BMW E30

E39
5 Series
325i
Stunning E30
Champagne 325i Sport

Independently written for real enthusiasts

E36 30
X5 OR X6?

at F15 versus F16

Our unmissable look at

BMW's affordable
modern classic
30-years on...

FRANK
SYTNER
MAY 2021

We meet
"Fearless Frank"
himself
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 CONTENTS
Welcome
Independently written for real enthusiasts It’s hard to believe that the E36 has been around for 30-years
BMW Car, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, but here we are, celebrating its milestone anniversary in this
Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL issue (p50). As is always the case as time moves on, what was
EDITORIAL once an everyday sight on UK roads has gradually become
Editor: Simon Jackson
Email: bmwcar.ed@kelsey.co.uk more and more of a rarity – as the E36 transitions from popular
Tel: 07391 718134 daily use to modern classic and then full classic status. Where it
Art Editor Lorna Mansford
Contributors Bob Harper, Andrew Everett, Guy Baker, John Glynn, currently sits in that chain is open to personal interpretation but
Rob Richardson, Dan Bevis, Jason Dodd, Matt Robinson, Ben Barry, there’s no denying that a 30-year old car is certainly no longer a
Jakob Ebrey
spring chicken. As we touched on last month, in an enthusiast’s
ADVERTISEMENT SALES
Laura Crawte / Liam Stone Tel: 01233 228754 / 01233 228751 book the E30 3 Series is a bonafide classic these days, and the E36 is not too far behind,
Email: laura@tandemmedia.co.uk / liam@tandemmedia.co.uk well cared for examples of the more interesting models are beginning to accelerate in value
PRODUCTION – and not just M cars. But, happily you can still pick up a good E36 at an affordable price
Tandem Media
Production Manager: Andy Welch though as these cars age that will invariably change – maybe 2021 is the year you should
Artwork enquiries: 01233 220245
Bmw@tandemmedia.co.uk invest in a tidy example?
MANAGEMENT
Sticking with BMW history don’t miss our chat with one of BMW motorsport’s most
Chief Operating Officer: Phil Weeden infamous characters – “fearless” Frank Sytner, a man whose name has become synonymous
Chief executive: Steve Wright
Publisher: Phil Weeden with BMWs on road and track, p18. If nothing else the archive shots we’ve uncovered of his
Retail Director: Steve Brown British Touring Car Championship days will raise a smile amongst motorsport fans, I’m sure.
Audience development manager: Andy Cotton
Print production manager: Georgina Harris Elsewhere in the issue there’s the usual mix of BMWs, from a lovely E30 325i (p44) to our
Print production controller: Kelly Orriss
Events manager: Kat Chappell comparison of three-year old X5 and X6 models (p10), alongside our First Drive of the latest
Subscription marketing Director: Gill Lambert M340d Touring, p36.
Subscription marketing Manager: Rochelle Gyer-Smith
Lastly, as lockdown restrictions lift in the UK over the coming weeks there will be many,
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Simon Jackson, Editor
CONTACT US:
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Customer service email address: subs@kelsey.co.uk old age of 30 – but it is a
Customer service and subscription postal address: genuine classic yet?
BMW Car Customer Service Team, Kelsey Publishing Ltd,
The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL
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MAY 2021 3
CONTENTS

36

Contents
Independently written for real enthusiasts
Regulars
Independently written for real enthusiasts 006 News 060 Workshop Wisdom
Catch up with the latest BMW news Andrew Everett gets his hands dirty
with a range of BMW technical issues
025 Comment: Bob Harper
Our resident marque expert talks 065 Our Cars
all things BMW The trials and tribulations of the
BMW Car fleet
026 Comment: John Glynn
John talks agreed value insurance 072 Subscriptions
Subscribe to BMW Car and save money!
028 New Products
Shop for the latest and greatest products 074 Trouble-Shooter
Technical tips and fixes for common
034 Digital Subs BMW problems
Get BMW Car on your electronic device
079 Reader’s Rides
035 Letters Your BMW’s five minites of fame – did
Have your say your car make print?

035 First Drives 080 Classifieds

Behind the wheel of the latest BMWs Find a bargain in our free classifieds

058 Market Watch 082 Next Month

BMW marketplace analysis What’s in the next issue of BMW Car?

4 BMWcar
 CONTENTS

44 50

10 38

Follow us on social media:

BMWCarMagazine @bmwcarmag bmwcarmag

Features
010 X5 Vs X6
From modest beginnings BMW’s range
of X vehicles has expanded rapidly
but are you better off with a practical X5
or a supposedly more stylish X6?
044 E30 325i Sport
Forget your driver modes and your electronic
safety nets – an E30 325i Sport is arguably
the purest expression of what a driver’s car
should be…
May 2021
050 30-years of E36
BMW’s ground breaking E36 was launched
here 30-years ago this April. Andrew Everett
runs through the model’s history and how it
moved the game along...

018 Frank Sytner

Frank Sytner didn’t just have his name
over the door of his famous Nottingham
dealership, he also had it on the side of
his BTCC E30 M3s. We meet the man.

038 E39 530 Champagne

The 530i Sport Champagne Edition was
a limited number run-out version of
perhaps the finest BMW of all time –
the E39 5 Series. If you can find a good
one today then a bottle of bubbly
should be on your shopping list.

18
MAY 2021 5
NEWS
BMW
News
BMW CELEBRATES
20-YEARS OF UK
ENGINE PLANT
BMW is celebrating two decades of
manufacturing award-winning engines at
its Hams Hall engine plant in Warwickshire.
BMW Group’s UK engine manufacturing
plant, Hams Hall in North Warwickshire, has
reached a milestone birthday – 20 years of
manufacturing three and four-cylinder petrol
engines. More than 1000 locals are employed
at the plant which opened on 8 February
2001, around a third of the site's staff are also
celebrating their own 20-year contribution to
the plant. In addition to those long-serving
employees, the state-of-the-art facility currently
boasts 53 apprentices who are participating in
four-year training programmes – the highest
number at any time in its 20-year history.
Throughout its history, Plant Hams Hall has
been making a strong contribution to BMW
6 BMWcar
Group’s commitment to produce highly
efficient engines.
Michael Nikolaides, Senior Vice President
Production Engines and E-Drives said: “BMW
Group has always prided itself as an absolute
leader in engine technology. The Hams Hall
plant is a high-performing and reliable pillar in
our drivetrain production network, consistently
delivering the latest generation of three and
four-cylinder petrol engines to vehicle plants
across the world.
“With sales in multiple and diverse markets,
BMW Group offers its customers a combustion
engine, a plug-in hybrid or a fully-electric motor
and the Hams Hall plant is making a valuable
contribution to this overall company strategy.”
The very first four-cylinder BMW engines
produced at the plant represented a
revolutionary step forward in technology,
they brought a significant decrease in fuel
consumption combined with much lower
exhaust emissions. A new engine family
– introduced in 2006 – broadened the
plant’s role, it was also the sole provider of
award-winning three-cylinder engines for
the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid. Today the facility
builds three and four-cylinder engines for
plug-in hybrid models and it is preparing to
take over production of the BMW's most
prestigious V engines – production for which
 NEWS
BMW GROUP PRODUCTS
POWERED BY HAMS HALL
ENGINES:

2005-2008
The first engines destined for BMW
Group Plant Spartanburg in South
Carolina were exported to the US in
2005. The 2.0-litre engines powered
the BMW Z4 Coupé.
2001-2004
A brand-new generation of four-cylinder petrol
engines enter the market with the launch of the
E36 316ti Compact. The naturally-aspirated
NG4 engine – 1.6 and 2.0-litres – was the
first to feature BMW Group’s revolutionary
Valvetronic technology.

2006
A special facility was installed to build engines for
the homologation of the 320si for the FIA WTCC.
In total, 2,600 units were produced, built by hand
on a dedicated
production line.
The high revving
2.0-litre unit
delivered 173hp.

code name ‘Prince’, alongside existing NG4
will be moving over from Munich. Engines
roll off the Hams Hall production line at a
rate of more than one per minute and are
currently supply nine different BMW Group
vehicle plants globally – the majority go to
Plant Oxford in the UK for MINI and to Plant
Spartanburg in the USA for BMW's X model
range. More than five million engines have
been produced since the plant opened, with
annual production in recent years exceeding
375,000 engines. As well as engine
assembly, a high-tech machining hall is a core
part of the Hams Hall site, producing key
engine components – crankshafts, cylinder
blocks and cylinder heads.
From 2006
In September 2006, Hams Hall was
expanded to produce a second engine
family, supplying the MINI brand and the
Oxford production plant for the first time.
An all-new production facility was installed
to produce this brand-new engine, internal
engine production.
2011
Rear-wheel drive ‘Prince’
engines are added to the
portfolio with the introduction
of the new second gen
1 Series – this longitudinal
version of the engine is fitted
to the 114i, 116i and 118i.
2015
A new generation of engines power MINI
into the next decade. Hams Hall started
to build BMW Group’s latest generation
of three and four-cylinder petrol engines,
Plant Oxford being its key customer.
From 2010
New and improved MINI engines are
offered with more power and torque,
with reduced emissions and improved
fuel consumption. Hams Hall mills
powered the all-new MINI Countryman,
MINI Roadster and MINI Coupé.
2014
Hams Hall
became the
sole provider
of units for the
BMW i8.
2016
The latest-
generation of
three-cylinder engines for plug-in hybrid
models are added to the roster with upgraded
facilities at Hams Hall. The BMW 225xe Active
Tourer plug-in hybrid is the first vehicle to
receive this latest-generation engine.

2019
In another upgrade to assembly facilities, a
longitudinal version of the latest generation
2018 of four-cylinder engines goes into production.
Hams Hall was the first to build a new high-
The engine is supplied for the range of BMW
powered derivative of the latest generation
X models and Plant Spartanburg in the USA
four-cylinder Baukasten engine. Introduced
is the key
in the BMW X2 M35i, it delivered 306hp. The
customer.
two-litre TwinPower Turbo engine was the
very first M Performance series production
four-cylinder engine and the most powerful
BMW four-cylinder engine ever built.

2020
Hams Hall built 3,000 units for the limited
edition MINI John Cooper Works GP, the
fastest MINI ever approved for road use.
The 306hp four-cylinder turbocharged 2021
engine accelerates this special two-seater Preparations get underway to take
model – based on the MINI 3-door Hatch – on production of the BMW Group’s
from 0-62 mph in just 5.2-seconds. prestigious V8 and V12 engines.

MAY 2021 7
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10 MINUTES WITH:
SILVERSTONE
AUCTIONS
Managing Director of Silverstone Auctions, Nick Whale,
talks with BMW Car about BMWs, the current mood
of the car market and more...
BMW Car: Tell us a little about Silverstone
Auctions and its history with the BMW marque.
Nick Whale: "I was a BMW dealer for
25-years (15-years for my late father, 10-years
for myself). I have been to the factory many
times in Munich and I was the top salesman
three or four years consecutively. I have owned
many BMW E30s, driven an M5 for the last
15-years and recently swapped that for an
Alpina B5 Touring. Regarding the auctions, the
BMW marque is a staple in each sale. We have
seen some superb examples over the decade
we have been operating and achieved some
great results."
BMW Car: What are the current trends in the
auction world?
NW: "1980s and 1990s models remain
popular, low production examples, as well as
M3 and M5 derivatives. Early three-wheelers,
and the 1602/2002 Series have a steady
following which continues.
BMW Car: Which BMW models do you
consider future classics?
NW: "Anything built by the M division that is
in limited numbers. BMW still build the ultimate
driving machines."
BMW Car: What do you think about current
values of BMW models? Are certain models
proving popular of late?
NW: "Values are steady and that is the appeal
of the marque. What has been meteoric is the
BMW M1. I suspect the next to go the same
way will be the Z8."
BMW Car: Is originality still vital, or do mildly
modified classics / "restomods" appeal more to
today's buyers?
NW: "Originality always wins for higher value
and more demand. Restomods still have a
following and are great driving cars. I myself
once had a 1973 BMW 3-litre CS with a
modern M5 engine and gearbox and this was a
great daily driver!"
BMW Car: How has Silverstone Auctions
adapted to the global pandemic?
NW: "In 2020 we had just one sale in our
traditional format prior to the global pandemic,
for the rest of the year we adopted a new
approach – the Live Online format. This method
ultimately offers vendors and buyers alike all
the benefits of traditional auctions combined
with the safety element of being online. We still
have all the cars, staff, and auctioneer in the
room on the day, but buyers bid from home,
either online or by phone. We offer an extended
viewing window so customers could book an
appointment to inspect a vehicle, or employee
a professional to do so if the tightest restrictions
were in place."
BMW Car: Do you think the physical car
auction will return?
NW: "Yes, I absolutely think they will. There
will always be a balance between physical and
online auctions, there is a place for both. We as
the Silverstone Auctions Group must be present
and available on all options and we will take
learnings from the past year.
We are planning to return to physical auctions
as part of our long-term plans. Events will begin
to return, we are the auction partner for many
automotive events – such as the Silverstone
Classic – and we cannot wait to get back
to them!"
SILVERSTONE AUCTIONS: THE MAY SALE 2021
AUCTION DATE: Saturday 22nd May 2021, 13:00GMT
NEWS
Nick Whale has been driving, racin
and selling BMWs for 25-years.
g
BMW Car: Has Brexit had an impact on the
process of importing and exporting cars? And
has it affected interest in UK auctions from
foreign collectors?
NW: "Yes, and very few people have realised
the effect of it. It is difficult because of VAT and
taxes which are now due, where they perhaps
were not before. It can be complicated too; the
age of a car and whether it has been restoration
all impact VAT so there are variable factors."
BMW Car: What advice would you give to a
first-time Silverstone Auctions buyer?
NW: "Always inspect the lot if you can. Always
buy with your heart – and buy something you
really want not something you think you ought
to have."
BMW Car: What exciting things can we expect
in 2021 from Silverstone Auctions?
NW: "As well as retuning to physical auctions
later in the year, I am pleased to share with
you that we are launching a new, online-only,
additional route to market. This will be a third
business, Automotive Auctions, which is in
addition to Silverstone Auctions and Classic Car
Auctions. The online-only platform will provide
customers with a broad range of options; classic
cars, competition cars, modern sports cars,
supercars, electric & hybrid cars, motorhomes,
motorcycles as well as automobilia and number
plates. There are no fees to sell on this platform
and you can sell at any time. The platform
will launch on 29 March via the website:
automotiveauctions.co.uk"
CONTACT
Web: www.silverstoneauctions.com
MAY 2021 9
X5 vs X6
Style or
Substance?
t seems scarcely believable that it’s just over
I two decades ago that BMW first dipped its
foot in the 4x4 SUV water. It had dabbled
with four-wheel drive earlier than that with
the E30 325iX that made its debut back in
1985 while in the early 1990s it had launched
the E34 525iX and 525iX Touring models but
that really had been the extent of its foray into
the all-wheel drive market.
Its reticence to become involved in this
market is perhaps understandable. For starters
BMW had always traded on its Ultimate
10 BMWcar
Driving Machine USP and with numerous
advertising campaigns extolling the virtues
of rear-wheel drive making the switch could
have been seen as moving a little too far away
from its roots. However, Audi shook things
up somewhat back in the 1980s when it
launched the ur-Quattro and established that
there was very much a place for four-wheel
drive in the prestige sporting arena.
Audi didn’t just stick to using its quattro
system on its rallying super coupé though – it
soon appeared on various Audi 80s and 100s
as well as the more mundane coupé models,
especially in those markets where inclement
conditions were a way of life for many
months of the year. Mercedes jumped on the
bandwagon with its 4matic all-wheel drive,
and despite BMW’s attempt at mainstream
four-wheel drive with the 525iX, it wasn’t
hugely popular thanks to its high price.
Which made it even more surprising when
the original X5 was launched in 1999. Not
only was it four-wheel drive but it was a
complete departure from the sporting saloons
 X5 vs X6

From modest beginnings BMW’s range of X vehicles

has expanded rapidly, but are you better off with a
practical X5 or a supposedly more stylish X6?
Words: Bob Harper Photography: Jason Dodd

and coupés we were used to. There had been
upmarket off-roaders before – machinery like
the Range Rover had a proven track record –
but for the X5 the focus shifted to a machine
that was primarily aimed at those who would
do their driving almost exclusively on-road.
There was off-road ability but it certainly wasn’t
the car’s primary purpose.
And as we all now know it was a super
soaraway success with over 750,000 examples
of the first E53 generation being produced,
far exceeding BMW’s wildest dreams. The X5
started a dynasty of BMW SUVs, or as BMW
likes to call them, Sports Activity Vehicles, a
term that’s expanded to include Sports Activity
Coupés too. We now have a line up that
includes four Sports Activity Vehicles – X1, X3,
X5 and X6 – and three Sports Activity Coupés
– X2, X4 and X6.
The X6 was, of course, the car that spawned
the new SUV-coupé segment and while when
it first made its debut in 2008 there was a
certain amount of confusion as to why folk
would buy such a machine it soon established
its own niche. It was more expensive than the
contemporary X5, offered less in the way of
passenger and luggage carrying capacity and
to most observer’s eyes its styling wasn’t quite
as resolved either. It mattered little, owners
loved the X6 and it sold very well, with nigh
on a quarter of a million examples of the
E71 generation of X6 being sold. Not such a
big seller as the X5 perhaps, but more than
enough to make it a very profitable machine
and one that’s been copied by a plethora of
other manufacturers.

