Blending old with new: John Bowe gets to grips with a super-quick cross-breed BMW E30 with a transplanted modern M3 engine
BMW E30 318iS (‘M3’)
John Bowe says he’s always had a soft spot for BeeEms, with his dad having a partnership in a BMW dealership for many years in Tasmania.
This little sleeper is an E30 BMW 318iS that delivers a big wallop with a 3.2-litre six from an E46 M3. It also has an M3 6-speed gearbox, diff, brakes and a Motec management system.
“It weighs probably 300kg less than an M3 so it’s pretty fast! And those E30s had nice steering…and they were quite a sweet little car,” says JB.
With the M3 powerplant and running gear, JB says it’s a boy-racer’s car with a European slant. “It’s a cracker of an engine and it sounds awesome when it gets the revs up.”
Read the full story in issue #379 of Unique Cars, on sale now.