MotorWeek | Retro Review: '94 BMW E36 318i Vert & M3

[@chegvra]

I had a ‘95 Dakar M3. I’ve owned Japanese turbos, American muscle cars, but that M3 was my fave. I miss it. It was a supermodel with a heart of gold and beautiful soul.

[@fernandorocha-dx1wv]

BMW M3 is my favorite car

[@Ithinkiwill66]

The ONLY time I like a yellow car, with black color interior...and, I love the styling of the '94 BMW's...specially the M3

[@joshriver75]

Idk....id probly take nice Ferrari in yellow/black. But...never been able to make those choices...so who knows

[@jacobl6714]

I'm with ya on that. I know ferrari has a lot of models that have been popular in yellow, which josh river the guy that replied to you mentioned. But I've never thought ferrari's look good in yellow. This is Dakar Yellow I believe? I'd love to see what one of these looks like in phoenix yellow lol that launch color for the last generation M4? I dunno, might look awesome

[@MrUpgraydde]

These retro reviews are amazing.

[@cargueone1971]

The only time salaries and the price of cars were affordable. As a 23 year old, as a animator for Marvel comics, I was able to buy a M3. Much, much cheaper than a twin turbo Supra. The M3 was 36,000 vs 50,000 for the faster Supra. My house payment in Los Angeles was 1000 a month, and my salary was 65,000 a year. Today my salary is not much different, but there's no way I can afford a new M3, even with a paid off house. The utilities, property tax, sales taxes, makes buying anything more difficult. I love how people have no problem listening the price of things in today's dollars, but never the Salary. 65,000 in today's money is 109,000 dollars. I don't make near that, even being in a higher position.

[@txrxs]

Preach brother. I've been saying this for a while. Why is it ok that 20 years later 35k is still the expected salary of a college grad?

[@baruchnabukodneser3902]

I still have my 1998 E36 M3 4 door and enjoy driving it every minute of it.

[@rootsmanuva82]

Mmmmm... Dakar Yellow. I'm not normally a fan of yellow cars, but Dakar Yellow is an exception!

[@truelegendinblack]

Check out Dados M3

[@harveyhalloway]

I like the way John Davies says a M3 is attainable! In my dreams, maybe now only as a used classic. I love MotorWeek.

[@truelegendinblack]

Dakar yellow M3 mmmmmmm

[@michaelmeliambro5117]

More like VOMIT Yellow......how appropriate for such a POS like this.

[@sillygirliejw]

I own a wbite 1994 BMW 318i convertible. It's a great car. It's 27 years old and has never been repainted. No dents. It's a beauty

[@goclunker]

To the shittalkers on the US s50/s52: These became alpina B3 motors. They are also easily tune-able to 270RWHP, NA. Yup, Not far off the Euro s50b3x, which is at its performance maximum.

[@fatoputso7375]

I'd take the us spec honestly. It makes good power as is and probably do 200k w/out a rebuild

[@calvz777]

God, the way they thrash their way through the gears to demonstrate that it actually has gears makes me quiver.

[@andydhillon1977]

I know. I dont get why they did that. 😂

[@rare6499]

That M3 might be down on power but damn it’s handsome

[@TheSwitzAutomotive]

Still have my 1992 BMW 325i in great condition. I talk about it on my channel that specializes on how to make a car last 25 years. These early E36 cars with no VANOS or OBD2 were awesome.

[@fernandorocha8459]

Very beautiful this BMW 318i convertible and M3

[@euanhoef8298]

They always beat on the shifter T_T

[@FrightfulAccountant]

This are the sort of car that made Americans stop buying american premium cars: it is styled in a way that no Cadillac, Lincoln nor Chrysler of this era could match it, not even close.

[@Bridging_the_Political_Divide]

Styling?? Lol. Its a 3 Series with some skirts slapped on. It looks like an econobox!!!! Styling??? Lol...

[@demetriusjohnson7773]

Best looking interior ever.

[@MrVrodguy5080]

I prefer the one before it.

[@jdmnsxr6820]

@@MrVrodguy5080 what do you mean ? which one?

[@basshead.]

+jdmnsxr 6 e30

[@gedaman]

Demetrius Johnson Seriously? It’s so cheap.

[@CrispusAttucks2315]

Gedaman I fell in love with that yellow m3 interior when I was in middle school. Lol.

[@SlickRick135]

My favorite M3 til this day.

[@JDsHouseofHobbies]

I'll take an E36 M3 four door in silver or blue, please.