MAY 2021 11
X5 vs X6
But what of the two machines we have here
today? In the silver corner we have an F16 X6
M50d while in the black corner it’s up against
an F15 X5 xDrive40d M Sport, but before we
come onto these specific machines let’s have a
quick recap of the models in question.
The F15 X5 took over from the E70
model in 2013 and not before time as
the older model’s ride quality was feeling
distinctly old-hat and the CO2 emissions
were unfashionably high. Besides, younger
competition, especially the double threats
of the Mercedes-Benz ML and Range Rover
Sport, were beginning to crowd the X5’s patch.
The F15 wasn’t an entirely new design as it did
share components with the outgoing model,
but it was a little bigger – 5mm wider and
32mm longer – and offered increased interior
accommodation too.
It had a bigger and bolder look than the car
it replaced but it did perhaps look a little heavy
from some angles, especially around the rear
12 BMWcar
three-quarters where it did struggle to hide
its bulk. The flip side of the coin though was
a massive boot – 650-litres with the seats up
and 1,870-litres with the seats folded – and
there was enough room for a third row of
seats to be fitted to an X5 for the first time, an
increasingly vital part of an SUV’s makeup.
There was a choice of two diesels (30d and
M50d) and one petrol (50i) at launch and
these were soon joined by a variety of other
power plants including the 40d and for the
first time a downsized option, the 25d with a
four-cylinder engine. Eventually the obligatory
M version joined the party along with a hybrid.
There was more or less an X5 to suit everyone.
While the new car was roomier and perhaps
a little bit more stylish than its predecessor
where it really scored was with an interior that
was a real step up in terms of styling, quality
and ergonomics. The dials, the switchgear, the
large 10.2-inch central screen – we’d seen
them already in other BMWs – but the way
the X5 blended all of these elements into a
harmonious whole was hugely impressive.
From the traditional (for an X5) double-decker
air vents through to the precise stitching on
the leather, it was a cabin of proper luxury, and
beat or matched anything that was offered by
Mercedes, Audi or Range Rover.
The second generation X6 joined the X5
on sale in late 2014 and was initially offered
in 30d, M50d and 50i guises with the 40d
model joining the line up in 2015. As with the
X5 the petrol-powered models were pretty rare
beasts as the diesel-engined models offered an
excellent blend of performance and economy,
as well as offering significantly more palatable
Benefit-in-Kind company car tax contributions.
The second generation X6 took the good
bits from the first car – primarily its exceptional
road manners – and improved areas where
the first car had been a little lacking, especially
its ride quality. While its styling was a little bit
brasher than the car it replaced it had better
 X5 vs X6

In the silver corner we have an

F16 X6 M50d, in the black
an F15 X5 xDrive40d M Sport

MAY 2021 13
X5 vs X6

The X6’s chassis, especially in

M50d form, makes it a much
sharper tool

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14 BMWcar

proportions and its rear end was a little less
bulbous than the E71 model. Its boot space,
unsurprisingly, wasn’t as impressive as the X5’s
with a capacity of between 580- and 1,525-
litres depending on the seating configuration.
Its interior layout was similar to the X5s but
with the lower roof line it felt a little more
intimate and perhaps slightly more sporting,
too. The X6 was generally rather better
equipped than the equivalent X5 model and
this went some way to justifying the price
hike – the X6 being around £3,000 more
expensive depending on model.
The 40d version of the X5 was an
impressive performer, utilising the twin-turbo
version of the 2,993cc N57 diesel which was
good for 313hp at 4,400rpm and a fairly
gargantuan 464lb ft of torque that was on
offer between 1,500 and 2,500rpm. This was
enough to haul its two-tonne-plus bulk from
0-62mph in just 5.9-seconds yet its combined
economy figure was an impressive 45.6mpg.
Admittedly that was under the older NEDC
testing regime which was about as reliable
as an anti-vaxxer video on social media but
driven without too much gusto and mid-30s
were achievable.
The M50d – which was available in both
the X5 and the X6 – was an M Performance
model and really upped the ante as far as
performance was concerned. Its triple-turbo
version of the 2,993cc six-pot developed a
huge 381hp along with 546lb ft of torque,
enough to see the X6 version sprint from
0-62mph in just 5.2-seconds on its way to
a top speed limited to 155mph. Economy
was only slightly worse than the 40d with the
M50d managing 42.8mpg in official tests.
Both machines perform admirably but
as you might expect its the M50d that’s the
X5 vs X6
sprightlier of the two. And that’s not just in
terms of straight-line performance as the X6’s
chassis, especially in M50d form makes it a
much sharper tool. Adaptive M dampers were
a standard fitment as was Dynamic Drive
roll stabilisation and Dynamic Performance
Control and this enabled the big 4x4 to hide
its bulk in an almost physics defying manner. It
resists understeer to the point that it’s almost
impossible to generate on a dry road with
the roll mitigation system keeping everything
flat and the X6’s nose sniffing out apices
with enthusiasm, especially for something so
weighty and with a high centre of gravity.
That this doesn’t come to the detriment of
ride quality is particularly impressive. Obviously
both the X5 and X6 can struggle on some of
the worst surfaces that British roads can throw
at them – but that’s true of just about any car
these days – but overall the Adaptive dampers
MAY 2021 15
X5 vs X6
“My wife really liked the X5 so we ended up
buying one to replace the Audi Q7.”
do a superb job of ironing out the bumps and
both machines generally remain refined and
composed for the majority of the time.
The two X cars we have here are both
owned by Paul Spenser-Nixon with the black
X5 xDrive40d being the family wagon while
the silver X6 M50d is his work car. He’s owned
both for around four years and has been very
impressed with both machines for the majority
of his ownership… but we’ll come onto that in
a moment.
Paul’s a long time BMW owner and before
opting for the X6 as his work wheels he had a
6 Series and a 3 Series before that. However,
it was thinking about a new car for his wife
that spawned the arrival of the two X cars as
he tells us. “We had a Nissan Qashqai that my
wife used and when we needed something
bigger we bought an Audi Q7 which we didn’t
like at all so we were looking for a replacement
for that. Coincidentally I had been thinking of
replacing my 6 Series and had booked to visit
a dealer to try out an X6 but they didn’t have
one available so they lent us an X5 for the day
as they’re relatively similar cars. My wife really
liked the X5 so we ended up buying one to
replace the Q7.
“While I loved the 6 Series and thought
I’d hold onto it for a little longer I was finding
that after a long drive my back was starting to
play up a bit. Having been impressed with the
X5 I decided to go for the X6 as comfort was
becoming a priority and so I set about looking
for one. I knew I wanted the M50d but when
I was at Goodwood I saw a silver one on
the BMW stand and knew that was exactly
F15 X5 / F16 X6
ENGINE:
CAPACITY:
MAX POWER:
MAX TORQUE:
0-62MPH:
TOP SPEED:
ECONOMY:
EMISSIONS:
WEIGHT:
PRICE (OTR):
16 BMWcar
the car I wanted. I hunted around for one in
that colour with the options I wanted and as
soon as I saw one I went for it. I remember
phoning the dealer on a Friday evening and
picking it up on the Sunday morning!” says
Paul with a smile.
“Both cars are great to drive” according to
Paul, “But the X6 is the sportier of the two.
That might be because when I drive the X5 I’ve
got the family on board so tend to drive it less
enthusiastically but the X6 is definitely quite a
lot faster and feels tighter and has a smaller,
more sporty feel to the interior, too.”
It’s not all been plain sailing with the X5
though as Paul explains. “It was a great car,
my wife loved driving it, it was comfortable
and it made an ideal family car as we have
two children and the seven seats gave it an
added practicality. While both cars had been
reliable and hadn’t caused us any issues one While this particular owner’s story might
day the X5 lost all of its oil as the sump plug not have had a happy ending there’s no
fell out. As soon as the warning light came on doubt that BMW’s X cars are going from
the dash my wife switched off but the damage strength to strength and appeal to a wide
had been done and it needed a new engine. range of people. From just the one model
Unfortunately BMW wouldn’t cover it under that was offered 20-years ago there’s now
warranty and as a result it’s put me off the a huge number of Sports Activity Vehicles/
brand somewhat, once the X5 was repaired Coupés to choose from and that doesn’t
we sold it and replaced it with a Range Rover.” look set to change going forward. The
Paul will hold onto his X6 for a little while ‘Vehicles’ are the more practical propositions
longer but the experience with the X5 has but don’t discount the ‘Coupés’ as they do
sadly put him off the brand and when its offer a sharper driving experience and dare
replacement is due it probably won’t be we say it, now we’re a little more used to
coming from Bavaria. “It’s a shame,” he says, their styling, they actually look pretty good
“I’ve always been keen on BMWs and love the too. And with that triple-turbo ‘six under
way they drive, but I just don’t feel like I want the bonnet of the M50d it really is a hugely
to give them any more of my money.” appealing performance car ●
F15 X5 xdrive40d F16 X6 M50d
N57D30T1 straight-six diesel N57D30S1 straight-six diesel
2,993cc 2,993cc
313hp @ 4,400rpm 381hp @ 4,000-4,400rpm
464lb ft @ 1,500-2,500rpm 546lb ft @ 2,000-3,000rpm
5.9-seconds 5.2-seconds
147mph 155mph
45.6mpg 42.8mpg
164g/km 174g/km
2,185kg 2,260kg
£50,665 (2013) £66,920 (2014)
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FRANK SYTNER

or those fortunate enough to buy

Fearless F a BMW E30 M3 new it was new,

there was one BMW dealer above

Frank
Frank Sytner didn’t just have his name over the door
of his famous Nottingham dealership, he also had it on
the side of his BTCC E30 M3s. We meet the man.
Words: Ben Barry Photography: Jakob Ebrey Photography, Prodrive
all others whose name they wanted
in the back window: Sytner of
Nottingham. Frank Sytner didn’t just have his
name over the front door of his dealership,
he also had it on the side of the E30 M3s
he campaigned in the British Touring Car
Championship (BTCC) from the 1987 season.
Sytner won the BTCC title outright in 1988
in a surprise upset against the more powerful
Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworths that were
racing in the class above, and 30-years ago
in 1990 he won his final title with an overall
class win against the likes of Andy Rouse, Tim
Harvey and John Cleland. Buying from the

18 BMWcar

guy who’d taken those victories on track only
strengthened the race to road credentials on
which the E30 M3 was built and marketed.
If it’s these few years that stick in the
collective consciousness of motorsport fans,
Sytner’s career had actually started two
decades before. “In 1970 I was a car dealer
racing old Austin A40s and doing various kinds
of historic motorsport. That’s how it all started,”
explains Frank, who continued competing into
the early 1980s as an amateur and spotted
an opportunity. “I was a big BMW dealer by
then, BMW were a very important part of the
racing scene, so I had a desire to have a go at
racing one, both for myself and to promote my
business.”
By 1983 Sytner was contesting the
British Saloon Car and European Touring Car
Championships in a BMW 635 CSi, together
with Australian Bryan Muir, a veteran saloon car
racer who sadly collapsed and passed away on
his way home from racing in the Tourist Trophy
at Silverstone. “It was the end of Bryan’s era
and the start of mine. He was a great guy, one
of the top racing drivers of that period – they
called him Yogi Muir,” recalls Frank. “I went
racing with Bryan with some financial backing
from BMW, and he was both my mentor and
my guide.”
Sytner and Muir raced against the TWR
Jaguar XJS and Rover Vitesses of the period,
all the cars running at the maximum 3500cc
engine capacity, in line with new rules
introduced for the 1980 season. Sytner
FRANK SYTNER
finished 16th in 1983 in what was still the
British Saloon Car Championship, placed 11th
in ’84 and ’85, and after a break was back for
1987 with an M3 entered by Prodrive. It was
the year in which the BSCC became the British
Touring Car Championship. Sytner was about
to make history, but he wasn’t at all convinced
by the E30 M3 on first sight – a car that not
only had two fewer cylinders than the 6 Series,
but other 3 Series’ too.
“I first saw the E30 M3 on one of my many
visits to BMW in Munich – I was over there
a lot partly because I was racing and partly
because I was a dealer,” he remembers. “I
thought the E30 was a peculiar car, I just didn’t
get it. I asked why the engine was just 2.3-litres
and not 3.5-litres like the 635 CSi. The answer
MAY 2021 19
FRANK SYTNER

quickly came back that the touring car world is

Exiting Lodge Corner at in classes, and this engine was so efficient and
Oulton Park in 1987
light that it would be faster than the 635 CSi.
The results speak for themselves.”
Not long after that meeting in Munich,
Sytner raced the E30 for the first time at
round six of the 1987 BTCC championship,
as support to that year’s British GP on 12
July. The earlier scepticism soon vanished,
and Sytner hit it off right away with the E30,
securing the Class B win and third overall at
Silverstone on his debut with the car.
“First time out at Silverstone and we put
on a new set of tyres and were already two
seconds quicker than the 635 CSi – and that
was at the beginning of my touring-car career
and I wasn’t super-quick,” demurs Sytner.
“The E30 was a fantastic thing to drive: it was
non-turbo, and the chassis was designed as
a circuit chassis – it was based on a 3 Series,
but much modified and put into production. It

20 BMWcar

Right: Sytner sprays the
champagne on the podium
at Donington Park in 1988
was the first car like that. It was typical BMW,
looking into the future and finding the right
people to make it happen.”
For Sytner, those people included Banbury-
based Prodrive, who now have a stellar circuit
pedigree with the Aston Martin WEC works
team, but back then were only known for
rallying and had only contested their first in
1984. Prodrive did, however, already have
good experience with the Group A E30, having
won the Tour de Corse in May 1987 with the
privately entered, Bastos-sponsored E30 M3
driven by Bernard Beguin. Held over Corsica’s
twisting tarmac mountain roads two months
before Sytner’s track debut, Beguin took the
win with a comfortable 2min 8sec over the
Lancia Delta Integrale.
“I met [Prodrive founder] David Richards
and made a simple agreement: he’d run the
team and I would bring over all my sponsors:
Mobil Oil, BMW, and BMW Finance. I had
“The other drivers weren’t scared
of me, but they’d know they were
going to get a fight.”
one aim, to win the BTCC. David and I got on
very well together, and still do to this day, but
Prodrive had never done a race before. They
didn’t like racing, they said you just go round
in circles all the time, and I didn’t understand
rallying, getting all muddy. It was mutual
disrespect!” jokes Frank.
But Sytner and Prodrive soon gelled, and
the partnership almost immediately showed
title-winning potential: the third overall at
Silverstone was followed by a retirement at
Brands Hatch, the first win at Donington Park,
another retirement at Oulton Park, before Sytner
finished the season on a high with second,
again at Donington.
As much as Prodrive was in some ways
disadvantaged by its lack of circuit expertise,
its rallying background would also prove an
advantage: “We rebuilt one car on a new
chassis on raceday once at Thruxton. I’d rolled
my car in practice, but because they were
FRANK SYTNER
a rally team with these big guys, they just
brought out another chassis, and swapped
all of the good bits over into another car. My
teammate Weaver was so pissed off – he was
hoping I’d be out of the race!”
As a fan at the time, I remember Sytner
having a pretty fierce reputation, all beetroot-
red fury and sticky-out elbows – his crash
with the E30-driving Alan Minshaw at Oulton
red-flagged the race, badly damaged both
cars (Minshaw rolled over the tyre barrier,
Sytner bounced off it, but won the race on
the count-back to the previous lap), but he
casually laughs it off when I ask if he was an
intimidating figure in the paddock.
“The other drivers weren’t scared of me, but
they were definitely weary, they’d know they
were going to get a fight. They were drivers, I
was a commercial amateur,” explains Sytner.
“My determination was high, my skill not as
high, I’d just get the job done, and to deliver
MAY 2021 21
FRANK SYTNER
Known to some as ‘fearless’
Frank, Sytner was a hard racer
– he recalls his time racing the
E30 M3 very fondly.
the title I had to defend vigorously. Dirty? No,
it’s been going on for years, and the sponsors
aren’t there to come second. If you’re in a
works team, it’s whatever it takes to get the
win, that’s motor racing. It’s become even
more fierce now – the tricks they get up to are
unbelievable. I had a load of fun, and people
saw me and John Cleland as enemies but
we’re actually pals.”
Sytner did, however, enjoy an at times feisty
relationship with teammate and Radio 1 DJ
Mike Smith. He points me to a YouTube clip
from his title-winning year, and a race in tricky
conditions at Snetterton – to win the title
overall, both class wins and fastest-in-class-
laps counted. At Snetterton Sytner won his
class, but Smith snatched the fastest lap from
Sytner with a late switch to slicks – a counter-
productive team decision in Sytner’s opinion
given Smith wasn’t in contention for the title
nor a strong finish in the race.
The Birmingham Superprix was
run between 1986-1990 on a
street circuit in the city centre
22 BMWcar
“It’s the first bleeped out F-word on TV,”
laughs Frank. “Mike Smith wasn’t a bad
racer for a DJ, actually, but he wasn’t that
experienced and tended to crash out a lot and
had already gone off that day. I was furious.
I was out on wets looking for water to keep
them cool, everyone was in the same boat,
there were only eight or nine laps left and
we couldn’t come back in, and the wets were
going off. Then the team had Mike in the
garage and put a new set of slicks on and sent
him out, and he was five seconds a lap faster
than me. I came back in with the cameras
following me and said, “who the f•ck sent him
out on slicks!”.”
Frank, however, (technically) finished every
race and won class B on each of the 11
rounds, save for Thruxton, where he had to
make do with third. It was enough not just
for Class B overall honours, but for the then
44-year-old Sytner to take the title too.
 FRANK SYTNER

“We beat the Sierra Cosworths to the 1988
title, but we weren’t really racing them – they
were in the class above,” Frank explains. “But
I kept winning my class and setting fastest
laps and that was what we needed to do. It
was badly planned by Ford in some ways,
but everybody was coming over to the UK
trying to win in a Sierra Cosworth, all fighting
each other, so there were all these Cosworths
blowing up and bursting tyres while I kept
getting the results.”
The final round of the 1988 season at
Silverstone was also be the title-decider.
“There were some quality drivers in the BTCC
back then, and both Andy Rouse and I needed
to win our class and set the fastest lap to win
the championship at Silverstone, but Rouse
got a puncture. An Italian racer [Gianfranco
Brancatelli] had been sent over, perhaps as
a wingman to give Rouse a buffer, but he
wanted to race and just pushed Rouse harder
– he actually took the win and set fastest
lap!” It meant Sytner finished the final round
at Silverstone on 103 points to Rouse’s 95,
whose puncture caused him to lose second
place overall – to Phil Dowsett in a Class D
Toyota Corolla!
The full might of the BMW UK marketing
machine swung behind Sytner when he
took the title, a coup that naturally increased
interest in the E30 M3 in the UK.
“BMW were fantastic with me winning. I
wasn’t at all famous, but there was a full-page
ad in all the national newspapers on Monday
morning – although the actual picture was of
James Weaver driving the M3, because Mike
Smith had had his helicopter accident by then.
It said: “well done Frank, we’re been watching
you all year”.”
1989 was the BTCC’s final year of the four-
tier class structure, but Sytner placed second
in Class B to teammate Weaver, who himself
finished second overall to John Cleland in the
MK2 Vauxhall Astra GTE 16v. But he bounced
back for the two-class 1990 season, winning
his class and placing second overall to Rob
Gravett in the Sierra RS500 Cosworth, a
championship that again sprinkled motorsport
fairy dust over Sytner’s BMW dealership.
“It was a great advantage as a dealer, the
others complained and I didn’t blame them. I
was chairman of the dealer council back then
and I was still racing in 1990, so BMW said
we’ll support you for another year in 1991,
then you retire. I’d had a great run, so I did,”
says Sytner.
Frank Sytner has long since sold out of
the business that still bears his name, but
for BMW people of a certain age, having
that Sytner sticker on the back of a BMW M
car makes it all the more special. It certainly
helped seal the deal on the E36 BMW M3
that I bought the second I could! l

Snetterton in Norfolk,
August 1989

“It was a great advantage as a

BMW dealer, others complained
and I didn’t blame them.”

