History of the BMW 3 Series |
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| Topics: BMW 3 Series
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John Stone
February 3, 2014
The BMW 3 Series is a compact car available from BMW, which are manufactured in Germany. The car is known for its luxury features, as well as being a sporty type vehicle. The 3 series has been in existence as a model with BMW since 1975. The 3 series is also BMW's bestselling vehicle, as it is one of their lower priced models, starting usually around $30,000 new.
The first generation of the BMW 3 series was known as the E21, and ran from 1975-1983. This generation featured a coupe styling, and a four cylinder engine. The car was originally introduced during the oil crisis of the 1970s, and was meant to provide economy, even for those looking for luxury and upper class vehicles.
The second generation ran from 1982-1994. These models are actually still seen on the road today, although rare. These vehicles were built to last hundreds of thousands of miles, so it's no surprise people do still own these vehicles. This car started at around $18,000 new, which is surprisingly low for BMW's standards, although one most also take into effect the inflation over the years. The car featured a bigger, faster engine, as well as more options, and different design choices. This generation was available in a 2 door sedan, a 2 door convertible, a 4 door saloon, or a 5 door touring model.
The third generation, was known as the E36, and is the third generation of the BMW 3 Series. This generation was very popular, and you also still see some of these on the road today. This generation was produced from 1991-2000. This design, is actually my second favorite of the BMW 3 series designs in their history, first place going to the current design of the vehicle. This generation saw enormous success, and some of the highest success BMW had seen of all time, and definitely the most success BMW had seen with their 3 series sedan. This generation featured new safety features, more luxury options, more engine options, and the ability to have all wheel drive, or rear wheel drive, depending on your preference.
The E46, which is the fourth generation, was also very popular, and are still commonly sold in used car lots, and by individuals. This generation spanned from 1998-2005. This design was a little more rounded, which was the increasingly popular look with automobiles in this time generation. The car seemed to become slightly smaller, but a little sportier, lighter, and definitely faster. The interior design of this generation was absolutely superb, and sitting in one just made you feel like you had to drive one, as it just seemed like a really fun car to drive. The car's features were expanded, and more options were added, as with every new generation of BMW 3 series.
The current generation, known as the E90, has been in effect since 2006. This is my favorite redesign of the BMW 3 series, as it also has the "I have to drive this" look to it, both on the exterior and interior. The car was built to increase fuel economy, due to the "fuel crisis" in recent times, and increasing fuel prices. The car also has added safety, technology, and luxury features, including HD radio, Bluetooth technology, and more.
In conclusion, the BMW 3 Series is a well made automobile. If you're interested in learning more about the BMW 3 series, or any BMW product, simply head to BMW.com.