BMW · 1975–1983

BMW 3 Series

The BMW E21 is the first generation of the BMW 3 Series, a range of compact executive cars. The E21 was produced from June 1975 to December 1983 and replaced the BMW 02 Series. The series was exclusively built in a sporty two-door sedan / coupé body-style (except for convertibles made by Baur). Contrary to its predecessor, a 'Touring' body with a sloped rear hatch was no longer offered. Six-cylinder models were made immediately recognizable by quad round headlights, instead of the basic two. Initial models were produced with carburetted four-cylinder petrol engines of 1.6 L, 1.8 L, and 2.0 L. Fuel-injection was introduced in late 1975 on the 320i – but in 1977, a carburetted inline 6-cylinder engine replaced both the 320 and 320i models, while a detuned version of the four-cylinder injection went on sale in the United States. In 1978, the 3-series received its first fuel-injected six-cylinder in the 323i as a flagship performance model; and in 1981, a bottom end detuned 1.6 L was offered in the 315. The cabriolet body style, manufactured by Baur, was produced from 1978 to 1981, with all available engines. There was no BMW M3 model for the E21 generation, but several limited edition models were produced based on the model with the largest engine, the six-cylinder 323i. The E21 was replaced by the E30 3 Series in 1982.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Successor: BMW E30

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Development

Under the direction of its majority (51%) shareholder, Herbert Quandt, BMW decided upon a replacement for the ageing BMW 02 Series. In July 1975, BMW's Board of Management introduced the E21 to the public at the Munich Olympic Stadium.

Styling

The frontal view of the new car was dominated by the BMW trademark kidney grille standing out clearly from the radiator cover. The styling of the new car bore a resemblance to the E12 5 Series which was in production as the E21 was introduced. Like many other BMW models, the C-pillar of the E21 has a Hofmeister kink. Paul Bracq, Director of Design at BMW from 1970 to 1974, is credited with setting the design direction of the E21. The BMW E21 is according to the Design Museum London one of "fifty cars that changed the world".

Interior

The cockpit design of the E21 marked the introduction of a new design concept, with the center console and central dashboard area angled towards the driver. The instruments are arranged as Fuel, Speed, Engine Revs, and Water Temperature from left to right as viewed, copied from the 1936 328 sports car. These features have become part of BMW's interior design philosophy for many years. As a sign of passive safety, all edges and control elements within the interior were rounded off and padded. The 1979 facelift revised the centre section of the dashboard, replacing the slider heat and ventilation controls with rotary knobs. The centre stack had much better provision for a revised air conditioning system. The analog centre clock was replaced with a digital one below the instrument cluster.

Engines

=== 315 === The 315 was the base model from March 1981 to 1983 and remained on sale up into 1984 for some markets, alongside the new E30. It has a 75 PS (55 kW; 74 hp) version of the 316's 1.6-litre engine, tuned for fuel economy. It accelerates to 100 km/h in 14.8 seconds and has a top speed of 154 km/h (96 mph). In an effort to further lower the price, the 315 also had bumpers with exposed screws, a vinyl-covered parcel shelf (this was carpeted on all other E21 models), no map pockets on the doors, R2 double filament headlamps (rather than halogen units), and a single external mirror. 316. The 316 was the base model for years 1975 to 1981, fitted with a 1.6 L (98 cu in) M10 engine producing 90 PS (66 kW; 89 hp). It accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 14 seconds and has a top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). In 1980 the engine size increased to 1.8 litres (after the 318 carburetor version was discontinued), while the model badge remained "316". Power remained 90 PS (66 kW; 89 hp) but top speed increased to 163 km/h (101 mph). 318. The 318 was a mid-range model that was powered by a carburetted four-cylinder engine, producing 98 PS (72 kW; 97 hp). It accelerates to 100 km/h in 12 seconds and has a top speed of 165 km/h (103 mph). 318i. In 1980, the carburetted 318 was dropped and replaced by the fuel injected 318i. It accelerates to 100 km/h in 11.5 seconds and has a top speed of 173 km/h (107 mph). In Sweden, the 318i was badged 320i and had twin headlights. This was the result of the 2-liter engine not passing Sweden's particular emissions standards at the time, which also restricted the output of the engine to 102 PS (75 kW) in Sweden as well as Switzerland. 320. The initial 320 model was powered by a four-cylinder engine using a Solex 2-barrel downdraft carburettor. It

Transmissions

3-speed ZF 3HP22 automatic (318 and 320) 4-speed Getrag 242 manual 5-speed Getrag 245 manual, with either an overdrive fifth gear or close-ratio gearing (the latter available from 1976).

Chassis and suspension

With a wheelbase measuring 2.6 m (102 in), the lengths of the overhanging front and rear bodywork was minimal. The track measured 1,364 mm (53.7 in) at the front, and 1,377 mm (54.2 in) at the rear. The suspension incorporated rack and pinion steering and MacPherson strut suspension at the front, and semi-trailing arm type independent suspension at the rear. The rear suspension design causes camber changes, which can introduce oversteer at the handling limits. The power assisted brakes were discs on the front wheels, while the rear wheels had drum brakes (except the 323i model which had discs all round).

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 3 Series (E21)

Manufacturer

BMW

Production

June 1975 – December 1983

Model years

1977–1983 (North America)

Class

Compact executive (D)

Body style

2-door saloon, 2-door convertible

Assembly

West Germany: Munich

Layout

Rear-wheel drive

Wheelbase

2563 mm

Length

4355 mm, Except US: 4508 mm

Width

1610 mm

Height

1380 mm

Kerb weight

1020 -

Engine

1.6–2.0 L M10 I4, 2.0–2.3 L M20 I6

Transmission

4-speed manual, 5-speed manual, 3-speed ZF 3HP automatic

Predecessor

BMW 02 Series

Successor

BMW 3 Series (E30)

Designer

Paul Bracq

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

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q730915CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_3_Series_(E21)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1377392781 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:E21_BMW_316.jpgCC0 · Photo: Jeroen Coebergh · 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.

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