MAY 2021 23
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BOB HARPER
Bob isn’t impressed by the latest crop of über-expensive machinery
What’s the point
of cars like this,
asks Bob...
s I type the world’s motoring media seems to be just calming
A down from a frenzied week of reporting about Gordon
Murray’s new T50s Niki Lauda track-only supercar, yours for
the bargain basement price of around £3.7 million by the time
you’ve added VAT. This is, of course, an even more extreme
version of the road-going version which is a snip at a paltry £2.8 million.
Now, I know I’m meant to be really excited about this car as it’s been
designed by Gordon Murray, the father of the iconic McLaren F1, but I’m
afraid to say it just leaves me a little cold. I can admire the engineering
behind it and marvel at Murray’s dedication to keeping weight out of
cars – the T50, even in road-going form, weighs under a tonne – but it
just seems like a complete irrelevance. Obviously it’ll be purchased by the
über rich as a plaything until the next best thing comes along but even
for this select few where will they be able to drive it anywhere near its
extraordinarily high limits?
It’s not just these ultra-expensive modern supercars that don’t excite
me, there are a plethora of ‘continuation’ models or machinery such
as the James Bond Aston that I just don’t get. Once again I can admire
the skill set required to remanufacture these types of vehicles, but I find
myself asking ‘What’s the point?’ You can’t register them or drive them on
the road, so why not just buy an original car and restore it to a better than
new condition? At least you’d be able to drive it. I can see why it would
be cool to own a DB5 from Goldfinger but at the end of the day it’s just a
very, very expensive ornament. Let’s not forget these are cars, and they’re
COMMENT
designed to be driven.
If you’ve got a seven figure sum sitting in the bank then you could
decide to opt for one of Singer’s rather tasty Porsche offerings but it does
seem like an awful lot of money to spend on what is effectively a very
posh Beetle. Do these things have to be so ridiculously expensive?
Well, it would seem not. I’ve never been Ford fanatic but it’s made
some great cars, especially the ones designed with motorsport in mind,
so if you fancy living out your RAC Rally fantasies in the future then may
I suggest you beat a path to MST’s front door who will make you a MK2
Escort rally replica from around £70k. It’s not a paltry sum of money but
let’s face it, five figures is far better than seven…
And the best thing is that it’ll be usable, and a huge amount of fun to
drive. It won’t be able to generate huge G forces and probably won’t cut it
when out posing, but as a driver’s car it will have few peers. Obviously I’d
like to have a bash at doing the same sort of thing with a BMW, but which
car would you start with?
I’d love to do something with an E30 – just a regular two-door, not
an M3 – but with a rip snorting high-revving four-pot and some modern
suspension and a LSD. Or perhaps a 2002? Or even an E36? Nothing
too fancy, but at the end of the day I reckon it’d be far more fun to drive
than a mid-engined supercar that costs the same as a house in Mayfair.
I’m off to peruse the classifieds but seeing as a low mileage E30 325i
just sold on Bring a Trailer for $55,000 it looks like I might have missed
that boat too! l
MAY 2021 25
COMMENT
JOHN GLYNN
Professional car valuer, John, talks agreed value insurance...
An agreed value
is important,
says John
s a professional valuer (specialist-car-valuations.com), a
A lot of my work involves agreed value insurance. I provide
pre-agreed valuations for classic and modified cars and
motorcycles, helping owners to be fully protected should the
worst happen and they end up in a total loss scenario.
Agreed value insurance pays out a pre-agreed sum in the event of a
total loss claim. While owners of valuable new cars – usually low volume,
high-performance models – often take out guaranteed value policies to
account for the market premiums that can quickly double list prices for
oversubscribed new models, agreed value policies are mainly seen on
classic and modified cars and motorcycles.
Agreed value is essential on any classic car or motorcycle insurance
policy. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is to ensure
that your vehicle settlement in total loss matches the value of the car as
closely as possible. Taking classic car insurance at market rate can lead
to lower settlements, as insurers have control: they know your situation
involves a major financial loss and most people just want to do the best
they can in these cases, while also keeping stress to a minimum.
We have all heard stories from friends who, in total loss situations, were
sent several low offers based on eBay project sales, later followed by one
that was broadly in line with average market value. People often take the
first sensible offer that comes in, rather than debating to obtain the correct
market value, as they have endured enough stress by that point.
I always recommend agreeing value up front, but this is not always
possible. Such was the case in a recent valuation for an E91 Touring. The
car was a high-spec example that was hit while parked just a few weeks
after purchase. The damage was significant enough to make the car an
uneconomic repair. By the time I was contacted, the owner had been
offered low sums that were not supported by market observations. He
was looking for assistance to build a portfolio of evidence to support a
higher payout.
I don’t usually get involved with litigation unless instructed by solicitors,
but there was good market data and it was a very recent purchase, so
I did a little exercise to provide market clarity. The insurers went on to
pay out the purchase price, as I felt was correct in this case, given the
quality of the car and decent demand in the face of quite low supply. It
is difficult to argue with well-presented data.
One area where people often go wrong with agreed value policies on
26 BMWcar
modified cars is trying to insure for replacement cost, rather than market
value. Well-researched market value leaves no chance of later debate,
should the worst happen and the policyholder be in a total loss situation.
One does not need to find selling prices for cars that perfectly match the
spec of the car in question; comparables will do if the observations are
correctly adjusted. But insuring for market price based on close observations
makes the valuation more difficult to challenge down the road.
A recent client enquiry related to this: the owner opining that the
point of agreed value was to bridge the gap between market value
and replacement cost. This is not how I see it. In my opinion, the
point of agreed value is not to narrow the gap between market value
and replacement cost. The point is to capitalise on the opportunity to
maximise market value ahead of a total loss situation and save oneself
a boatload of stress. In doing that, we narrow the gap, but the point is
maximising the cover, not pulling the market data and target numbers
close to each other. Market data is what matters.
In some ways, valuations are self-revealing. By following a rigorous
process of data collection and adjustment, every valuation writes itself.
Owners sometimes feel that their build costs to date justify higher
numbers but, if there is no market data to support a higher number,
then it is a difficult position to justify. In such cases, there has to be some
give and take with insurers to get things on cover – one should set the
highest number possible and look for data to increase it later on.
Good market observations for similar cars are super important. A
modified car may look great and have many cool mods, but the insurer
primarily wants to know what it’s worth to the market. Finding good data is
key. Insurers will usually express an opinion on where they would value it
and you will likely have an idea of where you see it. My role is to find data
to enhance insurer awareness and set the value as high as is reasonable.
It is always possible to lift value later, should new data pop up.
Market data does not always have to be UK-based. The global
population of many rare cars is so low that all data is relevant as long
as it is verified. Although insurers know there is a low likelihood of a
claim on a classic car policy, they are usually reluctant to go beyond
their comfort zone and owners should also be careful about how they
attempt to lift the bar. A zero-stress claim is the goal. And make sure the
policy also has salvage rights, as that helps mitigate losses if you can’t get
the value where you want it at the outset l
BMW ACCIDENT SUPPORT.
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Repairs at your preferred BMW Approved Bodyshop will be
performed by BMW Trained Technicians using only Genuine
BMW Parts and the latest approved BMW repair techniques to
restore your car and its Euro NCAP safety rating. What’s more,
you’ll be covered by our Lifetime Workmanship Guarantee*.
Find out more at BMW.co.uk/AccidentSupport

*Lifetime Workmanship Guarantee Ts&Cs apply. For full Ts&Cs see: https://www.bmw.co.uk/en/publicPools/terms-and-conditions/accident-repairs.html

BMW Accident Support is a service operated, administered and provided by Enterprise Rent-A-Car UK Limited on its own behalf. Enterprise Rent-A-Car UK Limited is a company
incorporated in England & Wales with registered number 2946689, whose registered office is at Enterprise House, Melburne Park, Vicarage Road, Egham, Surrey, TW20 9FB.
NEW PRODUCTS

New
Products
Kartell BMW
Ride-On
How Much? £4500.00
Where: shop.bmw.co.uk
How Much? £500.00
Where: shop.bmw.co.uk
Developed in cooperation with Kartell and based on the iconic it features quiet rubber tyres, the BMW logo and BMW kidney. The
‘Discovolante’ toy car, this retro-style Kartell/BMW collaboration is chassis is made from anodised steel and it comes only in blue/black.
rather striking. The ride-on toy for children aged 3-5 is transparent, The BMW Article Number for this item is: 80935A07301.

1:18 BMW
M2 Model

Gliptone
Blizzard
Shield
How Much? £10.00
Where: gliptoneeurope.com
Gliptone has been in the
car care game since 1947
when it was founded in New
York City, but these days
you don't need to take a
How Much? £70.00 trip to the Big Apple to buy
Where: shop.bmw.co.uk its comprehensive range of
This 1:18 scale model of the BMW M2 is finished in the real car's products for it has a European
launch colour. With a detailed interior and rubber tyres, the die-cast arm based in the UK –
would look great as part of any model car collection. The BMW Gliptone Europe.
Article Number for this item is: 80432454833. Compatible with the
Gliptone Foam Cannon, or
a pump spray application,
Gliptone Blizzard Shield Foam
Cannon Protectant coats its
target surface with a mild,
frothy, wax-like liquid with a
sweet aroma. This enhances
surface gloss and speeds the
drying process while delivering
lasting protection to all hard
surfaces. At just £10.00 we'd
recommend that you give it a
try as part of your regular car
cleaning regime.

28 BMWcar
 NEW PRODUCTS
Stainless Steel Heat Shields
How Much? From £83.34
Where: demon-tweaks.com
Heat protection specialist DEI has introduced a couple of stainless
steel heat shields made from durable 304 stainless steel and
preformed with a curved shape to fit most sizes of pipe. The
shields feature two layers of stainless steel encapsulating a layer
of high temperature insulation, that has a direct temperature
rating of up to 2000°F (approx. 1093°C). Half inch (1.27cm)
high standoffs provide an air gap between the pipe and the
shield which makes mounting easy. Stainless steel clamps are
included. The air gap also provides a ventilating area that
helps cool the hot pipe.
The lightweight shields also feature welded
seams for strength and durability and
have been shown to block heat and protect
components better than most original factory-fitted
equipment shields.
Two sizes are available; 10254 Stainless Steel Pipe
Shield 4.5" x 8.5" priced at £83.34, and 10255 Stainless Steel
Pipe Shield 6" x 12" priced at £113.10. Note that the prices
shown are for supply direct from DEI in America and will be
subject to import tax, shipping costs and handling fees. UK and
European customers are recommended to check local DEI official
dealers for prices. In the UK and Europe DEI's products can be
ordered from demon-tweaks.com who can supply a final price.

AeroPress Go BMW
Portable Coffee Maker Card
How Much? £31.99
Where: firebox.com
Game
AeroPress has become well known for its coffee making devices
which use air pressure to force hot water through a special micro-
filter containing coffee grounds – the result is stand-out cups of
the black stuff. Now comes this, the new AeroPress Go, a portable
version for great coffee on the move. The unit and all of its
accessories fit inside an (included) travel mug, it's easy and fast to
use, and is said to put high-end coffee machines to shame.

How Much? £8.00

Where: shop.bmw.co.uk
This BMW Quartet Card Game features legendary BMW vehicles
from different generations. The format is simple – 32 playing cards
show different car characteristics like horsepower, maximum speed,
engine volume, acceleration, weight and year of construction. It is
packaged in a metal box with viewing window and tyre track print, it
is suitable for children (and adults!) from age six and upwards. The
BMW Article Number for this item is: 80452411129.

MAY 2021 29
NEW PRODUCTS
M Performance
Sunglasses
How Much? £162.00
Where: shop.bmw.co.uk
Thankfully some more sunshine is on the horizon
at last. Enter these aviator-style BMW sunglasses
which feature a lightweight and hard-wearing shiny
black frame with the BMW M logo on the side. The
filter lenses and anthracite colour gradient offer
100% UV protection. These come with a pouch
and case. The BMW Article Number for this item is:
80252410927. 

X5 Black Styling Package BMW Leather

How Much? £795.00 Key Ring
Where: mstyle.co.uk How Much? £40.00
Owners of the GO5s X5 5.0d can now add some gloss black flair to their SUV with Where: shop.bmw.co.uk
this new package from M-Style. The kit includes a Front Splitter, a pair of Side Skirt This stylish BMW key ring is made from
Extensions, a Rear Diffuser, a Mid-Level Boot Spoiler and a Roof Spoiler. All parts are fine leather, it features the BMW logo
manufactured in tough, flexible, gloss black PU RIM and are available from M-Style imprint and metal hooks suited to all key
priced at £795.00. types. Made in Italy it measures 4cms and
Owners can opt for M-Style to fit all of the parts too for just £200, and if you is sure to look swish attached to your car
prefer another colour, M-Style can paint these parts in the colour of your choice for key. The BMW Article
an additional fee (rear spoilers shown painted white). For further details e-mail info@ Number for this item is:
mstyle.co.uk or call 0208 598 9115. 80272454673.

BMW M Wallet
How Much? £115.00
Where: shop.bmw.co.uk
This high-quality wallet – made in Italy is constructed
from leather with carbon fibre elements – fits up to
14 cards, and it boasts a bank note and a document
compartment, too. It features the Jacquard lining with
the BMW M logo and stripes. It measures 12x9.4cm
(closed). The BMW Article Number for this item
is: 80212454762.

30 BMWcar
 M W
B some
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MOTORSPORT MONTH
Motorsport
Month
Formula E
Season 7 Is Go
The new Formula E season got underway in Saudi Arabia but it
wasn't the start BMW i Andretti Motorsport might have hoped for...
Diriyah in Saudi Arabia was the location of the
opening round of the new Formula E season.
BMW i Andretti Motorsport is contesting its
third and last season as a works team in the
championship –  it will contest Season 8
as a privateer team – competing with BMW
iFE.21s. The car uses the new BMW i drivetrain
Racing eDrive03, the result of a collaboration
between BMW's production and motorsport
engineers that will be used for Seasons 7 and
8. Improvements mean the engine now attains
a maximum efficiency of 98 percent, its power
density is higher than 14kW/kg, and it operates
at more than 30,000rpm. Maximilian Günther
returns to the team in the No28 car, joined
by Briton Jake Dennis in the No27 machine –
Dennis made his Formula E debut in Diriyah.
The 25-year-old most recently competed in
endurance racing in the Blancpain series but
his career has seen him occupy a role as a
Formula One test driver for Red Bull Racing.
Qualifying saw Günther starting the season
opening race from ninth on the grid, Dennis
from 14th. Günther made a good start, moving
up two positions, and following a safety car
32 BMWcar
period he went on the attack to run as high as
sixth position before he was forced to retire
after sliding into the crash barriers with ten
minutes of racing remaining. Dennis crossing
the line in twelfth place following a solid
Formula E debut performance.
The weekend's second race took place
the following day but it wasn't to prove any
more fruitful for the BMW squad. Dennis was
pushed into the wall and forced to retire in
the second half of the race, adding insult to
injury, soon afterwards Günther collided with
Tom Blomqvist during their battle for a top
ten finish, damage spelt his retirement too –
bringing the BMW i8 Roadster Safety Car onto
track – and the race was brought to an early
conclusion shortly afterwards.
 “I’m obviously very disappointed about
the results of these two races in Diriyah," said
Günther. "Right before the incident in today’s
race I had to defend against Oliver Rowland
behind me, who was in Attack Mode. I locked
up braking into the corner on the inside and
couldn’t stop the car. That’s how I unfortunately
hit Tom Blomqvist. Before that I was unlucky
using my own Attack Modes and couldn’t
really make use of them. But still I could have
scored some points. We will learn our lessons
from this weekend and come back stronger
for sure.”
Dennis commented: “A bad day in the office
for all of us with two DNFs. My race was going
pretty well before my crash. I was saving a lot
of energy and it looked good for the final laps
of the race. Then Alexander Sims hit me, I
touched the wall and had a bit of suspension
damage but the car was still driveable. Then
Pascal Wehrlein came and pushed me straight
into the wall. There was nothing I could do. All
in all we could have had a better weekend. I
had problems in qualifying; the race pace was
good. We have to move on to the next one.”
Dennis emerges from the opening weekend
in a lowly18th in the driver standings with
teammate Günther all the way back in 23rd.
Round three of the championship is scheduled
to take place in Rome on April 10 though the
calendar remains agile in light of the global
pandemic – future events will be scheduled
according to the global picture ●
MOTORSPORT MONTH

MAY 2021 33
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Independently written for real enthusiasts

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Write...
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the team at The E30 you can still

afford to own and run?

