e30 m3 versus e30 333i and e30 325is

[Shabz]

I haven't seen it around in a long time. You'll be lucky if you have to spot it.

 

[Andy1GP]

Great article and read Thanks for the post :clapper:

 

[xol335]

the e30 m3 four cylinder high revving 2.0 litre (s14)engine which produced 175kw was only made for European markets never in S.A unless it was imported and it should be a left hand drive. i have never seen one in S.A.

sehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_Series_(E30)e

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My mate's dad had an E30 M3 convertible when I was in primary school and I remember him taking us to a cricket match in it, top down. A black one... This was in Boksburg around '93/'94.

He regrets ever selling it...

.

my 2cents
how much was your knowledge about cars in 93/94 when you were in primary school,it could have been any other e30 convertible, can't say its impossible though your mate's dad could have imported it.

 

[pimpassdaddy]

No, it was an M3 convertible, I remember it clearly. His dad has never driven anything less than an ///M since then.

It was imported... Left hand drive.

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[JadielM]

I know of 3 E30 M3 convertibles and 5 regular models, one of which is turborcharged (featured in Speed & Sound Magazine).

The owner of the E30 M3 in OP's post has the original M3 wheels stored away...

The color-coded grille on that iS is horrific.

 

[Sankekur]

the e30 m3 four cylinder high revving 2.0 litre (s14)engine which produced 175kw was only made for European markets.......

Uh....wrong....no e30 M3 ever came with a 2.0 liter engine, it had a 2.3 and later a 2.5 and it was the latter that produced 175kW.
(The s14 did come in a B20, but this was used in the 320iS)
Also the M3 wasn't only for the European market it was also sold in the US.

 

[WyKiD]

Sonorous 6 > Clattery 4. ....:fencelook:

 

[Sankekur]

In terms of e30's its 320iS = M3 2.5 > M3 2.3 > M3 2.3 (first gen) > 333i > 325iS > rest of the crummy e30's

Unfortunately an e30 is just better with a 4 pot......

 

[WyKiD]

...and that is the great thing about preferences and choices, they're just that.

 

[AndreasSA]

the e30 m3 four cylinder high revving 2.0 litre (s14)engine which produced 175kw was only made for European markets.......

Uh....wrong....no e30 M3 ever came with a 2.0 liter engine, it had a 2.3 and later a 2.5 and it was the latter that produced 175kW.
(The s14 did come in a B20, but this was used in the 320iS)
Also the M3 wasn't only for the European market it was also sold in the US.

You are very close....

M3E30 only came with the S14 2.3 and 2.5 4 cylinder engine, 2.5 was the so called Sport Evolution (500build for german DTM).\

The S14 2 ltr. engine was placed in the so called 320iS and was mainly sold in italy bcause they had very high taxes at that piont of time and nobody wanted to buy the M3E30. it was outside like your 325iS not the M3E30.

The M3E30 was sold all over the world, a bit more than 17,000 were build in total.

That was mine on the nuerburgring, 2.5 ltr. engine, carbon airbox, build acc. to german DTM spec:

 

[Fuzz@tinyNET]

In terms of e30's its 320iS = M3 2.5 > M3 2.3 > M3 2.3 (first gen) > 333i > 325iS > rest of the crummy e30's

Unfortunately an e30 is just better with a 4 pot......

You're smoking some good socks there :roflol:

Not sure how you're ranking the 320is and e30 M3 higher than the local 6 pots since I doubt that you've lived with either of the 4 pots to make a fair comparison.

If anything, I'd say you're just trying to let your choice mimic your car 'snobbery' :=):

IMO the 320is is a joke. It just had the S14, dogleg M gearbox, m tech 2 kit and everything else was the same as a normal e30. Basically a 325is without lightened bits and most importantly lacking that amazing engine note.




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[ASH]

The car that did win alot of international racing championships is the E30 M3. Locally the 325is was facing stiff competition from just an Opel Superboss, although the Superboss was a though competitor, no disrespect to the Boss, but it wasn't really the same class of vehicle, being a hatch and fwd, and was punching above its weight, hence a bit of reservation over the IS motor sport heritage locally. From what I remember the Superboss gave the 325is a hard time around a track and those Mike Briggs vs Tony Viana battles are quite memorable, but at the time even though I found the racing exciting in my youth, later on I realised that the IS was really being given a lesson by a much smaller and lower powered vehicle around a race track, so feel the Boss is more special, even though I love the IS.

The key with the E30 M3 is power to weight ratio and power output per no of cylinders. Also disagree that the 320is was a joke, 141 kw in an E30 is still 141kw, that is more than the E30 325i and on par with the E36 325i from a lower output version of the S14.

In race spec the most powerful version of the S14 was producing up to 283kw for touring car racing, which is insane for a 4 cylinder with no forced induction.

