An M3 light, or maybe not so much…
Who has a BMW 3 Series of the E30 generation, has a jewel. Who has an M3 from that time, has a treasure. But whoever has a BMW 320is probably doesn’t know what he has. This is the incredible story of one of those rare cars that are forgotten in the memory drawer.
The history of the BMW 320is begins in 1987. In that year, the famous M3 E30, the most desired of all BMW M3s, was already on the market. A sports car that offered extraordinary performance on the road and high doses of fun, animated by its 200 hp 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine.
However, the Bavarian brand encountered a tricky problem selling its great sports car and certain markets, such as the Italian or Portuguese, where there were heavy tax burdens for vehicles that exceeded two liters of cylinder capacity, reaching exorbitant prices.
This led BMW to launch a light version of the M3, with an engine below two liters and less equipment, although developed by BMW M: that car was the BMW 320is.
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The incredible history of the BMW 320is
This somewhat more decaffeinated version of the M3 was available with two and four-door bodywork. Although later you will see that it was not so decaffeinated.
The truth is that the four-door variant had a rather poor appearance, in the sense that it hardly differed from the 316i, the access model to the 3 Series range. It had 14-inch wheels and lacked a specific aesthetic kit that make it more sporty.
Instead, the 320is coupé did have an M-Technik II aerodynamic kit, accompanied by 14-inch cross-spoke wheels. Inside, there were no sports seats, but the instrument panel was the same as that of the M3, although the M logo did not appear nor did it have the needles in red, but white. At the rear was, of course, the inscription ‘320is’.
Same engine, but modified
Entering the mechanical section, the engine that moved the 320is was the same as the M3, but with a smaller displacement that reduced the displacement to 1,990 cubic centimeters, instead of the 2.3 liters of that one. The power was also slightly reduced, going from 200 to 192 hp, at 6,900 laps, and 210 Nm of torque.
In principle, it was not a significant decrease and the performance was not too far from the M3. There were even those who claimed that the 320is was better than the M3.
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In reality, the 320is engine was a bit more “robust” than the M3’s, despite the fact that the M3 delivered torque at a lower rpm and had quicker acceleration, going from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds. , for the 7.5 seconds of the 320is.
But the most forceful delivery of the 320is could be explained by the gearbox that transferred the power to the rear axle, a five-speed Getrag 260 with a shorter development, which allowed it to accelerate more and recover better.
It also included a mechanical limited slipper that was in charge of controlling the rear axle, which was more nervous than in the M3.
Besides, it should be noted that the 320is was 88 kilos lighter, so the power-to-weight ratio was more favorable and that explains its better performance.
Better than the M3?
At the time, the German magazine Auto, motor un sport made a comparison between both models and confirmed that the recoveries were better in the 320is, it was more oversteer and nervous going to the limit and its engine was more forceful than the BMW M3.
Perhaps it could sound sacrilege. BMW may have made a better car than the M3, precisely, to be able to sell it, forced by tax conditions in some countries.
BMW sold a total of 3,745 units of the 320is, of which 2,540 were the two-door version and 1,205 the four-door version. On the other hand, more than 18,000 units of the M3 were sold, which today are highly valued.