BMW Car. BMW BMW

TECH
Car has been a Top tips and
technical
fixes

favourite of mine
for years, and
currently being
lucky enough to 424hp
340i

JANUARY 2021
own two E39s
“Ordinary” E30s
F31 Touring gets the
Birds BMW treatment

I thoroughly enjoyed your article on Graham Rouse’s E30 collection in
the April 2021 issue. While I appreciate the E30 M3 is, as you say, the
“halo” model, it’s great to read about more “normal” – for want of a
better term – models, cars that I might actually be able to afford!
The E30 has become a very sought-after classic in recent years,
which is I suppose due to the fact that E21 and 2002 models are
increasing in value by the day. I guess the E36 will soon be viewed as a
thoroughbred classic but I, for one, have never been a fan of it. I guess
time will tell. By the same token many of today’s “throwaway” BMWs
will become rare and therefore sought-after classics in years to come
– if we can guess which ones we’ll all be millionaires!
David Martin, via email
Thanks David, we’re glad you enjoyed the feature – keep an eye out
for more from Graham’s collection in a forthcoming issue.
£4.99
(535i and M5)
I’ve always had an interest in the magazine.
It can’t be easy coming up with new content every month but I just
wanted to say well done as I think you’re doing a great job! I bet
you don’t get many emails to compliment your work, so please take
this as genuine appreciation for the work you do!
Graeme Bain, via email
Thanks Graeme, we really do appreciate your kind words!
BMW Production Issues?
I keep reading on social media that car makers are suffering due to
the global pandemic, and that BMW production has slowed or halted.
Can we expect supply of new BMWs to dry up soon, forcing up values
of nearly new cars? I see that BMW dealers are still offering some eye-
wateringly high discounts on RRPs of new (or nearly new) cars on
forecourts – so that leads me to believe that this won’t be the case
anytime soon?
Steve Harvey, via email
BMW states that production at BMW Group plants has restarted but
it is not at full capacity yet. Existing customer orders are its priority but
some delays are unavoidable. In terms of discounts it’s likely that those
being offered at present are on what BMW calls ‘built-stock vehicles’
– those already in the pipeline that did not reach showrooms prior to
lockdown. As to whether all this will have an impact on the values of
nearly new cars – time will tell based on the level of pent-up demand.

BTCC E30s

I had no idea that Nick Whale was behind Silverstone Auctions.

Seeing the feature on his fabulous trio of E30s in the April 2021
issue brought back some great memories. I recall watching him
race in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in the early
1990s. I loved those Group A E30 M3s in the 2.0-litre category!
Dan Ellis, via email
You’re not alone Dan – those were the days! We hope you like
the feature on Frank Sytner in this issue too! Page 18.

BMW Car magazine and Kelsey Media

If you’ve got a point to make, a view to express or a burning, BMW-related bee in
do not necessarily share the views
your bonnet, then we’d love to hear from you. Email us at: bmwcar.ed@kelsey.co.uk,
expressed within the letters on this page
contact us via social media or write to: BMW Car, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs
and accept no responsibility for any
Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL
inaccuracies they may contain.

MAY 2021 35
FIRST DRIVES
G21 M340d xDrive Touring
Choose those grilles or choose a fuel type rapidly going out of fashion for your rapid
3 Series Touring; so, should you go M340d, instead of M3? Words: Matt Robinson
fter five generations and getting
A on for 40-years in production,
we’ve finally got the first Touring
model of the BMW M3 inbound.
The car everybody craved for
ages. Except… BMW has gone and fitted the
front end of it with those love-em-or-really-
loathe-em front kidney grilles from the 4
Series line, meaning that the long-awaited
coming of the M3 Touring might not be what
everyone was on tenterhooks for after all.
So, what if you want a rapid 3 Series wagon
and, for some strange reason, you’re not
into the idea of an Alpina B3 Touring? Well,
thankfully, BMW now has two M Performance
options of the G21 for you to have a look
at, and there’s not a stupidly massive grille in
sight. Albeit, by the same token, the current
Three’s intakes aren’t the smallest items ever
to issue forth from the Bavarian company’s
drawing boards.
Anyway, we’d actually advocate steering
clear of the M340i petrol model. Oh, it’s a
superbly polished car in many ways, but it
doesn’t feel very BMW-ish. Not with its xDrive
all-wheel drive, somewhat subdued straight-
six twin-turbo 3.0-litre engine and strait-laced
chassis. For a 374hp 3 Series, which makes
it more powerful than the legendary E46 M3
CSL, it’s surprisingly humdrum.
And it’s not as if this car, the M340i’s
36 BMWcar
turbodiesel analogue, promises any extra
firecrackers in the performance department.
This is the M340d, fitted with the B57
‘D30T0’ application of the six-cylinder derv-
drinker, here making a commendable 340hp.
Admittedly, that’s some way down on that
M340i’s 374hp, but it’s the torque that is more
telling – the M340d serves up fully 516lb ft
of the stuff (that’s as much as the E60-based,
V8-supercharged petrol Alpina B5 could
muster), which eclipses the M340i’s 369lb ft
quite comprehensively.
Of course, as there’s a considerable 110kg
in it between M340i and M340d Tourings,
in favour of the former, then there’s three-
tenths of a second between the pair of them
for the 0-62mph run. And as the majority of
the M340d’s extra portliness is going to be
accounted for by the heavier diesel engine, that
means it’ll be the more nose-heavy and a less
involving car. Plus, it’ll only rev to 5,000rpm,
where the M340i can spin-out to 6,500rpm.
Except, things don’t always work out quite
how they might look on paper. Because this
M340d xDrive Touring might just be one of
the most complete BMWs, or indeed one
of the most complete cars of any make,
that we’ve ever driven. It is an utterly superb
creation from start to finish, making a mockery
of our headlong dash away from diesel as a
fuel source and proving that the M3 Touring
that’s on the way is simply not necessary.
For starters, the engine. It’s big of heart
and robust of power delivery, with lag only
really present if you try and force it into doing
something daft like trying to lug from 35mph
with the gearbox in seventh and manual
mode. Most of the time, you wouldn’t know
the M340d was a turbodiesel at all. Thank
two-stage sequential turbocharging for that,
as well as the fact that this car is now a mild
hybrid with a 48-volt system providing some
torque infill here and there. The whipcrack
Steptronic gearbox and hugely tractive xDrive
system can’t hurt matters, either.
What’s particularly nice about the M340d,
though, is that it makes a lovely noise. It’s a
touch synthetically augmented, but it actually
sounds more barrel-chested and alluring
than the rather tame notes the M340i sings.
Couple this to supreme damping, with
Adaptive M Suspension available as an option
(but you don’t strictly need it) and a genuine
sense of some inherent rear bias to the
chassis, and the result is a car that’s storming
fun when you want it to be. Aside from the
too-heavy steering in Sport mode, there’s little
we dislike about the way the M340d handles
– and plenty we adore.
Yet it’s as sublime as a long-distance Touring,
ah, tourer, and this is where it really hammers
home its superiority to the M340i. Capable of
 FIRST DRIVES

nearly 50mpg on a steady motorway cruise,
and in excess of 30mpg even when being
exerted from time-to-time, the M340d is
that marvellous blend of the thrilling and the
urbane. You’ll not lament anything about
the way it conducts itself in town, nor how it
lopes gracefully along on faster, extra-urban
routes. The ride quality and noise suppression
are both absolutely top notch.
Visually, it’s bang on the money as well.
Everything looks splendid inside. And the
BMW is glorious to behold on the outside,
especially with the £750 Shadowline Plus
pack that paints a set of 19-inch M Light
Double-Spoke alloys in Jet Black, while
simultaneously colouring the door mirror
caps, the window surrounds and the kidney
grilles in the same hue. We really hope we’re
proved wrong on this particular score, but
this might very well be one of the last truly
handsome BMW Tourings, judging by some of
the aesthetic work coming out of the company
right now.
OK, so our test car had a chunky £7,440 of
options on it, turning it into a near-£62,000
machine in the process. And you could argue
you get much of the M340d’s magic from a
nicely specified 330d M Sport Touring instead.
Or maybe even a 320d. But that’s missing
the point. The M3-Touring-that-never-was-
previously always promised to be an incredibly
practical and useable car on the one hand,
and an engaging performance machine on the
other. And there’s little doubt in our mind that
the M340d xDrive Touring aces these two oh-
so-disparate briefs so convincingly that we’re
not really that interested in the full-fat-M ‘real
thing’ that’s on the way. Seriously.
It’s been a long wait for M fans, but the
near-perfect BMW M3 Touring is already here.
It’s just that, as an all-wheel-drive turbodiesel
model from the ‘halfway-house’ of BMW
performance, it’s not quite how we always
envisioned it. Doesn’t make it any the less
brilliant as a result, though ●

This might be one of the last truly

handsome BMW Tourings...

M340d XDrive Touring

DRIVETRAIN: 3.0-litre straight-six twin-
turbodiesel, eight-speed Steptronic automatic,
xDrive all-wheel drive
ECONOMY: 48.7-52.3mpg
C02 EMISSIONS: 143-153g/km
TOP SPEED: 155mph (limited)
0-62 MPH: 4.8 seconds
POWER: 340hp at 4,400rpm
TORQUE: 516lb ft at 1,750-2,250rpm
WEIGHT: 1,880kg
PRICE: 3 Series Touring range from £40,460;
M340d xDrive Touring from £54,205, car as
tested £61,645

MAY 2021 37
E39 CHAMPAGNE

38 BMWcar

Champagne
Supernova
The 530i Sport Champagne Editions were limited number run-out
versions of perhaps the finest BMW of all time – the E39 5 Series.
If you can find a good one today then a bottle of bubbly should be
on your shopping list.
Words: Simon Jackson Photography: Jason Dodd
t is fair to say that a decade or so ago the
I E39 5 Series was pretty prevalent on UK
roads, as a result picking up a half decent
example was certainly not the stuff of
fantasy – especially if you lowered your
tastes underneath the range-topping M5
version. With the arrival of its replacement,
the E60 – designed by none other than the
infamous Chris Bangle, the E39 quickly looked
old fashioned to many an eye, and the model
gradually became a far rarer sight in the wild.
However, the revolution in looks between E39
and E60 soon gave the former a major boost,
its classic BMW design language ensured bona
fide status as one of Munich’s most timeless
modern classics – this was an instantly
recognisable as a BMW. Today, 25-years on
from its arrival – yes, it has been that long, we
could even go so far as to label the E39 a true
classic BMW.
It wasn’t just the E39’s looks which served
to impress, its makeup under the skin was
noteworthy too. Lest we forget, it’s also the 5
Series that was touted as ‘the best car in the
world’ soon after launch. Improved structural
rigidity and a marked reduction in torsional
twisting over its forebear – the E34 – was the
real step forward in the chassis department,
this model was 40 percent stiffer than the
one it replaced. This rigidity – the lack of body
flexing – allowed the suspension to do all
the heavy lifting which translated to a solid
and reassuring drive on the road. The E39
was the first 5 Series to get rack and pinion
steering, and it benefitted from an aluminium
front subframe mated to MacPherson strut
suspension, while out back came a multi-link
setup. All told, and thanks to that extensive
use of aluminium, the E39’s suspension setup
was far lighter than that of the E34. In short,
this was a BMW that was well thought-out and
very well screwed together – and operating in
tandem with the aforementioned styling, that’s
a recipe for acing the test of time.
E39 CHAMPAGNE
Now, ask any E39 aficionado to name the
best “non-M” petrol variant of the model and
the 530i is likely to rank highly – that’s for
good reason. Following in its forebear’s tyre
tracks – the 528i – the 530i’s larger capacity,
up to 3.0- from 2.8-litres, allowed for an
increase in power from 193 to 231hp with
a matching hike in torque (220lb ft) to rival
its bigger brother – the 535i. Performance
was therefore suitably brisk, 0-62mph was
achieved in 7.1-seconds (manual) before a
(limited) top speed of 155mph was chalked
up. BMW produced two run-out versions of
the 530i and its diesel equivalent, the 530d,
towards the end of the E39’s lifetime in 2002;
the Aegean and Champagne Editions. Both
were produced in limited numbers and gave
purchasers several desirable options. These
cars were “fully loaded”. The Champagne
Edition is the focus of our feature here, named
not on account of its taste for bubbly but
rather its extended Champagne Nappa leather
interior. BMW made a limited number of each
type – Aegean and Champagne Edition – and
all Champagne Edition cars were finished in
Black Sapphire metallic, the Aegean cars in
Aegean Blue, all with the Steptronic gearbox,
As you’d expect from what we’ve already
told you, equipment levels were high. Over
and above what you’d expect to find as part
of the 530i Sport model’s trim comes on the
Champagne; electric, heated, front seats with
driver’s side memory, the Communication
Pack with a then cutting edge Motorola V50
phone, the options in isolation would’ve cost
£5640 were they added on to a ‘normal’
Five, making that car cost £42,590 but the
Champagne Edition cost £36,950. Having
created 150 examples, the Champagne II
model was launched in March 2003 – limited
to 150 units – and in came a few changes,
namely the brushed aluminium trim in the first
iteration was replaced with wood, while folding
mirrors and xenon headlights also featured.
MAY 2021 39
E39 CHAMPAGNE
Here £3350 of options discounted the cost
of the car from a would-be £42,300 to
£38,950. The car you see here is a 530i Sport
Champagne Edition II first registered in June
2003. Owner, Jayne Page, has developed a
real passion for BMWs over the years which
led her to own this car:
“I’ve always had a passive interest in cars.
However, it became a more significant interest
when my son started to grow up and became
slightly obsessed,” we’re told. “I’ve owned a
variety of interesting cars, from Golf GTIs to
Alfa Romeos, however once I had my first
BMW, an E46 318i, I wanted to explore the
brand a little more. Since then, I’ve owned
four other BMWs and kept them all for years
at a time, so I have really fallen in love with
the BMW product. I currently don’t own any
others, but I do have regular access to my
sons’ small collection of BMWs.
“The BMW scene is amongst the best out
there, most owners are very knowledgeable
and happy to help with any questions
regarding the cars. Everyone seems to
530i Sport
Champagne Edition II
QUANTITY: 150
PRODUCTION: March 2003
TRANSMISSION: Automatic
COLOUR: Sapphire black metallic
INTERIOR: Extended Champagne Nappa leather,
natural poplar wood trim
OPTIONS: Folding mirrors, xenon lights, floor mats,
Comms pack
NORMAL OTR: £42,300
OTR PRICE: £38,950
40 BMWcar
appreciate the majority of generations and
models equally.”
Jayne’s Champagne Edition wasn’t so much
purchased as passed down from her son:
“I had an R56 MINI Cooper S which had
reliability issues – it spent most of its time
being repaired or diagnosed for issues. My son
had owned the E39 for about a year and I had
been driving it whilst my Mini was receiving
TLC, he knew I loved the car and offered it to
me in exchange for the poorly Mini. Looking
back, I think it was just an excuse for him to
buy another BMW without having to get rid
of the E39!” Sedgley-based Jayne explained
to us.
“The ownership experience has been great,
it has reflected how well made E39s are as
well as how they have aged as a piece of
engineering. There have been a few reliability
glitches with the car, however we attend to
them as soon as they occur which will help
to eventually iron out of all the common E39
issues,” Jayne said. “All of the cars owned by
myself and my son are maintained by James
at SimtekBM in Tipton. He has 27-years of
BMW experience, resulting in extremely high
standards and endless knowledge.”
Jayne’s clearly smitten with the E39, we ask
what her favourite aspects of it might be:
“The aesthetics,” she replied. “Both the
exterior and interior are so well designed
and built, it has stood the test of time very
well. The Champagne Leather is probably
the stand-out feature for me, though. The
driving experience is unlike anything else, we
have owned both a high-spec Mercedes E
Class as well as an Audi A6 of the same era
and neither can hold a candle to the driving
dynamics of the E39, everything is much
more precise without compromising comfort,
refinement and the all-important ride quality.
The M54B30 engine is always great in every
application, this is no exception.
“I think that the E39 is a modern classic,
destined to be a classic in the not too distant
future. They have aged so well, we seem to
forget just how old they are. In terms of their
status as a classic, they, for the most part are