The genius of the S14 engine is undervalued in SA due to local products like the 325is and the 333i, if it was available locally maybe the picture would have been different.

Just my 2cents

 

[Fuzz@tinyNET]

The car that did win alot of international racing championships is the E30 M3. Locally the 325is was facing stiff competition from just an Opel Superboss, although the Superboss was a though competitor, no disrespect to the Boss, but it wasn't really the same class of vehicle, being a hatch and fwd, and was punching above its weight, hence a bit of reservation over the IS motor sport heritage locally. From what I remember the Superboss gave the 325is a hard time around a track and those Mike Briggs vs Tony Viana battles are quite memorable, but at the time even though I found the racing exciting in my youth, later on I realised that the IS was really being given a lesson by a much smaller and lower powered vehicle around a race track, so feel the Boss is more special, even though I love the IS.

The key with the E30 M3 is power to weight ratio and power output per no of cylinders. Also disagree that the 320is was a joke, 141 kw in an E30 is still 141kw, that is more than the E30 325i and on par with the E36 325i from a lower output version of the S14.

In race spec the most powerful version of the S14 was producing up to 283kw for touring car racing, which is insane for a 4 cylinder with no forced induction.

The genius of the S14 engine is undervalued in SA due to local products like the 325is and the 333i, if it was available locally maybe the picture would have been different.

Just my 2cents

I agree with the response, well partly :=):

I might be biased, seeing that I rate the 325is as my most favourite car too.

It is true about the achievements of the S14 being dulled by virtue of it not being released here - it's discounted by the other 4 pot e30s that I was exposed to.

WRT the Super Boss - great car in its own right, but it's still so much less than what an iS is, in my opinion anyway (flame suit engaged). That period in time represented such a great space for local car development and manufacture.


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[ASH]

Yeah, I rate the IS highly too, but just think in comparison to the 4 pot M3, it's outright motor sport credentials are a bit weak. The Superboss on the other hand was just fantastic engine in a poor quality package, probably why you don't see that many left compared to the IS. I agree it was a fantastic period of local development, we wouldn't have had the Evo2 IS if it wasn't for the on track battles between BMW and Opel.

Have a look at this video Deon Joubert and Chris Harris testing the Group N racing version of IS & Superboss. Harris was a bit shocked by the Superboss.........

I had a few goosebumps watching this.........

[video=youtube]

 

[firaz]

Yeah, I rate the IS highly too, but just think in comparison to the 4 pot M3, it's outright motor sport credentials are a bit weak. The Superboss on the other hand was just fantastic engine in a poor quality package, probably why you don't see that many left compared to the IS. I agree it was a fantastic period of local development, we wouldn't have had the Evo2 IS if it wasn't for the on track battles between BMW and Opel.

Have a look at this video Deon Joubert and Chris Harris testing the Group N racing version of IS & Superboss. Harris was a bit shocked by the Superboss.........

I had a few goosebumps watching this.........

[video=youtube]

Class video. Thanx for sharing!


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[WyKiD]

The racing pedigree of the e30 M3 is beyond question and every motoring scribe has raved about its balance, performance and handling. My exposure to them and most of the members is through the media, there are a lucky few who have experienced these cars first hand.

So for me personally the "local heroes" rule the roost. From the very first experience as a school boy hearing that mournful wail from the 6 pot or seeing her wagging that fine ass, an indelible impression was left with me.

So rather than going with the recycled impressions of others on the e30 M3, long live the legendary 325 iS......raise:

 

[AndreasSA]

We had the following at the Nuerburgring;

Two M3E30, both 2,5 ltr. S14 engines and modified, same power output (220kW). My friend blow his engine and was not willing to pay the money again on aS14, he bought a S50B32, modified it and placed it in his M3E30 (265kW).

We were always driving with the same speed at the Ring, same laptime.......,after he placed the 6 cylinder in the E30 (max. to the back without cutting metal) he was not able to go my speed any more in the corners at all. Straight he just disappered....

 

[sashy]

E30 M3

:blowheart::blowheart::blowheart:

 

[ASH]

You welcome dude

Yeah, I rate the IS highly too, but just think in comparison to the 4 pot M3, it's outright motor sport credentials are a bit weak. The Superboss on the other hand was just fantastic engine in a poor quality package, probably why you don't see that many left compared to the IS. I agree it was a fantastic period of local development, we wouldn't have had the Evo2 IS if it wasn't for the on track battles between BMW and Opel.

Have a look at this video Deon Joubert and Chris Harris testing the Group N racing version of IS & Superboss. Harris was a bit shocked by the Superboss.........

I had a few goosebumps watching this.........

[video=youtube]

Class video. Thanx for sharing!


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