[@automotivetv9861]

Crazy to think that the upscale toyota camry from just 10 years in the future would be almost just as fast as this m3!

[@andydhillon1977]

The 2003 Accord V6 put out the same power. The 6-spd version posted the same performance times, too. Pretty neat

[@RoundenBrown]

I have a '94 318is; I got it for free.

[@blisterbrain]

I'll give you three times what you paid for it if you can have it delivered!

[@mega-hb4re]

That car still sexy AF

[@richardprice7763]

The way John says bimmer instead of 'beemer'

[@andydhillon1977]

Bimmers are BMW cars. "Beamers" are BMW motorcycles. Most people dont knkw that

[@1D0N]

Just $6000 between a 318i vert and M3 coupe? Oh well I guess in 1994 money, that was quite some.

[@theacehd1742]

between 318 and 325

[@ArmathuX]

E36 Series

[@fhowland]

My dream car as a teenager

[@deansapp4635]

This car was so much fun to Autocross.

[@SteveSega]

I was in the USAF stationed in Germany, and a '95 BMW 318i Vert was about $20k because $10k is just import tax!

[@mackcummy4976]

Here in Canada we got the European version of the M3

[@BIGGIEDEVIL]

Yes we did and my God did we pay out the ass for it

[@domtoretto3280]

Better off with the us spec trim

[@mackcummy4976]

@@domtoretto3280 why?

[@Courtney1992]

mischief 3000?

[@k9keo]

I miss 1998 M3 Cabriolet 🏎 fun little car

[@ianscarhole6992]

1:39 the angriest shifts ever

[@reyrob]

The US M3 is so underpowered compared to the European version!

[@pbfloyd13]

This isn't a real M3!! This s North American M3!! THE ENGINE'S WRONG!!! THE ENGINE'S WRONG!!! THE ENGINE'S WRONG!!!X( -Mr Regular

[@cargueone1971]

reyrob / but much more reliable and attainable. I had a blue M3 4 door sedan in 1997 and was fun and reliable. It was a great experience.

[@1D0N]

The Euro engine is just as reliable and attainable. It's a non argument overly used by US oweners. The known issues back then, are no longer issues (like Vanos).

[@andrew9868]

The euro motor would have added 20k to the already pricey car so msport in the us decided to redesign the head without itbs so that it would sell here. Plus the us m3 was only 0.1s of a second slower than the euro which had 310hp compared to the us 240hp.

[@1D0N]

andrew lejeune they didn’t redesign the head. The US S52 is a bored/stroked M52.

[@SANYUR]

Do you have the 1994 BMW 850CSI road test, I remember motor week testing a red one weeks after this episode .

[@yoancarlosirribarren3422]

Lindossssss relindos los mejores... De todasssssss jajajajajajja

[@laweezemorton8884]

those seats look great.. shame we got the underpowered 3-liter in the US..

[@catjudo1]

I tend to forget just how handsome the pre-Bangle BMWs really were. Now they look like misshapen pig-nosed junk that the Chinese might build. Heard their build quality isn't as good either.

[@jareknowak8712]

In Europe it was called "Porsche Killer"

[@frankyleandri3592]

Damn they took it easy if they only got a 6.1 0-60 time I'm pretty sure most websites have the 0-60 time listed around 5.6ish seconds for the 95 M3

[@9890jsp]

They don't dump on the clutch. They do a "real world" launch. Mags like motor trend and such kill the clutches because they know they're factory cars, rev em up and let it rip. Motor week, keeps it realistic. They know no idiot will want to wear his clutch out like that, so they do "real world" launches. They do these test about 3 miles from where I live, here in Maryland.

[@frankyleandri3592]

Your right it does make sense, I also live in Maryland haha

[@Tom_Selleck308]

It's the American E36 M3

[@JASOMA]

+Franky Leandri the "Real" M3 e36 had 3,2L and 320hp

[@brianach1817]

+4TStreetsurfer My M3/4/5 has the Turner Stage 3+ with the Schrick cams etc. and 290whp. It's about as close to the Euro as you can get until you can import one legally. The TC Kline coilovers enable it to hang with just about anything in the twisties. It's the best 4-door I have ever driven.

[@usedcars1846]

thanks for information

[@michaelv6870]

Kudos to BMW. They have kept the prices where they where 30 years ago (inflation adjusted of course).