The car is completely standard,
besides a re-trimmed steering wheel.
The Champagne II came with the
Communications Pack – including TV,
sat-nav and widescreen monitor.
Available 24/7
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“Champagne Editions don’t
appear for sale very often”
loved by all car enthusiasts for a plethora of
reasons. They are desirable all over the world
and the values are starting to reflect this. I am
slightly biased but I think it’s the best generation
5 series, followed by the E34, then the original
E28, then the E60, followed by the newer ones.
My car appeals to ‘those in the know’. It can
often get a thumbs-up or somebody or a subtle
look when they walk past, but it has started to
get more and more attention.”
From what we’ve already heard the answer
seems obvious, but would Jayne recommend
the E39 to those in the market for a useable
modern classic BMW?
E39 CHAMPAGNE
“I think they are still well priced and
rather cheap, though well maintained, high
specification, examples are starting to bring
more money. The values of the 530i/540i
Sport models seem to be consistently
increasing. Champagne Editions, especially
Champagne II cars like mine don’t really
appear for sale very often, and when they do,
they have high asking prices, which can put
some casual buyers off. Though they do slowly
sell, and the turnaround time is becoming
quicker each time. This side of an M5, I
imagine the Champagne II specifically will
become one of the most desirable E39s of all,
MAY 2021 41
E39 CHAMPAGNE
The E39 stands tall as one of the finest
BMWs ever built. A classic design
being a run-out model and not falling victim to
the ‘not quite an M5’ status held by the 540i.”
So, what does the future hold for Jayne and
her E39?
“The car is certainly staying in our fleet, the
Champagne II specifically is one of the most
desirable E39s and I’m not sure we have
any reason to get rid of it. But, I do have my
eye on an E46 330ci Clubsport for my next
purchase – I plan to retire the E39 from daily
use later this year. After that it will then be
used just on weekends.”
Without doubt the E39 stands tall as one of
the finest BMWs ever built. A classic design.
As you’d expect good examples are now few
and fair between, and that’s especially the
case here when we’re talking about a limited
number special edition. With the 530i Sport
Champagne Edition and Champagne Edition
II just 300 examples were built, with a further
42 BMWcar
300 split between the aforementioned 530i
Sport Aegean Edition and 530d Sport Aegean
Edition – 600 special cars of all variants in
total. Today, the Champagne Edition cars
appeal in part due to this scarcity, but also
due to their very high levels of equipment and
the fact that in this regard they represent the
pinnacle of E39 5 Series evolution. Whether
you are an E39 enthusiast or a serious BMW
collector, ultimately you could do far worse
than setting out to track down one of these
cars. If you do just that, and you’re lucky
enough to find a good one, we’d suggest that
you pop a bottle of France’s finest sparkling
wine in celebration l
THANKS
Stapleford Park luxury countryside retreat for
the use of its fabulous Leicestershire venue for
our photoshoot: staplefordpark.com
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E30 325i SPORT

Analogue
InputForget your driver modes and electronic safety
nets – an E30 325i Sport is arguably the purest
expression of what a driver’s car should be…
Words & Photography: Dan Bevis
odern life is extraordinarily complicated. For all of our enthusiasm to sync our various devices and

M centralise the functionality of our gadgets and whatnot, it’s undeniable that we’ve got a lot more
going on in our lives than any generation before. Sure, we can boast about the ready convenience
of the manner in which we can control our central heating from a phone app, or order our groceries
via voice command from our smart speaker, but the fact of the matter is that our everyday lives are
heinously complex. When you actually pare back the essentials of the day-to-day, much that we involve ourselves
with is superfluous; that’s not to say we’re clamouring for the ultra-simplicity of living in caves, eating food that
we’ve just bludgeoned to death and daubing the occasional painting on the wall in sabre-tooth tiger blood, but you
can’t argue with the notion that life is so much more enjoyable when it’s less complex.
This is a mindset that can be found in many areas of contemporary living, not least in the field of classic and
modern classic car appreciation. It’s often the case that we yearn for the cars our parents owned, or we had posters
of on our bedroom walls as kids, but it’s equally prevalent that enthusiasts these days simply want to rewind to a
time before electronic handbrakes and traction control systems and so on. And the E30 325i Sport is arguably the
perfect manifestation of this: the sub-M3 sporting variant of the 3 Series which had a killer spec, addictive power
mated to a balletic chassis, crisp and near-timeless styling, and a relative no-frills approach to the pursuit of going
quick for kicks.
Slotting neatly into the everyday reality of the fluorescent and luxuriously shoulder-padded nineteen-eighties,
the 325i Sport was essentially the same as a regular 325i at heart, but studded with a delicious smörgåsbord of
tasty extras. Hitting the showroom in 1986, the original recipe stirred in the M Tech I bodykit and boot spoiler, an
LSD, 15” BBS cross-spoke alloy wheels, an upgraded interior with sporty seats and an M Tech steering wheel, and
some fabulously fancied-up suspension: Bilstein dampers and -15mm springs did the business, hunkering the
Sport down with cat-like readiness to pounce. Eager buyers also had a lengthy list of option boxes to tick if they
so chose, including power steering, air conditioning, leather upholstery, Recaro seats, two different types of trip
computer, and much more besides.
Then 1988 happened, and that was a strange year to say the least. A momentous year for humanity, it saw the
digital terror of the Internet Worm – the world’s first ever computer virus to be spread via the fledgling world wide

44 BMWcar
E30 325i SPORT

MAY 2021 45
E30 325i SPORT
Available 24/7
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web, something so much in its infancy that the
public at large had no qualms about giving the
virus a name as rubbish as ‘Internet Worm’.
This Matrix-like terror led to the first ever
arrest under the shiny new Computer Fraud
and Abuse Act, and people suddenly started
looking at computers a little suspiciously.
This was a different age. Folk didn’t spend
all day with their heads slightly crooked
down looking at their phones; our inexorable
evolution to have bendier necks hadn’t begun
in ’88. But the times, they were a-changin’…
technology had always been seen as
something that would liberate us, make our
lives easier and happier – but 1988 was a
46 BMWcar
turning point, a broad human realisation that
computer technology could be harnessed
for malicious as well as altruistic intent. The
world could never be the same again. And
speaking of evolution, that’s an interesting
thing to consider in itself. Kangaroos have
strong tails that they can lean back on to make
them really good at kick-boxing; humans have
strong and versatile opposable thumbs to
allow them to excel at Instagram and Gran
Turismo; chameleons can blend into their
surroundings pretty cunningly, as can stick
insects, by looking like other things. Trees
can, on a chemical level, talk to each other to
communicate information about spreading
tree diseases. It really is astounding how the
natural world teaches itself to constantly adapt
and perpetuate by remaining fit for purpose.
When it comes to cars, it’s Mitsubishi which
represents the go-to when considering the
concept of evolution (they named a whole
dynasty of Lancers after it), but the concept
is intrinsically intertwined with the 325i
Sport’s DNA. You see, in 1988 the model was
facelifted, bringing in the restyled M Tech II
bodykit, with its beefier bumpers and more
motorsport-inspired boot spoiler. It really
muscled up the formula, and to complement
its aesthetic the evolved 325i Sport was
swapped to Boge dampers along with a variety

“Driving it
enthusiastically keeps
it in fine fettle, it’s what
the car wants.”
of detail upgrades. Headlamp wash/wipe and
a map light might not keep excitable teens’
palms sweaty, but the devil really is in the
detail. No forward-thinking computer trickery
here, just driver stuff for drivers.
Naturally, as any E30 aficionado will tell
you, the fun part is that most of the details
which made a 325i Sport what it was were
also available as optional extras across the E30
range, so it’s an entertaining challenge these
days for car-hunters to determine whether
they’re looking at a genuine example, or simply
a nicely-specced 325i that somebody’s telling
porky-pies about. (The unique Anthracite
headlining is a giveaway, although it’s not
beyond the wit of miscreants to swap that in).
What we have before the lens today,
however, elicits no ambiguity. There’s no
mystery about this car’s past, it’s a genuine,
bona fide, full-fat 325i Sport – registered
in August 1990 and, as far as we can tell,
loved and cherished ever since. The prized
possession of evergreen enthusiast Will
Gellatly, it represents the fulfilment of a long-
held desire. “I’ve owned it for five years to the
day,” he smiles, as we gaze upon its gleaming
and flawless flanks before the sunlit backdrop
of the South Downs. “I’d always wanted one of
these in this colour; I had a 316i Lux four-door
as a first car, and it’s true what the fans always
E30 325i SPORT
say – the E30 really gets under your skin. And
after wanting one for so many years, I found
this car: the perfect candidate, a totally original
and complete 325i Sport M Tech II with all the
right bits. It came with a huge file of history,
including a fully stamped service book and all
the MoTs dating back to 1993. I knew right
away that it was the one.”
It’s clear that Will is a man who knows what
he wants, and isn’t one to settle for second-
best. Sitting alongside the E30 on his driveway
is a Mk2 Golf GTI 16v in Oak Green – another
car that looms large in the stories of his
motoring youth, which he’d always fancied
and couldn’t resist taking the plunge when
MAY 2021 47
E30 325i SPORT
a totally original one came up. What’s really
worth noting is that he isn’t some cynical
collector, scooping up period correct examples
of appreciating classics and mothballing them
in stasis for the sake of speculation and future
profit. No, he’s got a level-headed view when it
comes to these things. They’re not ornaments
or investments.
“What’s the point of owning something like
this if you’re not going to enjoy it properly?”
he reasons. “Driving it enthusiastically is what
keeps it in fine fettle, it’s what the car wants
and needs.” The E30 isn’t just a plaything
either, it’s a way of life: Will has a tight-knit
group of mates who all share the old-school
automotive passion, and they regularly meet
up before dawn, when the roads of West
Sussex are pleasantly empty, and drive their
cars as they’re meant to be driven. Because
that, after all, is what they were made for.
“The car’s got 140k on the clock now, which
means that it’s nicely run in,” he says. “The
fun driving keeps it alive, and it feels like it just
keeps getting better and better.” The BMW
lifestyle has been living up to the reputation
of community spirit as well: “I’ve met a lot
of new friends through owning this car,” Will
enthuses, “and I’m always meeting people
who used to have one or have always wanted
one. Someone else in my group of mates has
one too, and the shared knowledge means
that they always get looked after properly –
there’s a huge pool of information, advice,
and nitty-gritty facts relating to suspension,
tyres, you name it. All the detail stuff. And the
forums are good, places like E30Zone.net are
worth their weight in gold when it comes to
sourcing obscure original parts. It’s a pretty
small ecosystem once you get into it, you end
up seeing the same faces at all the shows and
events, on social media and all sorts.”
48 BMWcar
The quest for originality is key for Will – not
because he’s one of those obsessive concours
purists, but simply for the fact that this car is
so original and correct, and it really does feel
like BMW got it right first time. The only non-
standard change he’s made has been to fit the
16” BBS split-rims you see on the car today –
although he does still have the original fifteens
tucked away. “I’ve got a very tolerant wife,”
he grins. “These wheels were sat in my living
room for months… thankfully she gets it, she
understands why these silly old cars are so
important to me.”
As you can imagine, there are no plans for
modification or enhancement – the game-plan
is simply to keep the car perfectly maintained
with the correct bits, and continue to drive the
E30 325i Sport
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION: M50B25 2.5-litre
wheels off it at any given opportunity. “Yeah, I
straight-six, 5-speed close-ratio gearbox, LSD
guess it’s kind of an investment,” he ponders,
CHASSIS: 16” BBS RS 003 split-rims, 205/50
“but only in the sense that they’re all going
Michelin tyres, M Technic suspension
up and this one is so original – I’m certainly
EXTERIOR: Delphin Metallic, OE shadowline, M
not going to stop enjoying it just to protect an
Tech II bodykit and boot spoiler
investment. And no, I won’t be modding it; I
INTERIOR: Sport interior in black leather, M
just want it to be the best example of what it Tech leather steering wheel and gearknob,
is… I’ve always wanted one of these in this Blaupunkt Nashville head unit
spec, so why change it? You don’t see a lot
of Tech IIs about these days either – maybe
they’re not rare as such, not yet, but it seems
like they’re not getting used.”
Will’s not one to stand on ceremony, never
resting on his laurels. The whole purpose of
fulfilling that dream was to have the driver’s
car he always wanted – it’s not enough just
to own it, the point is to enjoy it. The sheer
volume of thumbs-ups he receives as he’s
haring about the South Downs and beyond
suggests that there are plenty of like-minded
fans approaching life from the same angle: the
modern world is hideously complicated in so
many ways, and there really is a lot to be said
for simple, uncomplicated, analogue thrills ●
 E30 325i SPORT

“I’m certainly not going to stop enjoying

it just to protect an investment”

MAY 2021 49
30-YEARS OF E36

30-years
of E36BMW’s innovative E36 was launched 30-years ago.
Andrew Everett runs through the model’s history
and how it moved the game on...
Words: Andrew Everett

worked out later that we must have been had a Nissan 200SX before that got nicked before was irrelevant, but there is a strong

I doing well over 150mph in fifth gear

when we heard the pop of the rev limiter
kicking in that early morning in 1992. On a
downhill stretch on the A1, this Bright Red J-
registration BMW 325i Coupé was new enough
to be the latest hot thing but old enough to
have done 6000-miles and be fully run in.
Well, it certainly was on the way back from a
night in Newcastle with a friend driving this, his
company car. I don’t recall the reg number but
it was a 325i Coupé in “resale red”, anthracite
cloth and not many option boxes ticked. He’d
and was about to pull the trigger on one of the
last E30 325i Sports with a few choice options
– then he saw the new E36 Coupé. The wait
involved a few months of Ford Sierra misery
until it turned up. But when it did...
It’s now 30-years since the BMW E36 was
launched in the UK following a late 1990
showing in Germany. Many manufacturers
have their light bulb moment and you could
argue that this was BMWs, or one of its biggest
since the 1962 1500 New Class replaced all
the pricey hand-built stuff. Not that everything
case for saying that the E36 was the first
standard out-of-the-box 3 Series that really
did drive superbly. E21s were quite good if
tail happy in 323i guise, the E30 somewhat
tamer but still a bit tricky in the wet, and
plagued with low geared steering that only the
M3 avoided. The old tail happy BMW thing
was coming to an end, first with the E32/E34
twins from 1987 and 1988, now with this. 
Another BMW design with Wolfgang Reitzle
in charge, the E36 was an all-new affair taking
very little from the E30 before it. Only nuts

50 BMWcar

and bolts, badges and a couple of four-pot
engines would survive the cull, although E30
Convertible and Touring models would linger
on until 1993/4 when their E36 replacements
took over.  sports car. The Z axle was slightly heavier than
The E36 aimed to put right all that was old
and dated about the E30. That would be poor
rear leg room, a jittery ride, iffy handling on the
limit, that low geared steering, very average
aerodynamics and general oldness. As any car
manufacturer will tell you, a customer might buy
the same car twice but very rarely three times.
Starting with the chassis, the E36 was very
different from the E30 and BMW massaged
and refined the Z1 rear axle – now known
as the Z axle – with some of the E36
componentry being used in that avant garde
the semi-trailing arm set up but it’s superb
geometry meant that the E36 could run much
softer springing than the E30 for a smoother
ride yet still have better handling with no on
limit bite. Up front, a similar front crossmember
was used and the sickle shaped wishbones
could have been identical, in fact, they are
almost the same part but BMW added rubber
30-YEARS OF E36
cushioning into the outer balljoints to remove
another source of road noise. This is where
any similarity ended. To further improve
handling and ride, BMW made the front
springs wider and with less coils to increase
wheel travel whilst revising the steering rack to
have half a turn less travel, altering the rate of
turn so that the car felt sharper on turn in. Best
of all, the entire front axle was moved as far
forward as possible to increase the wheelbase
and thus have the engine further back behind
the axle line, both of which improved weight
distribution, handling and of course the ride. 
MAY 2021 51
30-YEARS OF E36
The E36 was far in advance of
the old E30, not just in styling
but in aerodynamics too...
Engines were a mixture of E30 and E34,
with the two M40 fours in 1.6- and 1.8-litre
form giving 100 and 115hp respectively. The
two M50 sixes – a 150hp 2-litre and the
192hp 2.5-litre – were fast enough to worry
a V12 Jaguar. The M40 was a single cam
alloy head SOHC four-cylinder unit that was
state- of-the-art, the 24-valve DOHC M50 has
been described as BMW’s best ever engine
and I’m not inclined to disagree. Out went
the old overdrive gearboxes and in came the
new Getrag (4cyl) and ZF (6-pot) direct drive
manual boxes where fifth gear is the same 1:1
ratio as the previous fourth gear, but the ratios
are bunched up nice and close with a taller
52 BMWcar
final drive to compensate – a direct drive is as well as the entire car industry. Don’t forget
also more efficient with less friction.  that 1991 was still the era of the Montego, the
The E36 body was also far in advance worthy but floppy handling Vauxhall Cavalier,
of the old E30, not just in styling but in the ageing Mercedes 190E plus Nissan’s
aerodynamics too with the 175 section tyres Primera and Bluebird, the Alfa 75, VW Passat,
of the 316i and 318i cars aiding a class- Audi 80 and a host of other cars that couldn’t
leading 0.29 CD figure. It wasn’t just the hold a candle to the E36. Not that the E36
smooth flush headlights that hadn’t been seen was perfect. BMW markedly underestimated
since the 1965 2000CS, or the gutterless how good the interior trim should be in a
roof that dripped rainwater onto the seat or BMW with very early cars being decidedly
dribbled washer fluid onto you if the drivers Ford-like – second rate cloth trim, door
window was open, it was the smooth floor as cards that pulled away at the top and glove
well with no visible sill seams.  boxes that would either spring open over a
The result of all this time and effort was a pothole to could actually break. By the time
car that was a major step forward for BMW J-registrations were a thing in the UK, BMW
 30-YEARS OF E36

