The BMW
E30 was a compact executive car produced by BMW. It was the successor of the BMW
E21 in 1983 and was replaced by the BMW
E36 in 1990. BMW continued to produce the cabriolet (convertible) E30 well into 1993. The
Touring remained in production until 1994 when the E36 touring replaced it. The M3 cabriolet was never officially offered for sale in North America; it was offered only for the European market.
The BMW M3 was first introduced on the E30 platform. A widened version of the E30 front suspension and the drivetrain from the E30 325i were used in the BMW Z1 roadster.
The E30 3-Series was produced in four body styles, a four door saloon, a two door saloon, a five door estate (marketed as the "touring"),a three-door estate also called "Touring", and a two door convertible. A Baur cabrio was also available. The 325ix was produced from 1988 to 1991, and featured all-wheel drive. It was available as a two-door (coupé) or a four-door (sedan) and as touring. The BMW M3 utilised a widened and heavily redesigned and restyled variation of the 2 door body style. The M3 shares few parts with other E30 models, however many M3 parts can be used on the other body styles and are interchangeable offering the consumer an OEM "upgrade". These parts consist of control arms, control arm bushings, steering racks, etc.
The primary distinctive feature of the BMW E30 models produced for the North American market in 1984-1987 are the elongated front/rear aluminum bumpers. These bumpers are commonly known as "diving boards." In 1988, the anodized aluminum bumpers were shortened by revising the cover/fillers and shortening the shocks. In 1989 the aluminum bumpers were replaced with shorter body-color plastic bumpers. (more)
