BMW 3-Series

The BMW 3-Series is a compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975.

1995
BMW's compact line covered a broad range by juggling engines and body styles on a rear-drive chassis. The least expensive 318i sedan was powered by a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine and competed with other compact sedans like Honda's Accord, Toyota's Camry and Infiniti's G20. The same car with upgraded suspension, fancier interior and a 2.5-liter inline Six was the 325i. It competed with Volvo's front-drive 850 and the Mercedes C280.

There was also a more expensive 2-door coupe built on the same wheelbase that sacrifices rear headroom for style, and a convertible version of the coupe. The convertible was available with either the Four or the 2.5-liter Six. The coupe was had with the 4-cylinder as the 318i, the Six as the 325i or with a new 3.0-liter 240-hp Six as the limited-edition M3.

The M3 was a high-performance model that features a fancy leather interior, heavy-duty suspension, racy bodywork, 17-in. alloy wheels with 235/40ZR17 tires and a top speed of 137 mph at a price that is $3600 more than a regular 325i. It competed with the Mazda RX-7, Lexus SC 300, Mustang GT, Camaro Z-28 and other high-performance sport coupes.

The 3-series was very highly rated by car enthusiasts and quite sophisticated, but despite its high price, such expected features as limited-slip differential, metallic paint, and even cruise control were options on many models. Also optional was AST traction control. The convertible was ordered with an optional rollover protection system featuring dual roll bars that shoot up behind the rear seats if the car threatens to flip over.