Is the first always the greatest? Whether in film, music or cars, it’s a topic often discussed.
Take the BMW M3. The original, E30-generation car is quite different from the current, sixth-generation one, and it was hailed as “perhaps the most successful homologation road/race car offered to date” on these pages in its initial 1987 test.
Produced to meet Group A motorsport regulations, the first M3 was built primarily in 2+2 coupé form. It gained flared box arches, improved aero and a dog-leg fivespeed manual transmission among many other go-faster additions over its standard sibling, with the cherry on top being a 200bhp 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine.
In the end, BMW met the regulation minimum of 5000 road cars sold within its first year and went on to sell over 10,000 more examples before it ceased production in 1991. What’s more, the race car M3 dominated touring car events, as well as winning the Nürburgring 24 Hours five times and the Spa 24 Hours four times. A rally version was also introduced, although it wasn’t quite as successful in its respective motorsport discipline.
With the looks, performance and history to make it a certified icon, the M3 must be a good drive, right? Well, it’s certainly a far cry from the latest, much larger, heavier and more powerful iteration. It weighs only around 1200kg, for starters, and is solely a rear-wheel-drive, manual-only machine. Its engine, being naturally aspirated, is eager to rev to its 7250rpm redline and it makes a characterful four-pot engine note as you do so.
It isn’t lighting quick by modern standards – 0-60mph takes 7.0sec and its top speed is 146mph – but the M3’s pièce de résistance is its handling. Its chassis is sublime and the car feels precise and predictable. The suspension is also well judged, and it remains composed over bumps and around corners. Combine that with an excellent driving position and communicative controls and you’ve got yourself a true driver’s car.
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IIRC the 4 cylinder engine from these is a directly cut down version of the 3.6 M1 race/supercar straight six engine that went into the original M5 after the "M1 race series" got cancelled.