Wrecks to Riches – BMW E30

The BMW E21 may well have been the first official BMW 3 Series, but that was a toe dip for the German car giant. The 3 Series really found its place with the second generation BMW E30 version. Arguably the model that shaped not only the perception of a mid-sized luxury car, but also the one that BMW put real, solid faith in. It was the version that gave us the first M3. It was the version that gave the 3 Series the reputation for performance, and thanks to being available as a coupe, saloon, cabriolet and convertible, it was the first BMW to be all things to all drivers. It was a legend. Claus Luthe and Boyke Boyer, the designers behind it, had done good, good work.

The BMW E30 would go on to become something of a pop culture icon, too. Featuring in films and TV as a visual representation of wealth and success. Wall Street, The Firm, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bird on a Wire, 90210, The Equaliser, the list goes on. But there is no denying that the E30 was everywhere from 1982 until 1994. And then the replacement E36 came out and, well, we all but forgot about it. As is so often the fate of executive models, newer meant better in the eyes of the punter. And so the BMW E30 fell down the ranks of the used car pages, ending up as nothing more than an old banger, even when cared for and cherished. Nobody wanted them. There was a time, believe it or not, when you could get a Sporty 325i two-door for £1,500. Mad, really.

And it seemed so very unfair. The E30 might have been getting a bit older, but it was arguably still a better car than the one that replaced it. It was more lithe and agile, it was better looking, it was a simpler beast with less to go wrong, too. It was a great, great car. And those who didn’t care about new, or about what the number plate said, were the winners. They got amazing E30s for no money at all. And why not? The E30 was a car famed for that perfect 50/50 balance, the range of engines, the handling and the frankly outstanding build quality. It was car that had collected myriad trophies on the rally stages and in touring car championships across Europe. It was the embodiment of excitement. It was the one to have, it still is.

For well over a decade, the BMW E30 languished in the bargain pages, even the mint ones that had been cared for all their lives. But while it sat there, being unloved, bought by boy racers and latterly the drift crowd, the world moved on. But it moved on to the E30’s benefit. Cars got bigger, fatter, heavier, more laden with tech and driver aids and other stuff that numbs excitement. Soon, people wanted to go back, and the E30 became the diamond that everyone wanted. Prices started to climb from around 2005, especially if said E30 was a two-door or a sporty model.

That climb never slowed, and it was responsible for putting the mighty E30 back on the map. Enthusiasts still go nuts for them, and unlike the old days, we’re not just talking about the mint cars. Even rough four-door versions are sought after today, as many see them as a cheaper gateway into ownership. There is a booming industry supplying parts, upgrades and more. The E30 is most definitely back on top. The rise and fall might well be a display of how fickle the car world is, but at least this story ends on a happy note. Sure, some great examples have been lost to time, but the fact the E30 is now a firm favourite in the classic world means that for those that did survive, the future is bright. It’s proof if nothing else that BMW got it so, so right with this brilliant machine.