The first BMW M3 was based on the E30 3 Series and was intended to be a homologation special to satisfy the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft and Group A Touring rules. It was presented to the public at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show and began production from March 1986 to June 1991. The E30 M3 was mainly produced in the coupé body style, but limited volumes of convertibles were also produced. The only exterior body panels the regular 3 Series and the M3 shared were the bonnet, roof panel, and sunroof.
The E30 M3 used the BMW S14 four-cylinder engine. This was a high-revving DOHC design with a head closely based on that of the BMW S38 six-cylinder engine and the block from the BMW M10 four-cylinder engine with a 7,250 rpm redline. In countries where the M3 was sold with a catalytic converter, the initial versions were rated at 143 kW (195 PS; 192 hp) and had a top speed of 235 km/h (146 mph). The transmission was a Getrag 265 5-speed manual. A clutch-type limited-slip differential was standard equipment.
Differences from the standard E30 models included 5-stud wheel hubs, 225/45R16 Pirelli P700-Z tyres, and offset control arm bushings in the front suspension. The brake calipers, discs, and master cylinder were unique to the M3 model. The E30 M3 achieved a relatively low drag coefficient of Cd=0.33 instead of Cd=0.38 as in the standard 3 Series.
In 1987, an "Evolution" model (also called "EVO1") was released. Power was unchanged from the standard M3. In total, 505 were built. To keep the M3 competitive for the 1988 season, the Evolution 2 was released. 501 examples were built, featuring a revised camshaft, pistons, and an increased compression ratio from 10.5:1 to 11.0:1. Power increased to 162 kW (220 PS) at 6750 rpm. For 1990, a more powerful and lighter "Sport Evolution" model (sometimes referred to as "EVO3") with a limited production run of 600 units was produced. This model had an upgraded 2,467 cc (150.5 cu in) engine rated at 175 kW (238 PS; 235 hp) at 7,000 rpm.
In April 1989, the Ravaglia and Cecotto limited editions were released, both named after Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) racing drivers. Power was increased to 158 kW (215 PS; 212 hp) with a catalytic converter. Cecotto Edition production consisted of 480 cars, plus 80 cars for the Swiss market. The production run for the Ravaglia Edition consisted of 25 cars. In 1986, BMW produced an "M3 Pickup" prototype pickup truck, based on the convertible model. It was used by BMW M as a transporter for roughly 26 years before it was officially retired in 2012.
The M3 E30 competed in many forms of motorsport and was highly successful in touring car racing. In full race trim, the 1988 M3's 2.3 L (140 cu in) naturally aspirated engine was rated at approximately 221 kW (300 PS; 296 hp). The E30 M3 won the 24 Hours Nürburgring five times and the Spa 24 Hours four times. The M3 also competed as a rally car, with Prodrive-prepared examples contesting several national championships and selected rounds of the World Rally Championship between 1987 and 1989. Its most notable success was a victory on the Tour de Corse in 1987, driven by Bernard Béguin.
This article is based solely on the supplied corpus. No external sources were consulted; claims that could not be substantiated against the corpus were omitted under the drop-the-claim rule.
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