One of my favourite jazzmen |
Simple and direct |
Versatility
A 325ix in its natural habitat |
As I mentioned previously, the E30 can be adapted to anyone's lifestyle. The engine displacement varies from a 1,6L four pot to a 3,2L six-pot (exclusive to the South African market), some single cam and others twin cam. Unfortunately, you only had one choice if you wanted a diesel, the 324td; and x-drive could only be mated to the 2,5L M20 motor, which shouldn't be considered as an inconvenience. The M20 is an exceptional power plant, combining bulletproof reliability with decent power and torque. It shows to BM haters that the company didn't always build ticking time tombs as engines. But wait, there's more. The 5 body styles were enough to please anyone's tastes. Tourings were perfect as family cars, emergency and delivery vehicles. Coupes and Baurs were more appealing to the dudes, whereas Cabrios were mostly for the gals (because of them lacking the structural rigidity of a hard top, they were better suited for cruising; not performance driving). Of course, we shouldn't forget the M3, one of the winningest race cars of all time and the Holy Grail of M cars. If you wanted to build race car of any sort, this was the car for you. Though, because of this cult-like following, the M3 has ended up becoming another overhyped automobile, such as 440 Dodges and every air-cooled Porsche ever!
Reliability
M20B25 in its' full glory |
Driving Experience
Right off the bat, I'd like make a confession: I haven't ever driven an E30, the reason being my lack of driver's licence. It's matter of fact, I've only ever driven one car in my life, and that was Peugeot 2008. I am aware that it's exactly the opposite what someone would call an interesting car by any standards. But it was A car nonetheless. To understand E30's driving experience, I had to ask my buddy Vadim, who has owned a carbed 316, and currently drives a 325i and a 320is.
Alpina E30 = Excellent investment |
As for the handling, Vadim described the E30 being as connected as an octopus because you discern the engineering dumped into its' design with the goal it being a solid automobile, not all wobbly like a Golf or a Mercedes of the time. It really feels as if the ensemble of the car's components are perfectly balanced, resulting to a harmonious driving experience. Two factors render this possible: an (almost) perfect weight distribution (52/48) and a curb weight in the region of 1,200/1,300 kg. A well known guy in the auto industry once said "Adding power makes you faster in the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere". The man in question was called Colin Chapman.
Do you wanna know what's the icing on the cake? The sound! Like all animals, humans are attracted to certain sounds or melodies like a hummingbird's singing, Morgan Freeman's voice, a woman's melodic orgasm and, even better... a 325i at full chat! Yeah, yeah, there's was also the M3 but, in my opinion, it'll never sound as good as a 325i 'cause it's a four cylinder. The M20B25 engine, with a performance exhaust, intake and headers produces raspy, metallic, sometimes drony melody similar to that of race car. It sounds that raw! Still not convinced? Check out this video and try not to jizz all over your PC/ smartphone/ tablet/ S-Class/ whatever device that uses the internet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h__XapY63Fw&t=9s
The Fizz
One thing is for sure: when a car makes you fizz, it's the one for you. The E30, in any guise, will make you fizz. You know what I mean! Like the time you heard this super duper awesome song and you felt a pleasurable stinging, driving around in an E30, a car filled with character, retroness and pizazz, will make you feel the same way. When I see Vadim going down the straight towards my house in his 325i, I start to snicker like a little girl! The distinctive purr of a BMW 6 cylinder penetrates my skin, producing this so-called fizz. It doesn't end there though. It doesn't matter if you're driving or being driven, this 80's premium sedan offers a beautiful ambience. The airiness of the cabin, the surefooted chassis, the sound of the engine and the linearity of the power delivery are combined all together to create a mesmerizing experience. And that's why the E30 is such a special automobile.
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