[@menaceIIsociety187]

Shame. Even in SA we got higher power versions. Around 210kW for the 2 dr and 228kW for the 4 dr. Too bad we have crappy quality fuel or outputs would be slightly higher

[@houseofno]

No idea why they refused to test the e32. Particularly the e32 750il.

[@terrific-bats]

amazing !

[@skadoldotri97]

wait the 325i e36 cost 9gs more than the 318i? making it 38k? so it cost more than an m3? lol

[@yuriypodgorniak2728]

This car is faster than 14.4 it's around 13.7 or high 13s.....!!!

[@jdabull]

not with a single vanos on intake only. it's a bored out 325/obdii 328 engine

[@andydhillon1977]

It all depends on many conditions. They were high 13's cars. A friend managed a 13.9 in his.

[@gxdjoeybaby07]

if the convertible is a true technoviolet car, i'll take that one (owning my heresy)

[@82coxy]

Why did we get faster versions here in Europe?

[@frankyleandri3592]

Long story short BMW had to keep the cost down for the American market so they cut corners, unlike the European market

[@symoonstar23]

Same as my 1993..cost to fixs

[@vanillaice887]

Every e36 In North 🇺🇸 is an Iron Block,even The 318s.🦫

[@brandondavis7695]

So funny to think, that the M3 at one point in time, was actually "attainable"...not no more...

[@steve75112]

haha in nz we got the 321 hp engine in the m3 e36

[@chrisstmt1109]

318i? 138 horsepower? since when?

[@Krisunited97]

Must be the 318is i guess

[@tjallaballa]

In the US all 318 got 16v. Also all coupes got the name is so in the us a 325i coupe would have been called 325is

[@midgetsun4405]

May we have the e46 M3? Thanks!

[@devonyoung9985]

Royalty vehicle im fixing mines up

[@ianscarhole6992]

4:21 *opens the top* ok lemme get out of here

[@rastarican89]

This is the same engine in the 330i & ci. But really enough with BMW videos. Would like to see an older Nissan Maxima or older Hondas or at least a BMW 850i???

[@craigj1969]

rastarican89 not the same engine, only the same displacement

[@luveniasmith3845]

1998 bmw 7 eries looking for

[@mackcummy4976]

pfft an Acura Integra non VTEC had more power than the 318.

[@maples328]

That M3 was awesome 👏, except for that body kit 😂, that was the most trash 🗑️ looking glued on design I’ve seen in a while !

[@pepster85]

I make 6 figures and still can’t afford a bmw

[@GoofballKurtt]

Nice 328i ....

[@arttafil6792]

DO NOT tailgate an M3!

[@McBeamer94]

Hey, the Euro version produced 286 horsepower!!! And that steering wheel is not proper ///M!!!

[@lfsracer79]

and the 3.2 put out 321 PS

[@Lambertius]

And the 3.0L M3-R put out 340

[@domtoretto3280]

that wheel was on euro powered cars too.

[@buca9696]

The US E36 M3 is just a glorified 328i.

[@andyzan120]

It's faster.

[@IronicTonic8]

+tavi921 True, but it does have an extra 50hp from engine tweaks, upgraded suspension and body kit. The fact that it's just a gloried 328i means it's relatively inexpensive to own and maintain, but it still offers an excellent driving experience. I've owned numerous sports cars and the E36 M3 is easily one of the most raw and exciting cars to drive. It takes well to mods too. So, who cares what it's based on? It had the right formula and it didn't need the Euro engine to be great.

[@josephelias6269]

IronicTonic But it *DID* need the European engine, that's the point.

[@domtoretto3280]

no

[@fatoputso7375]

U ever driven one?

[@leenevin8451]

same power as the new 520d

[@pommesmayo7336]

no wonder the M3 was cheap in the u.s. the u.s. M3 is just a tuned 325i lol

[@andydhillon1977]

Yup, and had they not done that, the US wasnt going to get the E36 M3.

[@jareknowak8712]

My God, Euro M3 was so much better.

[@averadin]

Dear god, please. No. More. BMW.

[@MrCarGuy]

I think he's had a BMW obsession lately...

[@BigXSmoke1]

3lixer at least it was a M3 this time, i just love the look

[@sglider]

3lixer Yep, I was saying that about 4 videos ago. Time to put these vids in the shop along with the Beemers.

[@pbfloyd13]

Boo!!! 3lixer , boo!!

[@patrickmichaellangan576]

BigXSmoke1 AND the sound isn't as crappy as the other Beemer/Bimmer (which pronounciation YOU prefer) videos they posted before this one. The M3 is my FAV BMW as well.