..:: M3Addict.com :: e30 BMW M3 ::..

The success of BMW's Motorsport Division began in 1978 with the hand-built M1. This amazing car turned head the world round with it's controversial italian stylistic queues and outstanding performance. From the M1 cam the first BMW M5 in 1985 as well as the first BMW M3. The M5 was based on the M1's 24 valve straight-six (along with the BMW M635Csi). The first M3 was developed for BMW's Motorsport division - a 2-door car purpose-built to perform on the race track and be street legal around the world.

The first BMW M3 based on the E30 version of the BMW 3 Series was debuted in 1985 and rolled into the customer's hands in 1986. From the start, this thoroughbred sports car thrilled not only the motorsport enthusiast and the racing expert, but also car fans the world over. Boasting powerful-looking spoilers and strikingly flared wheel arches all round, the very first BMW M3 was a sensation to behold even at a standstill. And although the road-going version offered all the everyday driving qualities required of a modern car, the real home of the BMW M3 was the race track. Powered by a four-cylinder featuring avantgarde four-valve technology, the BMW M3 brought home one victory after the other.

Originally conceived for just 5,000 units for the purpose of homologation, this very first BMW M3 gained growing popularity right from the start. And apart from the car’s convincing concept, an ongoing increase in engine power from 195 hp all the way to 238 hp added to the car’s fascinating thrill.

The Engine in the e30 BMW M3 was designated "S14". The BMW S14 is a 16-valve 2.3L (2302cc) DOHC Inline 4 cylinder engine. It was built off of the BMW M10 engine block with a M88/S38 Dual OverHead Cam cylinder head (with 2 fewer cylinders). It has four separate throttle bodies and developes 195 PS (143 kW/192 hp), or 200 PS (147 kW/197 hp) without a catalytic converter. A specially designed and tuned model was developed for the e30 M3 EVO, designated the S14 EVO, which produced 20 PS more power. The 2.3 L version has a 93.4 mm bore and an 84mm stroke.

Variations of this BMW engine included a limited-edition 2.5 Liter (2467 cc) Evo Sport for motorsport homologation requirements, and a 2.0 L (1990cc) version with stroke reduced to 72.6 mm for the 320is, which was a sports model made specifically for the Portuguese and Italian markets.