Above: Coupé arrived in 1992 in 318iS, 320i

and 325i guises – it was well received.
Below: BMW went after Ford, Vauxhall and
VW with the cut-price E36 Compact.

had respecified these areas although E36

door trims were never particularly great. Those
big glass headlights could mist up and we’ve
already mentioned screen water ingress into
the cabin, but that apart the E36 slipped easily
into the lives of new and old BMW customers
becoming known as reliable and robust.
By the time production ended in 2000
the E36 had seen many changes. The show-
stopping Coupé arrived in the UK in 1992 as
a 318iS, 320i and 325i with an M43 316i
version arriving for 1994. The 143hp 1.8-litre
M42 twin cam in the 318iS had seen service
before in the E30 version and was used in
four door 318i cars in the USA. It had also

MAY 2021 53
30-YEARS OF E36
This was the beginning of BMW’s
relentless assault on Ford, Vauxhall
and Volkswagen...
powered an actual four door 318iS saloon in
Europe but was not seen here until 1998.  the 1994 model year (the Convertible was
A diesel arrived in early 1993 in the form of
the 143hp intercooler 325tds. This 125mph
oil burner was joined a year later by both a
115hp non-intercooled td and the less than
amazing 318tds that apparently had 90hp.
Well, the owners handbook said it had, but
it failed to tell the driver where it could be
found. By chopping two-cylinders from the
M51 diesel, the resulting 1.7-litre M41 was a
rare miss by BMW.
54 BMWcar
The Touring and Convertible arrived for
launched in September 1993) whilst the M43
1.6- and 1.8-litre engines replaced the old
M40. The M43 was basically an M40 with a
chain driven cam replacing the rubber toothed
belt, zero friction roller rockers and a much
improved Motronic engine management
system, similar to that used on the M42 with
coil pack ignition and a camshaft position
sensor. Some mild facelifting was occurring in
the wheel and trim department as well with
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a standard driver’s airbag and the fully grey
bumpers being replaced by either half body
colour bumpers or full colour with plastic sill
covers if you were ticking some boxes.
1994’s big announcement though was the
launch of the cut price Compact. This was the
beginning of BMW’s relentless assault on Ford,
Vauxhall and VW by offering the BMW owner
experience for the price of a dismal Escort, Golf
or Astra. By using the E30-style semi trailing
arm rear suspension from the forthcoming Z3,
BMW lowered the load floor and made the

Compact with its hatchback superbly practical.
Just 316i and 318ti versions were offered in
the UK (we never got the 170hp 323ti) and
despite some elements of the press sticking
the boot in, the Compact was a huge success.
Some cars such as the Peugeot 306 certainly
handled better (well, better than everything in
that class) but the BMW was a rattle-free choice
that drove well enough and offered painless
ownership with unheard of resale values.
1995 saw the M50 engine replaced by
a revised alloy block version coded M52.
This was lighter and because of a new inlet
manifold design shared across the 2.0- and
2.5-litre versions, as well as the new 328i, it
had more torque as well. The 320i continued
as before, the 323i was the new detuned
170hp 2.5-litre, and the 328i the 325i
replacement, its 193hp had a much fatter
spread of torque and a taller final drive.  meant the end of the E36 saloon production
The only real facelift arrived in 1996 by
which time the 318iS and 318ti had received
the 1.9-litre M44 engine, a clever revamp of
the old M42 with roller rockers, another 100cc
30-YEARS OF E36
and an improved engine management system
with a MAF replacing the old air flow meter.
The facelift was slimmer side repeaters, fatter
front grille kidney chromes... er, and that was it.
Oh, and some bootlid handles were now body
colour, too.
By 1998 the E46 saloon was here and that
in Germany. But, there was still a production
line humming in South Africa and to bridge a
small gap between the last of the old and the
first of the new, a few hundred 318iS saloons
MAY 2021 55
30-YEARS OF E36

the M3 featured bigger brakes and a 286hp

3.0 version of the M50 engine. Nothing
The E36 set a blueprint for the 3 Series actually interchanges and the head design
is very different, plus it had single VANOS
that it still follows to this day... and separate throttle bodies. The result was
a 155mph missile that the press pointed
out was not a replacement for the E30
– despite the name it was a completely

were imported, some as standard SE versions But wait, we forgot the M3! This arrived
and others in the M Technic trim, most painted as a Coupé in 1992 and, unlike the virtually
Avus Blue. bespoke E30, the new car was based on the
The Tourings and Convertibles were 325i Coupé body with similar running gear
replaced in 1999 with there last cars that had a few changes to spring and damper
registered in 2000, the Compact lingered on rates, anti-roll bars and steering geometry.
until the end of 2000 by which time it really Festooned with M Technic addenda; bumpers,
was getting on a bit.  side mouldings, badges and 17-inch wheels,

56 BMWcar

different car and concept. A four door saloon
version arrived for 1994 and in 1995, a six-
speed 3.2-litre Evolution appeared. By boring
and stroking the S50 engine and adding
VANOS to the exhaust cam, the Evo now put
out 321hp on a good day and this required
a version of the 540i’s 6-speed Getrag 420
gearbox as well as a bigger stronger final drive.
Even faster than before, the Evo’s steering,
braking and suspension upgrades improved
it into a car that many think is equal to the
2000 E46 version. Debatable for sure but
even now the M3 E36 is a brisk machine if
overshadowed by the new breed of popping
and banging four-cylinder turbo hatchbacks.  thorough updates of that innovative 1991
Some 30-years after its launch the E36 must
30-YEARS OF E36
be regarded as a landmark model for BMW.
And it’s one of the few cars from that era that
actually deserves its burgeoning classic status.
The E36 set a blueprint for the 3 Series that
it still folllows to this day. The E46, E90, F31
and now the G20, have arguably only been
original l
MAY 2021 57
MARKET WATCH
Market
Watch
E31 850CSi
Once the pinnacle of luxury and performance,
BMW’s E31 850CSi is now an exclusive classic.
Words: Guy Baker Photography: Various
ith performance stats
W that are still a match for
today’s best sports coupés
– despite being nearly
30-years-old - the BMW
850CSi is a mightily impressive machine.
An exclusive blend of opulence and BMW
Motorsport heritage, with a beast of a V12
engine, the range-topping E31 has a long
list of admirers. But you’ll have to pay
handsomely for the opportunity to own this
titanic slice of classic BMW metal.
Intended at the time to be the most
graceful and refined Grand Tourer money
could buy, BMW’s Motorsport division were
permitted to have a substantial input, taking
the ‘stock’ factory 5.0-litre M70 V12 engine
from the E31 850i cruiser and treating it to
a raft of enhancements. Chief among these
were a raised displacement to 5,576cc,
lighter pistons, an elevated compression ratio
(from 8.8:1 to 9.8:1) tweaked valve-timing
and a larger-bore exhaust. The finished
380bhp S70B56 engine – which formed the
58 BMWcar
starting point for the McLaren F1 supercar
powerplant – launched the 850CSi to
60mph in just 5.4-seconds, with a stonking
406lb ft of torque at 4000rpm. Removing
the factory 155mph limiter meant 180mph
was readily attainable,
Sold from 1993 to 1996 just 1510 cars
were produced World-wide – all of them six-
speed manuals – with their engines boasting
‘Powered by M’ inscription on the central
cam cover. Only 160 were built in right-hand
drive form, with less than 60 official UK
cars. Boasting adjustable throttle sensitivity
(Sport or Comfort), a lowered M-uprated
suspension, massive brakes with Brembo
callipers, M front and rear spoilers, side skirts,
aerodynamic mirrors, a rear differential oil
cooler, an engine oil cooler and BMW’s novel
AHK four-wheel steer system no Motorsport
BMW has been better equipped. But in 1996
new emission regulations sadly sounded the
death knell for 850CSi production.
As so few cars were manufactured, values
have always remained pretty high – and
risen noticeably in recent times: decent cars
now change hands for anywhere between
£50,000 and £130,000. If you spend top
dollar on a decent example with a pristine
provenance then maintenance should be
mostly straight forward, but parts supply
can sometimes be tricky. As with any luxury
classic car there will always be some ongoing
issues to sort out – so a sizeable fighting
fund is essential.
If you are lucky enough to have the
leverage you can reduce the likelihood of
big bills by buying a low-mileage concours
example, like this epic 1996 Avus Blue
example we spotted at Classic Heroes in
Sussex (classicheroes.co.uk). One of the
finest RHD UK examples around, it’s covered
a laughably low 15,000-miles and had just
two owners – but as a result it’s advertised
at an eye-watering £130,000. I suspect that
some kind of deal could be garnered but
there’s little doubt that this is a truly stunning
example and worth big bucks.
The car comes with an amazingly well-

documented history file, including old
MoTs, service and maintenance receipts,
tax reminders and a whole host of related
publications and technical information, plus
evidence of the owner’s fastidious care with a
continual program of age-related maintenance.
With a silver and grey two-tone full leather
interior and a truly unbeatable spec plus the
original tools, spare keys, manuals, service
wallet, handbooks and BMW sales brochure
this car will also be put through a full service,
with a new water pump fitted, a new seat ECU
and 12-month’s MoT before delivery.
With prices so high for rare UK cars, some
850CSi buyers have bought LHD cars from
the USA and the EU instead. With a full BMW
service history and just two owners from
new, this top-spec 1985 Silver example at
Luzzago Classic Cars in Brescia Italy (luzzago.
com) would be an ideal target. It’s covered a
reasonable 180,000kms (112,000-miles) and
Recent BMW 335i E92 auction prices*
Model Transmission Reg Year
850CSi Manual 1994/M
850CSi Manual 1994/M
850CSi Manual 1994/M
850CSi Manual 1994 (USA)
850CSi Manual 1995 (USA)
850CSi Manual 1996/N
*Sale prices of good-condition examples sold recently at classic car auctions
MARKET WATCH
looks in great condition, with an asking price of – it can affect any part of the car, including
€59,900. Make sure you check out the latest pipework, hydraulics and pumps as well as
post-Brexit import rules thoroughly before the chassis, bodywork suspension and braking
considering a car like this though. systems. Be warned.
Other buyers have opted for the auction Many owners have to source aftermarket
route instead, which is riskier, but could see substitutes for BMW parts that are on longer
you bag an 850CSi with greater potential for available – like clutches, brakes, exhausts
appreciation. 850CSis don’t come up every and some electrical components – and other
week but if you’re properly prepared and things to watch out for include problems
you can actually get to see the car in person with the four-wheel steering system, oil leaks,
before the sale then you could be on to a noisy tappets, misbehaving radiators and fans,
winner. This great-looking Oxford Green 1994 failing electrics (especially the seats) sagging
UK RHD example, with a silver and grey two- headlining, failed window motors, corroded
tone Nappa leather interior, sold recently at alloys, worn seat bolsters, lost pixels on the
auction for £48,000 and had covered just dashboard display and ECUs, which are
75,783-miles at the time of sale. expensive to fix if they fail l
But wherever you find your 850CSi, the
more you spend more on buying the car
the less you’ll need to spend on future WITH THANKS...
maintenance. Labour costs can be substantial, Grant Darling and Darren Parker at
with rust perhaps the biggest potential issue James Paul (www.jamespaul.co.uk), the
BMW Car Club of Great Britain (www.
BMW Car retail bmwcarclubgb.uk), British Car Auctions
(www.bca.com), Silverstone Auctions (www.
Mileage Sale Price price guide silverstoneauctions.com), Bonhams (www.
76,000 £48,000 Poor: Under £4500
bonhams.com), Luzzago.com, Classic Car
2240 £184,000 Good: £45,000 to £90,000
Auctions (www.classiccarauctions.co.uk),
60,000 £44,667 Excellent: £90,000+
Glenmarch.com, www.bimmerforums.co.uk,
74,983 £49,224 Special editions: None.
Redish Motorsport (www.redish-motorsport.
35,156 £74,936 Concours manuals attract
70,000 £50,600
com) and Glass’s (www.glassbusiness.co.uk)
a serious premium
for help with this feature.
MAY 2021 59
WORKSHOP WISDOM

Workshop
Wisdom
E60 Diesel
Gasket Replacement
A strange turbo noise and a slight loss of boost can be something as
minor as a failed gasket – this is how you replace it. 

60 BMWcar

One of the joys of running an old diesel
of any description is waiting for the next
problem or strange noise. The turbo on
this 2004 E60 525d had been replaced
with a new or reconditioned unit last year,
yet recently the owner had been hearing
a strange shrill noise under boost. Was it a
faulty turbo? I took the intake pipe off and
checked the impeller for play and there was
a tiny bit of “up and down” (which is normal)
but there was none of the “in and out” that
would indicate a knackered turbo. I couldn’t
see any sign of impeller blade damage but
I did notice that the plastic grating over the
end of the intake pipe – where it fits into
the turbo intake – had gone AWOL. These
eventually fracture and become ingested
into the turbo and that’s what could have
damaged the original unit on this car. Either
way, we’d recommend removing it with wire
cutters and binning it on yours.  better as well.
WORKSHOP WISDOM
I had a feeling it might just be a faulty
turbo to manifold steel gasket which is quite
easy to replace with the turbo fitted. There
is quite a lot to remove first; the engine
cross brace, upper engine cover and the
bulkhead trims – not to mention the pollen
filter housings so that you can remove the
air filter and housing. This gives access to the
three turbocharger top manifold retaining
bolts. I also disconnected the intercooler to
turbo boost pipe as there was evidence of
oil leaking but once it was cleaned up with
aerosol brake cleaner it looked fine.
And yes, the turbo to manifold gasket was
faulty, it had been fitted incorrectly with two
bolts not going through the bolt holes and
the gasket poking out of the side – an easy
mistake to make. With a new one correctly
fitted, the 525d had booted the old noise
and the boost leak was rectified so it went
MAY 2021 61
WORKSHOP WISDOM
Replacing the
turbo gasket
1 Here, Chris at Parkside Garage is trying to locate where
the noise is coming from as I’m blipping the throttle to
replicate the issue – it is coming from the turbo area and
not down near the intercooler. My first thought is that the
reconditioned turbo requires replacement, but...
3 Unscrew two 10mm bolts and pull the alloy intake boost
pipe from the turbocharger. There’s a rubber seal on the end
of the pipe and these always leak oil. This is because boost
charge contains oil droplets the breather didn’t catch and it ends
up around this joint. Ours was no worse than normal but we
cleaned it all up anyway.
5 The pollen filter housings and rear bulkhead trim panels
were removed as well as the drivers side inner wing brace. It’s
annoying so much has to come off first but it’s all easily and
quickly removed. Once that’s all out you can start removing
the air filter housing.
62 BMWcar
2 The E60 seems to have been built around the engine and a lot
has to come off before we can see the turbo retaining bolts. The
engine covers need to be removed along with the air filter intake
housing and MAF-to-turbo pipe. These are secured by 5mm allen
bolts. This is all relevant to the four-cylinder 520d and six-pot 530d
cars as well – M47 and M57 engines.
4 I pulled the plastic pipe from the MAF to the turbo – it’s a
push fit onto the turbo. We can now see a lot more including
the gasket we think is duff. The turbo to gasket on ours doesn’t
look right as it sticks out too much. This car has a cast iron
manifold, an aftermarket replacement for the crack prone steel
E60 manifold.
6 The filter housing top cover can now come off once you’ve
slackened several 5mm allen bolts and then the air filter itself.
Now you’ve gone this far you may as well replace the air filter.
The red squares show where the three turbo retaining bolts are
accessed once you’ve removed the three rubber grommets.
 WORKSHOP WISDOM

7 You also have this steel heat protector plate to stop the grommets
from melting and falling out. It clips in from underneath the air filter
lower housing and can be very fiddly to refit but it’s important that you
refit it. It goes in narrow bit first and then is pushed upwards to locate
it properly and clip it in.
8 Here is one of the bolts – ours had been replaced with 16mm
bolts that probably came with the turbo. The correct bolts are non-
magnetic high tensile bolts with a serrated head and you’ll need a
12mm multi point socket. The bolts are torqued up to 50nm.

9 Here we’re removing one of the three turbo-to-manifold bolts
and thankfully they all came undone easily. Original serrated bolts
can be pretty tight. As mentioned previously, our 525d had been
fitted with an E39-style cast iron manifold but the bolts are the
same – the part number is 11652243402. The turbo will stay put
as the lower bracket is still bolted on.
10 I slid the old gasket out easily because BMW didn’t use studs.
The gasket has been wrongly fitted and had clearly failed – you
can see the black exhaust soot marks. It was possible that the iron
manifold mounting flange was slightly warped but the new one went
in fine and hasn’t blown again in over a year.

11 The new gasket

was coated both sides
with copper grease before
being slid into place and
the bolts torqued up,
making sure that the gasket
was properly fitted with
the bolts going through
all three bolt holes. Don’t
use exhaust paste! This
is because there will be
excess that can get into the
exhaust turbo vanes.

