Bavaria’s recipe for tasty but forbidden M&Ms
BMW launched the 30 th anniversary celebrations for the M3 in May with the limited-run ” 30 Jahre M3″ edition for Europe. The U.S. version was released a few months later. The U.S. version of the M3 was unveiled with the same Macao Blue paint as the Competition Package. BMW was once more in festive mood towards the end September, when it unveiled some concepts that were from the past to celebrate the important milestone of the M3. The E30 and E92 M3 pickups as well as the E36 M3 Compact and E46 M3 touring are all featured in the attached videos.
The E30 M3 Pickup, which was built in 1986 on the 3 Series Convertible basis, was the first vehicle to see daylight. It was therefore designed with a narrower body than the M3. It was originally known as the “Italian M3”, and it produced 192 horsepower. Later, it switched to a 2.3-liter unit that produces 200 horsepower. It was retired in 2012 after being used at the factory by BMW for over 26 years.
BMW came up with the brilliant idea of creating an M3 Compact in 1996. This was to be the entry-level M model for a younger market. Jakob Polschak is the head of BMW M Division’s vehicle prototype building and workshops. It was his best job. Jakob Polschak, head of vehicle prototype building and workshops at BMW M Division (best job ever), says that the M3 Compact is in a way the “forefather” of the BMW M2.
In 2000, the M3 Touring was created solely for internal purposes. It also demonstrated that it was technically possible to give the 3 Series wagon full M treatment. Reshaping the rear doors to make them fit with the large rear wheel arches would have been an obstacle. Other than that, it would have been relatively easy to transition from concept to series production car.
You might recall BMW’s 2011 April Fools Day prank: The E92 M3 Pickup. The E92-based utilitarian M3 was designed to replace BMW’s E30 M3 Pickup. It also uses the same underpinnings as the regular 3 Series Convertible. BMW initially wanted to keep the conversion work hidden, but then someone from BMW’s marketing team suggested that the car be introduced on April 1. BMW’s original press release described the M3 Pickup as the “fourth body variation” of the sedan, coupe and convertible to make it look like the real deal.
An all-new M3 is anticipated to hit the streets in 2019, taking into consideration the next-gen 3 Series which has been captured on camera multiplely. It will be available by the end 2017 or early 2018.