3 Series:

A Bavarian Dynasty

By Bob Roemer

When Roundel columnist Jeremy Walton wites a book about BMW, it"s never a short story. His record, so far, is the second edition of Unbeatable BMW, a hard-covered, 569-page account of the Bavarian company"s racing exploits that tips the scales at a hefty five pounds. Although the UK-based author"s latest work, BMW 3 Series Enthusiast"s Companion, weighs in at a comparatively light-weight two pounds, its 378 pages are filled with practically all there is to know about Munich"s best-selling models.

3 Series is the most comprehensive look yet at the cars that are an automotive dynasty and that best epitomize BMW"s philosophy about driving. More than six million 3ers - and just under a million "02 sport sedans, which are now considered by BMW to be the inauguration of the series - have graced the world"s highways. "I believe the 3 Series is not just BMW"s best value-for-money product," Walton said in a discussion about his recently released book, "but a world-class benchmark that BMW has really worked to beat off ravenous rivals." The bonus that makes the book a must-have for 3 Series buffs in this country is its focus, unique from most other enthusiast guides written by UK authors. "I wanted it to be genuinely useful in the USA, not another inport with no specific U.S. relevance." Walton said of the three-year project.

To achieve that goal, he recruited help from BMW CCA, including Roundel photography director Klaus Schnitzer and Club president Phil Marx. Their cooperation produced what can be considered four books in one: the story of the "02 and four iterations of the 3 Series. E30 M fans will enjoy the six chapters devoted to their favorite car, while a history of the 3 Series competition recounts everything from the exploits of the sometimes-wild Junior Team in their 3201"s to the record-setting PTG M3s. BMW 3 Series Enthusiast"s Companion includes a spotter"s guide with vast information about every model sold here - including options, original prices, and production dates - and a buyer"s guide detailing what to look for when you"re out hunting for a used 3.

In addition to production, sales, and technical data, Walton makes 3 Series history come alive through anecdotes about - and insight from - the people behind the cars, such as designers Paul Bracq and Claus Luthe and engineers Theo Melcher and Franz Zinnecker. The latter was responsible for developing the E30 M3"s 2.3-liter racing engine. "It went from 295 bhp to a best of 317 bhp with another 500 rpm," he recalls. "That took us up to 9,800 competition rpm!" David Carp, an American working in Munich"s development design department, provides an overview of the 3 Series design philosophy. "Four generations of 3 Series and the "02 document 35 years of BMW thinking for small, sporty sedans. Each one witnesses a unique reaction to the realities and wishes of its time, and through their exterior design they show their common membership in the 3 Series family."

But Walton doesn"t view the 3 Series though a rose-tinted windshield. He is fair in his coverage of BMW"s fumbles in the U.S., like equipping the first 3 Series cars sold here with marshmallow suspensions the Bavarians thought would appeal to American driving tastes, and introducing the E30 version to this market with only a hopelessly underpowered 1.8-liter engine and a subsequent run of decidedly tepid 325e, 325es, and 325 modles. He also documents the frustration felt by BMW enthusiasts of the era because of Munich"s stubborn refusal to send its most potent 3 Series cars to these shores.

Walton is still keeping a critical eye on BMW"s best-selling model. "The cars are now way too heavy and laden with gadgets," he said during our discussion. "The current E46 M3 is a fabulous achievement in the motor department, bu the fact that it weighs in the same 3,500-pound area as a 1980"s U.S.-spec M6 has to tell us that the weight thing has gotten out of hand."

The book provides and interesting perspective on the 3 Series" evolution from a relatively bare-bones two-door sedan to a complete range of fully equipped models that rival more expansive BMW"s in practically every detail but size. While admitting that the 3s have sacrificed some of the original in-your-face personality that hooked so many BMW CCA members for life, he points out that the cars have never before appealed to such a wide spectrum of srivers as they do now. Given the multitude of models and available equipment, it"s possible to spec-out one of twelve contemporary 3 Series models for just about any style of driving, from the slopes at Breckenridge to Big Bend at Lime Rock Park.

Of course, Walton"s insight is not limited to one particular model. Based on nearly 30 years of observing and reporting on BMW, Walton is bullish about the company"s future. "I have more respect for the company post-Rover than at any other time in their history," he said. "Since bankruptcy threatened, BMW has really come out fighting." Since completing 3 Series, Walton has co-authored two books on the business of racing. Future projects include a website with BMW material from the other 28 books he has written and a possible update to Unbeatable BMW, including the current Formula 1 program, the V12 prototypes at Le Mans and in the American Le Mans Series, and the controversial V8 M3 GTR story. He welcomes your ideals, suggestions, and comments at bmw98jay@aol.com