MAY 2021 63
 MAXIMISE ENGINE
PERFORMANCE
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 OUR CARS

Our
In association with

Cars
Welcome to BMW Car magazine’s fleet of Elliott Stiling
vehicles... Here we share the trials and
tribulations – both good and bad – of running
a range of BMWs in the real world...
2003
E46 325Ci Sport
Bob Harper

2006 1976 1983 1989

E61 530i SE Touring E3 3.0L E28 Alpina B9 E30 318i SE

Matt Robinson Andrew Everett Patty Harper Rob Richardson

2007 1988 2014

E61 M5 Touring E32 730i Saloon F25 X3 xDrive20d SE 1973 2002

68
MAY 2021 65
OUR CARS
Bob harper
E61, E3, F25
The Big
Freeze
Bob updates us on the E61, E3 and F25...
I’m pretty sure that for plenty of
folk who live a bit further north
than we do the few weeks of
cold weather and snow were
considerably more than a minor
inconvenience but it did give us
soft southerners a glimpse of
what it’s like to have to deal with
harsh conditions. And for the best
part the Harper fleet acquitted
itself very well.
You’d have thought that the
four-wheel drive X3 would have
been the weapon of choice give
its supposed traction advantages,
but we were caught napping
somewhat and didn’t have a
chance to rock over to Mrs H’s
office where the winter wheels
and tyres are stored. Getting the
X3 moving on summer tyres
wasn’t a problem, but steering
and stopping on its summer
boots wasn’t much fun.
Enter the trusty 530i still sitting
on its 17-inch Dunlop winter
tyres and it was more or less
unstoppable, even when heading
66 BMWcar
out into the rural wilds to ensure
Mrs H’s aged parents were doing
okay and to deliver some socially
distanced food parcels. I can’t
emphasise how good a BMW can
be in inclement conditions when
wearing the correct tyres for the
conditions – it’s as if the cold and
snow just aren’t there.
The cold conditions coincided
with Mrs H’s X3 requiring a
service and also another recall –
another one for the EGR. Quite
how many recalls BMW will do
for this part is anyone’s guess but
it would seem to be far simpler
just to replace all of the parts that
it deems maybe at fault rather
than keep asking owners to pop
into a dealer for what seem like
an almost six-monthly visit for
another EGR recall.
Our local dealer examined
the offending part and once
again it was given a clean bill of
health and at the same time it
gave the X3 an Oil Service and
its Vehicle Check. We also asked
The Touring’s remote locking has been playing up this month...
the dealer to have a look at the
nearside front PDC sensor which
appeared to have just fallen into
the bumper with no apparent
damage elsewhere to suggest
it was the result of an impact.
We were hoping that this might
have been fixed on the extended
warranty but it wasn’t deemed to
be a warranty matter.
It’s a brilliant piece of design
though – to refit the PDC sensor
the front bumper has to come off
– and with a labour rate of £165
an hour (plus VAT!) we did have
to negotiate a little to agree a
figure that was acceptable to both
parties. Quite why car designers
don’t seem to give any thought
to replacing parts when they’re
finalising vehicle specs is beyond
me. In the end the total invoice
for the services and PDC repair
came to a not inconsiderable
£675 – Mrs H reports that we
could well be heading to a
specialist for the next work that’s
needed! To cap it all when we
collected the car it was presented
to us covered in snow and we
were left to scrape the windows
clear to make it legal to drive –
not the best advert for inflated
main dealer pricing.
On the E61 front there’s
not a lot to report really – the
errant side light bulb has been
Winter tyres saw
off the snow
replaced – but it did partially
blot its copybook by refusing to
lock/unlock on the remote for
a few days. This is a pain in the
back side as you have to unlock
the car with the removable
key section of the remote,
reassemble the key, quickly open
the door when the alarm sounds
and then insert the remote into
the slot on the steering column
to silence the alarm.
It happened on my 520d
Touring that I ran many moons
ago and it was the ‘diversity
antenna’ at fault that lives at the
top of the tailgate. Over time
the seals fail and the diversity
unit fills with water. Fortunately
it seems as if the cold snap has
fixed it as it’s currently working,
but I might whip it out, leave
it to thoroughly dry and then
reseal the area as best as I can.
Cheaper than a new replacement
I should imagine. Other than that
it’s carried out its tasks with its
usual blend of efficiency and an
unrelenting thirst for unleaded.
I’ve been doing some work for
one of the classic auction houses
and this has entailed a little bit
more mileage this month but
it’s gone about its business in a
dependable fashion.
While the round ups of the X3
and the 530i might not be hugely

F25 X3 xDrive20d SE
YEAR: 2014
MILEAGE THIS MONTH: 854
TOTAL MILEAGE: 55,533
MPG THIS MONTH: 32.7
COST THIS MONTH: £675
(service, PDC repair)
absorbing there’s considerably
more excitement with regards
to the E3. It started in a slightly
bizarre fashion with my mobile
pinging with a notification from
FaceBook Messenger which is
an unusual occurrence these
days as I don’t really use the app
anymore. As it turned out it was
a spam message from a lady in
Germany offering God knows
what but as I hastily swiped to
delete the message I realised that
I had two unread messages from
back in December!
One of these was another
spam item but the second was
altogether more interesting.
It was a from a chap called
Jason Hoggarth who had been
enterprising enough to track me
E3 3.0L
YEAR: 1976
MILEAGE THIS MONTH: Nil
TOTAL MILEAGE: 11,687
MPG THIS MONTH: 0
COST THIS MONTH: £
My wife reads this…
down via FaceBook after one of
my previous Our Cars reports
had requested that anyone with
a good M30 engine should get
in touch. It turns out that he had
a M30B30 that had been pulled
from a rusty E32 and he also had
the wiring loom, ECU, air flow
meter and various associated
parts. Best of all the car had only
covered around 80k miles.
Oddly enough when I was
at BM Sport a week previously
getting an MoT on my son’s
MINI I’d had a chat with the
chaps there about getting them
to fit an M30 with Motronic to
the E3 if I was able to source
such an engine. They said they’d
be up for the job so Jason’s
message couldn’t have come at
A plan is afoot for the E3 to recieve a new engine via BM Sport in Bexleyheath
E61 530i SE Touring
YEAR: 2006
MILEAGE THIS MONTH: 565
TOTAL MILEAGE: 69,224
MPG THIS MONTH: 24.3
COST THIS MONTH: £ Nil
a more opportune moment. We
conversed via Messenger and a
deal was done with Jason being
super helpful and arranging for
the engine to go on a pallet
and be transported down to BM
Sport. We agreed a figure which
we were both happy with and
I now have an M30B30 sitting
at BM Sport waiting for the E3.
During the whole process Jason
was fantastic to deal with – so if
you are reading this Jason, many
thanks indeed!
In my mind dropping the new
M30 into the E3 will be absolute
child’s play… I’m sure there will
be plenty of hurdles to cross
along the way, but it’s great to
have some movement on the
project after so many months of
OUR CARS
In association with
indecision. There shouldn’t be
anything too complicated about
the job – the chaps at BM Sport
are looking forward to doing
it – and I feel that they’re on the
same page with the car as I am.
I want it to be a decent turn-key
runner that will get me from A
to B reliably but I felt that some
of the other more classic BMW
orientated specialists wanted
to restore the car further than I
perhaps want to go.
The target this month is to get
the E3 to BM Sport and for the
chaps there to start unpacking
what’s on the pallet and working
out what else we’re going to
need for the job. I’m pretty sure
I’ll need some different engine
mounts and there might be
some jiggery pokery required with
the exhaust but the prospect of
getting the E3 up and properly
running is a very exciting one
indeed I have to say.
Bob Harper
X3 went back to BMW
for an EGR issue
MAY 2021 67
OUR CARS
Rob Richardson
1973 2002
Finishing Touch
Rob fits new Maxilite wheels to the 2002 – and boy do they look good!
Spring is on the horizon and
the 02 is “finished” with every
aspect of it modified, restored
or upgraded to my vision of the
perfect period fast road car. I
should be elated, besotted, in
love. Except when I look at it, I’m
left cold. It’s not right. It’s long
and low, with is tyres tucked in
the narrow arches, but on the
5.5” Ronal Kleeblatts it looks slim
and tame, almost on tippy-toes.
It has none of the taught drama
of the period racers struggling to
contain the wide wheels and tyres
under their arches, pushed as far
68 BMWcar
as possible to make the most of
the tyre technology (or lack of)
of the day; in this rare case more
is more. Tyre to arch clearance
should be measured with a spent,
stamped on, post-race John Player
& Sons not a fat rolled-up copy of
1970s-era Autosport.
The de rigueur approach to
achieve width at the wheels
on an 02 seems to be the
fitment of Turbo arches, or the
Schweinebacke (pig cheek)
kit; the latter causing me heavy
breathing and sweating at the
thought as they are a thing of
beauty. But it’s all been done and
I refuse to take a grinder to my
perfect shell. Instead, I have an
arch roller and I’m not afraid to
use it… that’s a lie, it’s a terrifying
process to not damage the paint,
but more on that later. So how
do you replace the Kleeblatts,
the perfect period wheel for the
car? With another one of course.
So, let me set the scene as you
indulge me on why I’ve chosen
what I have, and how they would
have come to be fitted on the car
in circa 1973.
Once Alpina had given up on
typewriters and having cut their
teeth on fitting Webers to 1500s
with sufficient aplomb, it could
afford the move to Buchloe and
into the ‘70s grow its business
taking on the new models. Now
established specialists in modifying
BMW engines (including, but
not limited to the logo defining
carbs and cranks) and of course,
racing. Which between ’68 and
’77 went very well for them and
of course meant whole vehicle
development. So, it’s feasible
in ’73 my car could have been
shown the inside of Alpina HQ
2002
YEAR: 1973
MILEAGE THIS MONTH: 0
TOTAL MILEAGE: 1550
MPG THIS MONTH: 0
COST THIS MONTH: Maxilite
CD66: €800 Blockley
BR2 tyres £408

and received its modified carb,
exhaust, suspension, brakes and,
stay with me, wheels. The works
cars often ran what they could that
was wide at the time and that was
often Italian magnesium loveliness
from manufacturers such as
Campagnolo and likely Cromodora
among others. Hence the centre
caps (well that and it being
possibly my favourite brand logo)
tying in the theme of the early days
of Alpina to my 2002. This isn’t
going down the road of an Alpina
replica though, that’s been done,
OUR CARS
In association with
but just adding some credible
heritage to the way I’ve modified
my car to back up the “period”
credentials I want it to have.
The Cromodora CD66 is
another one of my favourite and
very special wheels, but are both
now unobtanium and brittle to
the point of being best used as
ornaments. Brilliantly though,
thanks to Maxilite Wheels in
Germany you can now buy CD66
reproductions in strong, durable
alloy to suit the BMW 2002 as
well as others. Maxilite Wheels
Rob’s arch roller is
terrifying to use but
gets the job done
MAY 2021 69
OUR CARS
was founded in Zürich in 2008
and since then have become a
leading force in classic car wheels
in Europe. All of its wheels are
TUV certified and come with
a three-year warranty. It also
produces many other wheel styles
to suit classic or modern classic
cars. The CD66s arrived direct
from Germany and are beautifully
made and finished; I could not
wait to get them on and “finish”
the car.
My old Kleblatt wheels are 5.5”
ET18 and did rub very slightly now
and then. My new Maxilite CD66s
are 7” ET8 so I was nervous about
getting them under the arches,
but keen to make it work I broke
out the arch roller and with a little
heat to warm the paint (from my
wife’s hairdryer… she doesn’t
know I “borrowed”), began the
painstaking process of rolling all
four arches. Slow and steady was
the technique with bated breath
as not to crack or damage any
A-surface paint, which has to be at
least 30-years old. I scored a line
The finished article
looks stunning –
exactly as Rob hoped
70 BMWcar
Left: Out with the old.
Right: In with the new!
with a blade inside the arches to
arrest any paint cracks travelling as
I rolled. I got away with it. Which
also proved there is no filler in my
car at all. I didn’t think there was,
but it was nice to be right and
not now looking into respraying
both sides. I sanded, etch primed,
painted and then stone-chipped
the now flat arch lips to protect
them from the elements (not that
this car will see any!).
With such a perfect, period
correct wheel I wanted the
tyres to match so ordered
some Blockley BR2s which
look stunning. They’re not only
period correct for the 02, but V
rated and dynamically balanced
(with a yellow circle to align to
the valve stem). When paired
with the Maxilite wheels two of
them needed no more than 25g
and the other two needed no
weights at all to balance which is
testament to the quality of both
the wheels and the tyres.
Finally, I was ready to lower
the car down for the first time.
It’s no understatement that this
moment felt like the cementing of
18-months hard work on the car
and finally getting it to exactly as
the vision I’ve had in my head for
all the years of wanting my perfect
BMW 2002. New wheels are 7x13
It did not disappoint: the car
looks straight off the Goodwood
grid, hunkered down over it’s
bulging wheels and tyres. They
clear the arches by the smallest of
margins making it look muscular
and ready to race. To my mind it’s
gone from being a “nice 2002”
to “very special 2002” and I can’t ET8 offset worked – just
wait to get it to some events over
the Spring/ Summer season.
As mechanically simple a
change of wheels is, it’s the
most dramatic way to alter the
appearance and feel of the whole
car and it’s never been truer than
for my 2002 build. I think these
Maxilite CD66s are the most Period correct Blockley tyres
perfect 2002 wheel and now, to
my eye, I have the most perfect
2002 as a result.
Rob Richardson
CD66s look fabulous
Maxilite is based in Germany
 1971

MENTS Bringing motorsport memories into focus

MOTORSPORT
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M MENTS Bringing motorsport memories into focus

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1981 1991 2001

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Bringing motorsport memories into focus

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The Brazilian is peerless for his final drivers’ championship win in Formula 1
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WATSON RULES THE PORSCHE RETAINS ITS SOUTH AFRICA: THE GRAND INSIGHT: MAZDA FINALLY AMERICAN LEGEND THE McRAE STAR HOW FERRARI SET NEW JASON PLATO WINS THE RICHARD BURNS CLIMBS
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When the Ulsterman scored his greatest win Ickx and Bell reunited for 24-hour glory When F1 teams and the rulemakers clashed Rotary glory for the Japanese underdog Penske man takes his final Indy 500 gloy When Colin conquered British rallying Michael Schumacher crushes the grand prix field Tin-top favourite claims a hard-fought BTCC crown The Briton’s greatest career triumph recalled

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TROUBLE SHOOTER

Trouble We look at the issues you should

Shooter he BMW E36 3 Series had already been in production for over four years when
be concerned with regarding
the E36 323i and 328i.
Words & Photography: Andrew Everett

T the M52 engined 323i and 328i replaced the successful and highly regarded 325i.
Out went the iron block M50 first seen in late 1990 and in came a new alloy block
M52, a lighter revised version of the M50. This was available as a 1990cc version
with 150hp as before, a 170hp 2.5 as the 323i and 193hp as the new 328i. Given
that the previous 325i had 192hp, this didn’t seem like much of a step forward but the 328i
had quite a bit more low and medium range torque. This is because BMW developed a new
long tract inlet manifold that was shared with all three capacities, allowing the 320i to breathe
well enough but restricting the 323i and 328i for insurance reasons. The M52’s alloy block also
featured new Nikasil-coated bores. Nikasil is a very tough nickel/silicon coating that had been
successfully used by Porsche and less successfully by GM in the Cosworth Vega in the seventies
– indeed, US market 328is and 528i E39s retained the 325i iron block to guard against high
sulphur fuel until steel liners arrived in 1998.
The 328i arrived here in May 1995 on the M registration and whilst the saloons were
discontinued in early 1998 to make way for the replacement E46 Saloons, the Coupés,
Convertibles and Touring estates were built for another year until their E46 replacements
were ready – you’ll find 1999 examples on T and sometimes V registrations.
E36 six-cylinder prices are now well on the way up for many good reasons.
Some say they were a better drive than the E46 and whilst that’s a matter
of opinion, there is no doubt that the older car is far simpler and
easier to work on with less of the infuriating problems
that afflict the E46. 

