BMW · 1968–1977

BMW New Six

The BMW E3 (also known as the New Six) is a line of mid-size luxury sedans produced by the German automaker BMW from 1968 to 1977. All models used the then-new M30 straight-6 engine. It marked BMW's return to the full-size luxury sedan market after a hiatus of fiveyears and was introduced as a response to growing market segment dominated by Mercedes-Benz. It was important in establishing BMW's reputation as a maker of sporting luxury sedans. The related BMW New Six coupés (better known as the BMW E9) are built on a shortened version of the E3 platform. The E9 coupés share engines, transmissions, some suspension and many other features with the E3 sedans. A total of 221,991 sedans and coupés were built.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: BMW 501 · Successor: BMW E23

All BMW New Six data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Development

After a long hiatus, BMW decided to develop a six-cylinder car in the early 1960s. Work on what was to become the E3 commenced in 1965. The engine was based on the existing M10 inline-fours, sharing their overall layout, though not merely adding two cylinders. The design team was led by Wilhelm Hofmeister, with some detail work executed by Italy's Bertone and Michelotti studios. A goal was to offer more passenger space and comfort than the earlier, somewhat smaller New Class saloons had. The new sedan was noticeably a "driver's car", focusing on the front-seat occupants, and the smaller E9 coupé was more of a 2+2 than a full four-seater. A new feature was the twin headlights, set into the grille, a design which was to define BMW styling for decades. Early mockups of the E3 featured broad rectangular single headlamps with rounded corners, but these never went into production - perhaps as a result of the lukewarm reception of the similarly designed 2000 CS. The new car also required a new welding plant at BMW's Munich site. In spite of the car's all-new construction it only cost 70 million D-mark to develop. This was less than half of what one might have expected at the time.

Nomenclature

Models were given names denoting their engine sizes, and suffixes to indicate the long-wheelbase (L) and fuel injection (i) available on later cars. The coupés were all named CS, followed by i (for fuel injection models) or L (for light-weight models, which also had fuel injection and higher power). 2500/2.5, 2.5CS (2494 cc, 150 PS (110 kW; 148 hp)) 2800/2.8, 2800CS (2788 cc, 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp)) 3.0S, 3.0L, 3.0CS (2985 cc, 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp) using twin Zenith 35/40 INAT carburetors) 3.0Si, 3.0Li, 3.0CSi (2985 cc, 200 or 195 PS (147 or 143 kW; 197 or 192 hp), depending whether Bosch D-Jetronic or L-Jetronic was installed) 3.3L, 3.3Li (3295 cc, 190–197 PS (140–145 kW; 187–194 hp)) 3.3Li (3210 cc, 197 PS (145 kW; 194 hp), 1976-1977)

Models

The two initial models, introduced in 1968 and sold through 1977, were the 2.5 L 2500 and 2.8 L 2800. The airy, large greenhouse design was roomier than BMW's existing range and appeared rather large overall, in spite of being no more than 1 cm (0.4 in) longer than Mercedes' midrange sedans, which were generally considered to compete in a lower class than the new E3. They were large six-cylinder cars with fully independent suspension and four wheel disc brakes that handled well and impressed contemporary reviewers. Road & Track called the later Bavaria "delightful" and "superb", concluding that it was "one of the world's best buys". Aside from the larger engine, the 2800 also had bigger tyres and a somewhat sportier suspension, as well as various creature comforts such as a heated rear window, a full tool set, Boge Nivomat self-levelling rear suspension, and a smattering more external chrome. The dual-carbureted 3-litre 3.0 S was introduced in 1971, being a more powerful and expensive model than the 2800; a fuel-injected version was also made. Also produced were long-wheelbase L models (3.0L, 3.3Li, etc.), whose sharp handling was a stark contrast to the large Mercedes-Benz models of the time. Langley Motors in Thames Ditton UK also produced an estate (tourer) version. Surprisingly, considering their respective marketing profiles, the 3.0 Si sedan was faster than the 3.0 coupé; which was a heavier car by 50 kg, with the same drivetrain. In the UK, some 3-litre cars were used by the police in the 1970s, with the infamous ad "It takes one to catch one". Thames Valley Police bought a 3.0 Si in 1972, followed by Derbyshire Constabulary the same year and the West Mercia Police in 1974. The West Mercia Police's car was in an unusual livery called "truck yellow". Following th

Coupés (E9)

The CS coupé models were based on the standard 2800 sedans, and looked very similar from the front. But they were also related to the earlier 2000CS, as is evident at the rear. The first model was the well-equipped 2800CS of 1968. The 3.0CS models introduced in 1971. In 1974 the smaller engined 2.5CS was made in small numbers, in response to the fuel crisis. The CSL models were lightweight racing versions.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: BMW E3
Manufacturer: BMW
Production: 1968–1977
Assembly: Germany: Munich
Designer: Wilhelm Hofmeister
Class: Executive car (E)
Body style: 4-door sedan/saloon, 4-door extended wheelbase sedan/saloon
Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Platform: E3
Related: BMW E9 (coupés)
Engine: 2.5 L M30B25 I6, 2.8 L M30B28 I6, 3.0 L M30B30 I6, 3.2 L M30B32LE I6, 3.3 L M30B33V I6
Transmission: 4/5-speed manual, 3-speed automatic
Wheelbase: 2692 mm, 2794 mm (LWB)
Length: 4700 mm, 4953 mm (US), 4801 mm (LWB)
Width: 1750 mm
Height: 1450 mm
Kerb weight: 1334 kg, 1470 kg (LWB)
Predecessor: BMW 501/502
Successor: BMW 7 Series (E23)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q604134CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_E3CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1371205820 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bmw_2500_v_sst.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: Sven Storbeck · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.