1989 BMW M3 E30 Convertible (RHD)

Description

Unveiled at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show, the M3 was the latest creation from BMW's legendary Motorsport division, a pocket rocket built to homologate the E30 3-Series for the European Touring Car Championship. Using what was essentially the 24-valve head from the M-Sport straight-six - minus two cylinders - mated to the block of the four-cylinder M10 engine, the M3's motor developed an impressive 195bhp from 2.3-litres. Throw in a Getrag close-ratio five-speed gearbox, firmer suspension and additional downforce from the aerodynamic aids and you have a car that rewards the driver in the best race bred tradition. The discreet front air dam, rear spoiler, flared guards and fatter rubber sitting on unique alloy wheels helped set the M3 apart from the ordinary 3-Series and increased downforce. Between March 1988 and June 1991 a limited run of M3 Convertibles were hand-assembled at the M-Division's Garching plant and a total of 137 were made without catalytic converters (plus a further 786 with for the worldwide market), making the M3 Convertible an extremely rare vehicle -for comparison purposes BMW built almost 150,000 normal 3-Series convertibles. More luxurious and generally better equipped than its closed M3 sibling, the Convertible featured a beautifully crafted leather interior with electrically operated hood (as found on the 325i Convertible) and combined the best of both worlds - race bred performance with the added versatility of refined open air motoring.