The BMW M3 will always hold a special place in the heart of car lovers the world over. What was essentially a humble mass-production compact car was transformed into one of the most iconic track machines of all time. Simply put, this car is one of the greats.
It has been three decades since the first generation of the M3 rolled out of the factory. Since then, the seemingly no-nonsense two-door coupe with the flared wheel arches and the additional horsepower has given way to five iterations. To mark this significant milestone, BMW will roll out an exclusive "30 Years M3" variant later this year.
The model pays tribute to the original car by donning the then-optional Macao Blue exterior finish. The color blends nicely with some touches that are straight out of the production M3’s Competition Package. This includes front fender gills with the words "30 Years M3," as well as BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line accents found on chrome-black exhaust tailpipes. The outer mods are capped off by forged M star-spoke alloy wheels with 265/30 R20 tires up front and 285/30R20 rubber out back.
The special treatment makes its way into the interior as well, via the aforementioned "30 Years M3" moniker seen on the front doorsills and the driver and passenger headrests. The dashboard’s carbon-fiber trim bears the same wording, this time along with the designation 1/500--an indication of which of the 500 exclusive units you own. Finally, occupants will revel in Merino leather-wrapped M sports seats with contrast stitching.
Just like the first-gen E30 M3, the latest model is all about increased performance. The 30 Years M3 produces up to 450hp--19hp more than the standard model. Mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox, it can sprint from rest to 100kph in just four seconds flat--0.1 tick faster than the production car. It's hard to imagine that the first M3 back in 1986 took 6.7 seconds to achieve this.
To handle all the power, the 30th-anniversary model gets new springs, stabilizers and dampers. BMW’s Motorsport division also tweaked the drive selector program to enhance the available Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes. Finally, the rear axle’s active M differential has been given improved traction and stability.
As mentioned above, only 500 lucky customers will get their hands on this milestone version once it hits showrooms later this year. We highly suggest you inquire with a local BMW dealer and reserve a unit. Performance cars don't get any more special than this one.