NIKASIL M52 PROBLEMS

This used to be a real problem but today, less so. The problem was
that the sulphur in much of the UK’s petrol would attack the Nikasil
coating. It would start at the top of the bore and make its way down
as the coating flaked off. As the hard piston rings started to work
away at the soft alloy underneath, oil consumption would increase
and compression would drop leading to rough running. Whilst initially
replacing engines like-for-like, BMW eventually replaced Nikasil with a
steel liner block and new pistons. This was introduced starting March
1998 and it cured the fault. These blocks are often wrongly called
‘Alusil’ by those who don’t know any better, but Alusil was used on
V12 and later V8 blocks. It’s alloy impregnated with silicon and the
cylinders are bored and honed to expose the hard silicon particles
that the pistons run on. The steel liner M52 blocks were given a small
steel tab under the starter motor secured by a small bolt – Nikasil
blocks just have the pear shaped casting lug. If you have a Nikasil car,
the key is to use proper fuel and, once the engine is started, don’t
shut it off until it’s good and warm. Cold starts were the killer of these
as the cold start fuelling is quite aggressive.  thread tube.
The M52 was and still is a really good engine. Nikasil apart, they
reward maintenance with a very long life and 200,000-plus miles
is achievable. Everything was solidly built and timing chain failure is
practically unheard of. However, whilst the cooling system is tough
and reliable, overheating an M52 is bad news. The threads in the
block for the head bolts can weaken and even when the head is
skimmed and the block face cleaned up, the threads can pull out
on the first or second 90-degree angle tighten of the stretch bolts.
In the good old days we would have just replaced the engine but
single VANOS 2.8 engines are like gold dust now. So now, the block
will need to have the threads drilled out, tapped and long helicoil
or TimeSert steel thread inserts wound in. This requires real skill do
complete successfully and you really should do all fourteen threads.
You need to use the longer type inserts (M10 x 1.5 30mm) and
they must be fitted so that the top of the thread is about 6mm
recessed. Of the two, TimeSerts are more expensive but are a better
bet. Helicoils are a steel wire coil and a TimeSert is a complete steel

74 BMWcar
 TROUBLE SHOOTER
COOLING SYSTEM GEARBOXES
Early M52s used a plastic impeller water pump that All 328is use the bigger ZF unit (310 or 320) from the 3.0 M3 and E34 525i. These
could be a problem, the plastic could either break are almost unbreakable but a few will now be getting a bit rattly at idle due to worn
up, or start spinning on the water pump shaft. A layshaft bearings. But the box was used on the E46 328i and 5-speed 330i, various
plastic impeller pump was used until the end of 2.5, 2.8 and 3.0 E39s.... there are thousands about and £200 is plenty for a good one.
M54 production around 2006 and once they were 323is mainly use the small Getrag 250G box from the 318i and 320i (and 325i) but
sorted out were very good – I’ve seen them at 15- some models such as Touring can use the ZF gearbox. The Getrag 'box is again very
years old and still perfect. M52 pumps are very easy strong and they cost pennies to replace – there are loads on eBay for £50 or less. Most
to change and there are various aftermarket pumps of these cars use either a solid flywheel with extra balancing weight (twin mass) or a
with plastic, pressed steel or cast iron impellers. dual mass flywheel (DMF). DMF equipped cars tend to be those with air conditioning
I’ve used the Febi branded plastic impeller pumps and it’s really only the early cars with a 325i type solid flywheel. 
with success and they seem as good as the OE The auto 'box on these is the ZF 5HP 5-speed, a good gearbox that works well and
units. Bleeding the cooling system can be a pain is reliable. They are also practically worthless secondhand so if yours goes wrong, forget
but the secret is to let air out as fast as coolant goes rebuilds but just install a good used box. After around late-1995 the oil spec changed
in, pouring it in and expecting air to vent out via a from Dexron II to synthetic and on older cars it’s important to change
tiny bleed screw at the same rate isn’t happening. the oil and filter every 30,000-miles or so – it’s cheap to do. It’s not
There are various ways of doing it – some pour quite so important on later cars but even so, we’d be dropping
coolant in via the top hose disconnected from the the sump, fitting a new filter screen and topping up with
radiator, and it can be done with the brass plug or new oil. 
fan switch unscrewed from the side of the rad. Pour
it in slowly, a pint at a time. If you get really stuck,
disconnect the long hose that goes from the base
of the radiator under the inlet manifold and into the
heater – disconnect from the heater end and pour
coolant in there with the rad cap fitted until full and
it starts to dribble from the heater.
Radiators are cheap and easy to replace and the
air con version is deeper with more coolant capacity.
Replace a grotty old viscous fan coupling with a
nice new one and think twice about the ‘viscous
delete’ mod where you rely solely on the air con
fan. Probably okay in winter but in summer, not so
clever. An idle viscous fan absorbs next to no power
anyway, so why remove it?

BODY BRAKES
After outlasting the E30 for so long, the E36 These cars all
is now firmly in the grip of ferrous oxide – have ABS and
the newest one has seen over 20 British post-1996
winters. Bolt-on stuff like the front wings isn’t ones have
hard to fix although good used panels are ASC traction
now getting very hard to find. Rear arches control as well
rust from the inner lip edge outwards so by at which point
the time it’s showing on the main arch, it’s the limited
a case of either grinding all the rust out and slip diff was
replacing any bad bits or welding new arches discontinued
in – expensive. The rear panel between the on the 328i Sport. Some cars have an
bootlid and bumper can rust as can the bonnet's outer edges, door corners all- in-one ABS block and ECU in the
as well as Touring tailgates. But the real killers are sill rot as well as advanced rust in the floor engine bay but more commonly have the
pockets where the trailing arms bolt in, when doing a trailing arm bush replacement you should ABS block under the bonnet and the ECU
really clean it all up in there and rustproof it. Cars with plastic sill covers are always worse for sill tucked-up behind the glovebox where it
rot and you should expect to find rot with the covers removed. Very often they need complete can be damaged by a screen leak. The ABS
sill replacement and at the least, a lot of fabrication and welding in new sections as well as the system is self learning so after replacing
rear inner sill. It’s essential that the four circular plastic/rubber jacking plugs are fitted as if they a component or an ABS sensor, the light
are missing, that’s an open door for road muck and water to get in. will go out on the move even if you don’t
car the fault code. ABS sensors can be
a real struggle to change and it’s best to
remove the disc, calliper and hub (front
only) if it becomes a ‘mare. ABS sensors
are available from as little as £10 and I’ve
found cheap ones work just fine. Discs and
pads are all cheap enough to buy. Brake
pipes rust and replacing a front one can be
a nightmare because you cannot see where
they go behind the engine, instead, use a
proper brake pipe cutter and join the new
pipe behind the plastic arch liner. Like any
old BMW, the handbrake requires yearly
attention to keep it working. 

MAY 2021 75
TROUBLE SHOOTER
INTERIOR TRIM
By the time the 328i arrived the early
E36 trim problems were well sorted. Even
so, E36 door trims do need a periodical
rebuild, gluing the plastic retaining clip
brackets back on with Araldite Rapid
(nothing else works as well) as well as
tightening up the various screws. The same
goes for the rear trim panels on Coupé and
Convertible models. Seats last well and it’s
easy to fix a knackered driver's seat using a
good passenger seat for the swap over front
cushion and the bolt-on backrest. Be aware
of different airbag seat sensor connectors
though. Once removed, the glovebox
takes some skill to refit correctly and they SUSPENSION
normally don’t fit right around the lock – if Most cars used standard Boge suspension with all Coupés and some Convertibles having the
it really doesn’t want to know, trimming off ‘M Technic’ Boge set up on stiffer dampers and shorter springs. 328i Sport models used the
the two plastic lugs by the lock sorts it out.  Bilstein ‘Avus’ set up with thick tube yellow dampers and different rate springs as well as offset
It should be in the body section really, M3 wishbone bushes and the 25.5mm front and 18mm rear anti-roll bars used on M Technic
but the fully automatic Convertible hood Coupé models.
can be a nuisance when it doesn’t work Standard E36 front wishbones are used with the rubber sleeved outer balljoints – these
properly. The semi-auto version featured a can be pressed-out and replaced with all steel versions but these are becoming harder to
manual front hood top screen clamp and find. Instead, you can use E30 wishbones that used the all-steel balljoint. The offset wishbone
the manual hood is rare – many will be rear bushes give increased steering castor and improve steering feel. Steering racks are easily
troubled power hoods with the hydraulic replaced by either an E46 four-cylinder post-2001 ‘purple tag’ rack for quicker steering, or even
pump disconnected. Rear hood plastic better a Z3 rack with 2.7 turns lock-to-lock. Front struts can be a real pain to replace if the two
windows are not ‘zip-in’ but require hood 18mm bolts either side snap off.
removal and properly stitching in. They take At the back, the Z axle is very tough and not much goes wrong: the Z wishbone rear outer
a while to settle into shape and you can bushes eventually wear out as do the hub to upper wishbone swivel bushes. 
remove wrinkles after the hood is raised
with some hot water. 

THE 328i SPORT

The UK only 328i Sport was
launched here in May 1995
shortly after the 323i and
328i but you couldn’t actually
buy one until late ’95. The
Sport was a 328i Coupé
with a special Bilstein ‘Avus’
suspension package, 25
percent limited slip diff and
17-inch BBS RC041 split rim
wheels. As well as this, the
Sport had M3 style bumpers
with a two bar grille replacing
the mesh in the front bumper,
OTHERS ‘twisted’ side skirts, front fog
E36 headlights were always prone to misting up and other than removal and replacement of the rubber lights, M3 type side mouldings
seals there’s not a lot you can do about it. The E36 central locking system is simple, working from the body and inside, sports seats in half
control module behind the glovebox. Be aware that if the central locking doesn’t work it can interfere with leather, black headlining and
the starter and fuel pump circuit leading to intermittent ‘no crank’ issues. Instrument clusters very rarely fail an M Technic sports steering
and as long as you match part numbers, are a straight swap without coding. E36 steering lock problems wheel. For 1996, ASC+T
(key spin) is a fault with the post-January 1995 locks and can be fixed with a small hole drilled on the lock traction control replaced the
body just behind the plastic EWS ring connector and a small screw wound in.  limited slip diff and clear
indicators were added.
76 BMWcar
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 READER’S RIDES

Reader’s
Rides
Joran Vermet’s E36 320i Convertible
oran lives in Belgium and currently owns not one but two E36s. His

J 1993 320i convertible is his first car, bought in 2013 – it’s the car
he learned to drive in when he was 17. The 24-year old struggled
to get the car through its MoT in 2018 due to a bit of rust around
the windscreen, having just graduated from school he started
working in a bodyshop so he stripped the car, mounting it on a rotisserie
stand, repairing it and – last summer – repainting it in Avus Blue.
“I found an Alpina E36 B3 3.0 engine for it, I am now in the process of
rebuilding that with a close friend. It has 250hp – instead of the 150hp as
stock. Together with a new LSD differential, BBS Style 5 wheels, E46 330i
and 328i brakes, the complete M pack, and analogue oil pressure and
temperature gauges it will be a dream come true.”
While Joran was busy restoring the 320i he drove a 2003 Z4 and an E34
520i Touring. Now he’s back behind the wheel of an E36 again with his
1992 325i Coupé bought in Germany.
“It is almost the same car which my parents had back in 2003 and this
car let me fall in love with the E36 and BMW (I have a picture of this car
with little me standing by it!). It has driven 260000kms (161,000-miles)
but it’s still going strong. It has a black leather interior, M pack and even a
telephone inside. I repaired the headlining, air-conditioning, sunroof, gave it
some new fluids, replaced all the bushings and just enjoyed it.”

We want your car!

Want to see your BMW in print? Email us a
handful of high resolution images of your car
alongside a 100-200 description in your own
words – we want to know why you bought it
and what you think of it! We’ll do the rest in our
Reader’s Rides page.
Email your entry to: bmwcar.ed@kelsey.co.uk

MAY 2021 79


BMW 1 SERIES
2013, £13,495. 125I SPORT PLUS EDITION 2DR
AUTOMATIC. Please call 0161 476 5915, North
West.
BMW 3 SERIES
2012, 84,600 miles, £8,695. Convertible
with the punchy 2 litre diesel producing
181bhp. Very well looked after and
maintained throughout its life. The variable
service interval programme shows 5 service
stamps in the book. Please call 01604 713599,
East Midlands.
BMW 323
2000, £2,100. CI SE. last service
71000,recent tyres and battery, fsh
and mot, excellent condition blue with
immaculate cream interior, smooth
engine and auto box,retirement forces
sale. Please call 07752 378021 , East of
England.
103988


BMW 330D
2013, 58051 miles, £15,495. XDrive
MSport Auto is truly in exceptional
condition. Having had only the 1 owner
from new and a Full main dealer service
history no expense has been spared. with
an already excellent specification the
car was ordered with £3285.00 worth of
extra’s so please read the add carefully.
Not only is the car in such great condition
it drives as you’d expect it to, Superbly!!
Please call 01480 463850, South West.
BMW ALPINA
2016, 57275 miles, £34,995. Alpina F30
B3 LCI.57k miles. One previous owner. Full
BMW service history. Reportedly 1 of 8 in
the UK. The only F30 (Saloon)LCI B3 In the
UK. Imperial blue metallic. Oyster leather.
Harmon kardon. Pro Nav. Bluetooth music
streaming. Electric front seats. Heated
front seats. 20” Alpina alloy wheels. Please
call 01636812700, East Midlands.
103578
BMW CONVERTIBLE
2003, £2,200. E46 Convertible 330ci Sport
– petrol. Unmarked silver paint blue hood
with new roof lining. Unmarked grey
leather, automatic. Previous owner BMW
mechanic. M3 style wheels and excellent
tyres. Harman Kardon hifi system. No
service history . 5 owners. Please call
07828 637991, East of England.
104273
BMW E30 320I
1988, 67800 miles, £19,995. The
car spent its first 14 years on Jersey
explaining its low mileage. The car has
been exceptionally well looked after
having had 5 cambelt changes and comes
with 18 service stamps and a huge history
file with invoices, MOTs and old tax discs.
Latterly the car has been looked after by
renowned BMW specialists Classic Heroes
based in Buxted. Please call 07885742090,
East Midlands. (T)
103506
BMW M
2019, 2990 miles, £35,995. Stunning M135i
xDrive Finished In Mineral Grey Metallic
With Black Dakota Perforated Leather
Interior. Fantastic Spec Inc: Panoramic
Sunroof, M Plus Pack, 19” Bi-colour V Spoke
Alloys, Head Up Display, Technology Pack,
Harmon Kardon Sound System, and much
more. Please call 01484543728, North
East. (T)
103127
BMW M2
2019, 10500 miles, £41,995. Finished In
Hockenheim Silver Metallic With Black
and Blue Leather Interior. Fantastic Spec
Inc: M Performance LED Race Steering
Wheel In Carbon and Alcantara With
Cross Stitching In M Colours, Carbon
Interior Trim, Rear Camera, Front & Rear
Sensors, and more. Please call 01484
543728.
BMW M4
£109,995. specification includes:- m-twin
clutch transmission, m-carbon ceramic
brakes, carbon fibre bonnet, bucket seats,
roof, rear spoiler and instrument panel,
navigation system professional with
connected drive, online entertainment,
dab, heads up display, bmw organic light,
blue shadow accent high gloss, park
distance control, adaptive led headlights,
m drivers package, light package, rain
sensor, cruise control with brake function,
bmw 666m alloys in fern grey, double
flow sports exhaust, sun protection
glass, velour floor mats. Please call
02083485151, London.
BMW M5
£41,995. factory specifications include:-
6-speed manual transmission, metallic
paint, electric glass sunroof, leather seats
with electrical adjustment and driver
memory, lumbar support, professional
communications package, telephone,
hifi speaker system, climate control,
electric windows, electrically adjustable
folding mirrors, servotronic power
steering, brushed aluminium interior
trim, individual sunshade glazing,
xenon headlamps, and more. Please call
02083485151, London.
BMW M6
£57,995. Specification includes :- 5-speed
manual gearbox, leather interior, electric
front seat adjustment, limited slip
differential, air conditioning, electric
sunroof, electric windows, central locking,
bmw 2-piece cross-spoke alloys with
michelin trx tyres, tinted glass, blaupunkt
new york sqr 205 stereo, electric aerial.
Please call 02083485151, London.




BMW Z3
1998, £11,995. ROADSTER 2.8 Z3 ROADSTER
2DR. Please call 0161 476 5915, North West.
BMW Z3
1999, 43000 miles, £24,995. M 3.2
Convertible 2dr Petrol Manual (268 g/km,
321 bhp) Please call 01623 411476 East
Midlands.
BMW Z3
1999, 34000 miles, £5,295. Dark Green
with special order Beige and Dark Green
leather and Black power hood. Rare
switchable automatic with the better 140
BHP engine. . Full service history. Please
call 01277365415, South East. (T)
103245
BMW Z3
2002, 90500 miles, £1,950. 12 months
MOT. Good runner, a few dents and
scratches. Hood window needs replacing,
good project or kit car donor. Please call
07940 551519, Yorkshire and the Humber.
104348
BMW Z3
2001, 62000 miles, £4,795. Metallic Titan
Silver with Black leather interior. Facelift
6 cylinder model with 5-speed manual
gearbox, PAS, air-bag, ABS, ASC, electric
windows, electric mirrors, electric seats,
factory 5-spoke alloy wheels, BMW stereo
with CD multichanger. 2 keys with remote
central locking and alarm. Lovely car with
the desirable engine option. Please call
01277365415, South East. (T)
104536
BMW Z4
2006, 64000 miles, £7,999. Grey metallic
paintowrk / black mohair roof / red leather
trim, 6 speed manual, Service History. MOT
09/21 next service due 09/21. An amazingly
fast car with a classic BMW look. Please call
07595 218406, South West.
103945
 NEXT
ISSUE
ON SALE:
30 APRIL 2021
Pre-order your copy
at shop.kelsey.co.uk

WHAT’S INSIDE
THE JUNE 2021
ISSUE?
● Contributor Ben Barry is reunited with his
very own – now transformed – E36 M3
track car, and drives its wild stablemate –
an M3-engined Compact built for rallying.
They share S50B30 power, but what else?

● We take a Z4 3.0 on a crisp morning

B-road blast to see if it can still deliver
dynamic driving thrills.

● An ideal partner for those in search of

a useable, roomy classic, the E30 325i
Touring has become an iconic retro estate.
We meet a cherished example.

● Known for its motorway munching

capabilities, the E46 330d turned a
generation of petrol heads to diesel power.
Can this 200k-mile example still cut it?

● Classic BMW Buys: In our latest

instalment, the E24 M635CSi takes on
the E39 M5...

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EQUIPPED FOR ADVENTURE.
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tech-side. For more information, visit your local BMW Retailer or shop.bmw.co.uk