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The BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in five different generations and in no less than five different body styles. It is BMW's best selling automobile, accounting for nearly 40% of the company's auto sales in 2005.

Social and marketing significance

BMW released its E21 in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, attracting customers seeking both prestige and economy, nearly doubling BMW's worldwide auto sales figures in three years, and winning numerous automotive world awards and honors.

Three decades later, the 3 Series is still the best-selling of its class, as commonplace in Asia, America and Australia as in Europe, and it has even outsold some cheaper models, like Ford Mondeo in the UK.

While some argue that the popularity of the car had reduced its prestigious image, the 3 Series still remains the benchmark and its competitors are often judged on how close they come to this car.

The 3 series has also maintained BMW's racing heritage. The M version of the 3 series, M3, debuted in 1988.

History

3 Series vehicles can be largely differentiated by the series number:

BMW E21 - (1975–1983) 3 Series
BMW E30 - (1983–1994) 3 Series
BMW E36 - (1991–2000) 3 Series
BMW E46 - (1998–2007) 3 Series
BMW E90 - (2005–) 3 Series Sedan
BMW E91 - (2006-) 3 Series Touring
BMW E92 - (2007-) 3 Series Coupé
BMW E93 - (2007-) 3 Series Convertible

Future models

The next full revision of the 3 Series is expected in 2012. Updates are reported to include hybrid drivetrain technology which could resolve most of the recurring issues of Turbo failures on pre-2005 BMW diesels.

Awards

The 3 Series has been on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list 18 times, from 1992 through 2009, making it the longest running entry in the list. The E90 was named "Best New Sports Sedan" in the 2006 Canadian Car of the Year awards. Also, it was awarded the World Car of the Year at the New York Auto Show in 2006. Ironically, it recieved the 2005 Top Gear Award for being the ugliest car in the world - with Jeremy and Richard saying that it was 'dull' and that it is just some '15ft of car '.

Racing

The original E30 M3 is considered one of the most successful race cars ever.

The E36 320d won the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 1998, after the M3 had won in the previous years.

The World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) is one of the FIA's three World Championships (along with Formula One and the World Rally Championship). Andy Priaulx and BMW Team UK won the ETCC in 2004, and continued the winning form in WTCC in 2005 in an E46 3-series, while the E90 3-series repeated this feat in 2006 and 2007. The 3-Series' rear-wheel drive layout and design have both been attributed to its victory, though in Touring Car Racing, as almost every other motor sport, the skill driver and their team tactics are also important.

The 3-Series cars in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and other touring car championships have been penalized under racing rules for being rear-wheel drive and thus having better grip than its front-wheel drive competitors. For example, the 320si has been penalized in the WTCC in previous seasons in order to keep the sport competitive with the rest of the grid (Ford Focus, Chevrolet Lacetti, SEAT Leon, Alfa Romeo 156). Despite these ballast weight penalties, the 320si's of the British, German and Italian/Spanish teams continually win races and points. However, in the middle of the 2002 European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) season, FIA changed the handicap rules to add an extra 15 kg (33 lb) ballast to front-wheel drive cars (such as the Alfa Romeo 156) and the ballast in rear-wheel drive cars (including BMW) was reduced by 15 kilograms (33 lb). Today, the WTCC series has a rolling start to eliminate the benefit of better grip that rear-wheel drive cars have from a standing start.

Andy Priaulx's BMW 320si (E90) during the 2006 World Touring Car Championship season.

The BMW 3-Series is currently used in both the SCCA Pro Racing Speed World Challenge Touring Car Series and the Grand American Road Racing Association Series. In the final 2006 Grand Am standings, BMW finished second in the manufacturer's standings in both the Grand Sport and Street Tuner classes, while E46 BMWs prepared by Turner Motorsport won the driver's and team championships.