When BMW makes an M3, it’s a big deal. The E30 was pivotal for the brand entering its DTM motorsport-focused era. The ultimate driving machine for many years, and still, in many ways continues to be the M3. Fast sedans are what BMW does best and deservedly the E30 was arguably the greatest of all time. Built to take down Mercedes-Benz in DTM racing, the BMW E30 M3 from the get-go was on a mission to be one of the best sports cars a manufacturer could make. The future of both brands would change forever, and the BMW E30 M3 remains the quintessential BMW that started an M revolution.

10/10 Homologation Is The Name Of The Game

BMW wanted to go racing, and so it needed to homologate its little 3 Series in order to do that. For this reason, 5,000 road-going cars had to be produced by the manufacturer in order to comply with DTM regulations, and so, the E30 M3 was born. In order to beat Mercedes, the M3 had to become a reality, and when it did the competition between the two manufacturers was as fierce as ever.

9/10 BMW Made It To Beat Mercedes-Benz

Close up of BMW E30 M3 badging

In 1986, BMW started production on the E30 M3 and set the world ablaze. In an era of buzzing new racing programs and a tech-filled future with a promise in innovation, the E30 M3 emerged. Mercedes-Benz had already created the 190E years earlier and was winning…