. There is even a section on engine modification. A very useful adjunct to a standard service manual, the strength of this book is in its detailed explanations — anyone who has read the phrase, ‘installation is a reverse of the removal process’ in their official service manual will instantly be able to gauge the value of the additional information contained within this book’s pages.
BMW E30 3 Series Restoration Bible by Andrew Everett
Review book supplied by Techbooks
Review by Allan Walton
February 25th, 2008 by NZ Classic Car
Words: Darren Cottingham Photos: Adam Croy
The E30 M3 put the fear of the devil into Mercedes-Benz and Ford in 1987, but how does it compare with the fourth-generation E92 M3?
Back in 1985, Eberhard von Kuenheim, chairman of the board of management of BMW, was itching to use BMW’s success in Formula 1 with the BMW Brabham to create a 3 Series that would put the fear of the devil into Mercedes-Benz and Ford in Group A racing.
Paul Rosche, BMW’s technical director, was the man for the job — he’d designed the turbocharged engine that helped Nelson Piquet win the F1 World Championship in 1983.
Rosche wasted no time in checking the right components were available to create a high output 2.0-litre engine that would be strong and reliable in long distance races. Read the rest of this entry »
