Modernity is embodied by it. Wider, more rigid, more civilized, the E36 retains rear-wheel drive and a 6-cylinder engine at the heart of the driving experience. Less raw than the E30, but more efficient and stable, it accompanies BMW into the 1990s without abruptly breaking with its sporting DNA.
Larger and more dynamic than previous versions, the third generation of the 3 Series, known as the E36, arrived in early 1990. Produced for almost 10 years, it once again came in a variety of body styles: saloon, estate and cabriolet. A coupé and a Compact version (22cm shorter) completed the range. The M3 (M for Motorsport) was also introduced in 1992, with a 3.0-litre in-line 6-cylinder engine producing 286bhp, later replaced by a 321bhp 3.2-litre unit! This fabulous M version was the first to be fitted with dual variable valve timing (VANOS) on the intake and exhaust, giving it unrivalled engine power and torque at all engine speeds. Production of the M3 ended in 1999, with 71,000 examples of this ultra-sporty car sold. The last BMW E36s rolled off the production line in 2001.
