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BMW 3 Series

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The BMW 3 Series is a line of compact luxury car manufactured by BMW since May 1975. It is the successor to the 2002 coupe, retaining much of that car's styling while adding a more powerful 2.0 L 110 hp (82 kW) engine and other performance enhancements. The 3 Series was for some time the smallest car line manufactured by BMW, although that place was in 2004 taken by the BMW 1 Series. The 3 series is BMW's best selling automobile, accounting for nearly 40% of all automobiles sold by the company in 2005. [link]





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Social and marketing significance

From its sporting origins in 1975, the E21 generation, available in two and four-door forms(e30 on), as well as a later in-house full convertible (e30 on) (replacing one developed by Baur of Germany), became a more formal range that was synonymous with the "yuppie" generation. Being an accessible prestige-badge car, the 3 Series' reputation grew at this time. By the early 21st century, the E46 3 Series, designed by American Chris Bangle, was the best-selling car of its size in the world, as commonplace in Asia and America as in Europe, while maintaining its prestigious image.



History




5 generations of BMW 3 Series / © WCF.

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5 generations of BMW 3 Series / © WCF.






Like most of BMW's contemporary models, the 3 Series name has been applied to many different vehicles. The 1998 3 Series is marketed similarly to the 1999 3 Series, but the two share few mechanical components and are styled quite differently.


3 Series vehicles can be largely differentiated by the underlying platform:





E21




 1977 BMW 320 (E21) / © WCF.

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1977 BMW 320 (E21) / © WCF.






The E21 line was produced from May 2, 1975 (1977 in the USA) through 1983. Originally a replacement for the 2002 coupe, the first 3-Series was a 2-door only. The New Class sedans would be replaced by the 5 Series.


Models:



E30




BMW 3-Series E30.

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BMW 3-Series E30.







The E30 was sold from 1984 through 1991, (through 1993 in Convertible form). The E30's introductory price of US$18,210 was nearly double that of the E21 just 7 years earlier, but the availability of a six cylinder engine and 4-door body style (in 1985) earned sales. The torquey "eta" six in the 325e produced 121 hp (90 kW) but met the strict emission standards of the time and was the most powerful compact BMW offered in the United States since the 2002 Tii.


The lineup was joined in 1987 by the high-output 325i and 325is. Though the engine displacement was reduced to 2.5 L, output was up to 168 hp (125 kW) as the company focused on performance rather than economy. Rev limit for the new motor was raised from 5000RPM to 6500RPM, as a shorter stroke was employed with the new motor. 

An all wheel drive version, the 325ix, joined the lineup for 1988. The four-cylinder 318 was dropped in 1985, but a was brought back with a new, 1.8L DOHC motor (M42B18) for 1991. 


The most-powerful American BMW E30 ever also came that year in the form of the M3. It used a 192 hp (143 kW) S14 straight-4 with a 4-valve head adapted from the M88 six and Bosch fuel injection.


Models:



E36




325is

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325is






Also known as the "Dolphin shape." The E36 was sold from 1991 through 1998 . It employed the "Z-axle" multilink suspension in the rear which had been proven in the Z1. DOHC engines were used across the range, with VANOS variable valve timing introduced in 1993.


The four-door E36 was sold from Fall, 1991, in the United States but the E30 coupes were retained until well into 1992. The E36 convertible was delayed until 1994. The hatchback 318ti Compact was introduced in 1995, but it wasn't very successful, as it shared some chassis components with the Z3 (and E30) instead of the E36; namely, the semi-trailing arm rear suspension configuration. The "Touring" station wagon was sold in Europe from 1995, but was not offered in the United States.


The 2.5 L M50B25 used in the 325 models was replaced in 1996 with the 2.8 L M52B28, creating the 328 line. Another 2.5 L engine, the M52B25, was reintroduced for 1998 but the cars were sold as 323 rather than 325.


The 4-door 3 Series models were replaced after 1998 in the US, while the 2-door models lasted through 1999.


Models:



E46




3-series cabriolet

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3-series cabriolet






The E46 chassis began to replace the E36 specification for 1999. Only the 4-door sedans were updated that year. The E36 coupé and touring models lasted one more year until the E46 replacements arrived for model year 2000. The 2.8 L cars were called 328 while 2.5 L cars got the confusing 323 name. The new M54 engines appeared for 2001; with the new 3.0 L 330 replacing the 328, BMW renamed the 2.5 L car the 325. Also in 2001, the compact 3-door version appeared on the european market, but it was replaced in 2004 by the 1 series. During the second half of 2005 the E46 sedan and touring were phased out in favour of the new E90. The E46 coupé and convertible remain in production well into 2006.


Models:


Diesel models:


E90




BMW 3-series sedan

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BMW 3-series sedan









The E92 coupe

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The E92 coupe






The E90 began production in May 2005. Currently, four engine options are offered, two being part of the new 'N' series of BMW inline engines featuring a lightweight magnesium/aluminum construction and technological innovations such as individual cylinder throttles, steplessly variable valve timing, and dual stage intake timing. The clean and sleek styling, while based on the recent somewhat controversial 5 and 7 series redesigns, has been better praised than its bigger cousins. The E91 touring model has also been available since fall 2005 along with 4WD models 325xi, 330xi and 330xd.  The E92 2-door will come out in September of 2006 along with BMW's new N54 twin-turbo engine.


Models:


BMW will reportedly produce a metal-topped coupé convertible model of the 3 series (E93) rather than the traditional cloth-top convertible. This model will be introduced in 2007.
BMW will reportedly produce the E90 M3 in saloon form.


Note:
In the US, the 325i and 330i are both powered by the same 3.0 L N52 engine, but the 330i features revised engine software and improved intake and exhaust systems to produce an additional 40 hp (255 vs. 215). Canada also gets a 323i model which has a detuned 2.5 L gasoline-injected inline-six producing 177 hp (130 kW).



Awards

The 3 Series has been on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list 15 times, from 1992 through 2005, making it the second-most common entry on that list. The E90 was named "Best New Sports Sedan" in the 2006 Canadian Car of the Year awards.  Also, it was awarded the World Car of the Year at the New York Auto Show in April. British television show Top Gear, named the new 3 Series the "Ugliest car of the year" in 2005.  Other nominees were: the Ssangyong Kyron, the Ssangyong Rodius and the Ssangyong Musso[.]







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