’30 Years M3′ will pay tribute to E30 original
BMW has no shortage of anniversaries to celebrate this year. For one, the automaker itself turned 100, an occasion it marked with a very futuristic-looking concept car. The BMW 2002 celebrated the half-century mark with an M2 Hommage that paid tribute to the Neue Klasse classic. And now it’s the M3’s turn; the model celebrates its 30th birthday this year.
To mark the occasion BMW will build an anniversary run that the square-suited German executives in Munich have named the “30 Jahre M3,” or “30 Years M3.” Sounds efficient, ja?
Thankfully, the number of such machines will not be confined to 30 examples — that would be too cruel — but we have a feeling that there will be plenty of potential buyers who’ll miss the boat even with the 500 examples offered worldwide.
A special exterior color, fender badges and interior trim will set this M3 apart.
What exactly will the 30 Years M3 offer? The Competition Package will be standard, as will an uprated 450-hp engine. Electronically controlled Adaptive M suspension with altered comfort, sport and sport-plus modes will complement tweaked spring and damper settings, and BMW promises a few subtle changes to the Active M electronic differential, as well.
The engine tweaks, by the way, will give it a slight advantage over a regular M3 at the lights; the 30 Years M3 will make the dash to 62 mph in just four seconds, compared to 4.1 in garden-variety M3 sedans. And like the others, the 30 Years M3 will be offered with a six-speed manual or the seven-speed DCT transmission.