Description
The BMW 318is was built in a time when Bavarian nomenclature meant something. So the 318is had a 1. 8-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with 134 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque.
It was paired with a five-speed manual transmission and could reach 60 mph in 8. 7 seconds. That sounds glacial today, when four-cylinder Corsas would eat that for lunch, but we are honestly pretty impressed by that 0-60 time, considering it only made 134 horsepower. Credit a 2, 607 lb curb weight for that impressive acceleration, as the E30 was built back when BMWs weren’t carved from granite.
You can find plenty of better-performing cars for less money, but few share this Bimmer’s steadfast character. The 318is proves BMW can build a satisfying sports sedan and offer it at a reasonable price. This 3-series model, with its smaller powerplant and less burdensome load of creature comforts, has a delightfully light and agile feel, giving it a decidedly sporting flavor.
One of the last models of the E30 range to be added was the 318iS - a 2 door saloon. The 318iS was fitted with the M42 engine, the most up-date-engine fitted to any E30. It came with Sports Suspension (including rear Anti Roll Bars - ARBS), sports seats front vented discs; rear solid discs, power steering, electric windows, electric mirrors, de-chromed trim, M-tech steering wheel, leather gear knob and gaiter, front and rear spoilers and BMW sport seats. The 318iS did NOT come with a limited slip differential as standard but was a small case differential with a 4. 10 ratio. The base model cost aproximately £14, 750 when it was new. It started out life to beat the sports models that Volkswagon and other leading car manufacturers were producing (such as the golf GTI. Bmw set out to produce a sports BMW which would match/ beat the performance of the likes of the GTI with a 1800cc BMW. At this moment in time, the only E30 BMW capable of out-performing the GTI was the 325i. The M42 16V DOHC engine was developed which produced 136BHP and was one of the most technologically advanced engine for its time and is also one of the most fuel economic E30's achieving around the 33MPG with mixed driving . There were rumours that the 318iS actually out-performed BMWs own 325i, so they restricted the power so the sales of the more expensive 325i wasn't effected. But still with 126BHP/ tonne, it still gives the 323i a good run for its money. In total, 41, 234 318iS's were made which means that out of the full 2. 2 million E30's, 1. 86% of them were 318iS's. In 2001 the DVLA only had 1687 318iS's registered in the UK, the number has since thought to of fallen to around 900 which is making the 318iS becoming more valuable and sought after.
This particular example is in stunning original condition inside and out. We have driven the car up to motorway speeds and locally and the car drives extremely well. Its a base model but that brings an awful lot of charm to the car. Its a pleasant place to be and dare we say it - when BMWs felt like a superior machine!
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