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ICONIC – THEN AND NOW.

ICONIC – THEN AND NOW.

3 min reading time

Racing car underneath, convertible up top: the BMW M3 E30 Convertible.

As the first M model with a convertible roof, the BMW M3 E30 Convertible is extremely rare and much sought-after.

2 July 2020

If there’s one model in the history of BMW M that is representative of all convertibles of the brand, it is the BMW M3 E30 Convertible. BMW M’s first mass-produced vehicle with a fabric roof, it embodies the symbiosis of high performance and luxurious convertible driving like no other car made in the 1980s. Today, this iteration of the M3 E30 is a rare and sought-after classic.

5 POWERFUL FACTS:

  • First convertible in M history
  • Only 786 units built
  • Convertible with world champion DNA
  • 0-100 km/h in 7.5 seconds
  • 195 to 215 hp peak power

MOTORSPORT AT ITS HEART.

FROM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACETRACKS TO THE OPEN ROAD.

BMW M3 E30 Convertible
BMW M3 E30 Convertible in Macao Blue.

Like the two-door sedan, the M3 E30 Convertible is derived from motorsport, combining high performance and open-top decadence in a way that had never been seen before. After all, the M3 E30 was the only DTM homologation model that was also available in a convertible version. The first BMW M3 was as at home on a country road as it was on the racetrack – something that is still characteristic of all BMW M cars today. Only one feature was missing: the ability to feel fresh mountain air rushing over you whilst cruising through the Alpine passes. The Convertible brought both features together at its market launch in 1988.

M MOTION – THE ENGINE.

6,97 kg/hp

6,97 kg/hp: At launch, the M3 E30 Convertible produced 195 hp yet weighed in at just 1360 kilograms. In 1988, this was an impressive power-to-weight ratio for four-seater convertibles, and it still guarantees incomparable driving pleasure today.

THE GEARBOX.

BMW M3 E30 Convertible Interieur

Closely linked to motorsport: The gearshift dynamics of the BMW M3 E30 Convertible are another indicator of its proximity to motorsport. First gear is located on the lower left of its H gearstick, creating a performance advantage of having shorter shifting distances between second and fifth gear.

THE INTERIOR: DESIGNED FOR SPORTY DRIVING.

CONVERTIBLE ON TOP, RACING CAR UNDERNEATH.

EXTREMELY RARE, HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE.

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