Everyone loves E30s and this triumvirate must rate as

040-048 BMWCAR 0314 07/02/2014 15:22 Page 40
Everyone loves E30s and this
triumvirate must rate as three
of the most desirable of the
breed. The iconic M3 goes
head-to-head with the
South African-only 333i
and 325iS Evolution
Words: Johann Venter
Photography: Oliver Hirtenfelder
40 BMWcar
o finally the day has come where we can
measure up these legendary box-shaped
beauties. This has to be one of the BMW
showdowns of the century and who
would have thought it would happen
under African skies?
In the left corner we have the two contenders, the
E30 333i and the E30 325iS Evolution. The 333i is
painted in Aero silver and weighs in at 1256kg. It
develops 197hp (145kW) at 5500rpm and has a
maximum torque of 210lb ft (285Nm) at 4300rpm.
The 325iS is painted in Ice white and weighs1147kg.
It develops 210hp (155kW) at 5920rpm, and has a
maximum torque of 195lb ft (265Nm) at 4040rpm.
In the right corner the reigning world champion,
the E30 M3, is painted in Lachs silver and weighs in
(from new) at 1200kg and develops 200hp (140kW)
at 6750rpm and has a maximum torque of 177lb ft
(238Nm) at 4750rpm.
Today is going to be a brawler; we are out in the
west of the province of Gauteng approximately 40
kilometres outside of Johannesburg at the Delportan
Hill in Krugersdorp which has been a popular hillclimb
venue since the ‘60s. We are in ‘Cradle’ country not
too far off from here are the Sterkfontein Caves – a
World Heritage Site where ‘Mrs Ples’, a 2.1-millionyear-old skull, and ‘Little Foot’, an almost complete
skeleton that’s three-million-years-old were found.
040-048 BMWCAR 0314 07/02/2014 14:56 Page 41
E30 M3 vs 333i vs 325iS
According to some it’s the birth place of humanity,
giving rise to the name Cradle of Humankind, but
enough of that, let’s get back to the job at hand.
To appreciate the significance of the E30 3 Series
in South Africa we need to take a step back and
understand the relevance of this model in South
African car culture.
The E30 with its three-box outline can trace its
DNA back directly to the 2002 which was an integral
part of the Neue Klasse, which followed the Bauhaus
design philosophy that lasted for 40 years within
BMW; with a distinguished sculpted shoulder-line, airy
glass-house cabin, slender roof-lines and minimalistic
cockpit. This was carried over to the E21 3 Series and
is firmly rooted into the E30 3 Series. Sadly, though,
the 2002 was never manufactured in South Africa
and imported in rather small numbers. Worse still is
the fact that the E21 was never officially imported.
South Africans were therefore starved of a compact
sporting BMW saloon until 1982 when the Rosslyn
plant starting producing the E30 3 Series, which has
resulted in an absolute cult following of the model
this far south of the equator.
This immaculate Aero silver example of the 333i,
with just 90,000km on the clock, happens to be the
nicest of the four colours in which they were offered.
The other colours included Diamond black, Henna
red and Ice white. This is number 103 of the 204
that were sold in South Africa between 1985 and
1987, a total of 210 were produced including
prototypes and test mules. It cost R41,300 (£16,312)
when new in 1985.
This car is no stranger to BMW Car’s pages and
was featured in the January 2013 edition – complied
by the then deputy editor Sebastian de Latour who
was fortunate enough to pilot this rarity with me in
tow. This car is in fact part of a prodigious BMW
collection that was also featured in BMW Car in the
August 2013 edition.
Vic Doolan and Bernd Pischetsrieder (of BMW
South Africa at the time) are credited for the
innovation of the 333i. The original intent was to
MARCH 2014 41
040-048 BMWCAR 0314 07/02/2014 14:57 Page 42
compete in Group One racing but this was never to
be as Group One racing was summarily cancelled at
the end of the 1985 season – remember the M1
suffered a similar fate.
The concept was pretty straightforward: find one of
the biggest engines in the BMW arsenal and cram it
into the smallest, lightest body. The engine came
from the E23 733i, which was partially chosen for its
free-revving characteristics (3.2-litre, in-line, sixcylinder, 12-valve) – producing a maximum power
output of 197hp (145kW) at 5500rpm and
maximum torque of 210lb ft (285Nm) at 4300rpm.
The development of the 333i was a collaboration
between BMW SA, BMW Motorsport and Alpina. Just
like with the E23 745i (which was also unique to
South Africa, see BMW Car May 2013 edition) an
extensive development and testing programme was
embarked upon to ensure that the optimum cooling,
42 BMWcar
gearing and noise levels were achieved.
Alpina played a crucial role in the development of
the 333i providing the specially developed inlet and
exhaust manifolds and plenum chamber, heavy-duty
copper cored radiator and various other cast alloy bits.
The Bosch L-Jetronic fuel management system was
revised accordingly, all of which resulted in a
substantially altered torque curve, boosting it
substantially in the lower rev range. Alpina also
provided the 296mm vented, grooved discs upfront,
the suspension was fitted with Bilstein gas dampers
with slightly stiffer springs, and it rolled on 16-inch
20-spoke Alpina alloys. The 333i was fitted with a
dog-leg close-ratio Getrag ‘box and 25 per cent ZF
limited-slip diff.
On the inside the most distinguishing Alpina
component is the digital display pod mounted on the
right central vent. It shows engine and rear diff oil
temperatures, the engine oil pressure and manifold
vacuum readings. The instrument cluster is also
provided by Alpina with a speedo reading of up to
270km/h, with red needles normally reserved for M
cars. The interior is rounded off with Sport leather
seats, leather-covered Sport steering and a gear lever
marked with the M tricolour stripe.
The exterior is rather attractive in that ‘80s kind of
way, with integrated aero appendages which include
a deep front spoiler, side skirts, a sweeping lip at the
rear, and a black boot spoiler finishing it off.
Owners had a choice between air-con and powersteering but could not have both as there wasn’t
sufficient room under the bonnet. Telling them apart
is easy: on air-conditioned cars the foglamps are
absent, creating apertures that feed air to the
condenser unit.
Just as South Africans were getting used to the
040-048 BMWCAR 0314 07/02/2014 14:57 Page 43
E30 M3 vs 333i vs 325iS
idea of having fast compact Bavarian saloons around
we were dealt a blow – the E30 M3 would not be
coming our way as it was only produced in left-hand
drive. That did not mean that the local motorsport
scene would cease to exist. On the contrary and if
BMW SA wanted to remain competitive it would have
to develop its own track specials. So let’s try to get
behind the myth that is the 325iS in order to
decipher the legend.
The year 1985 saw the introduction of one of the
most fiercely contested race series in South Africa,
Group N for production cars. To remain competitive in
1986 BMW introduced the 325iS (Sport), more
commonly known as the Shadowline among racing
enthusiasts. To increase power from the standard
325i the compression ratio was upped to 9.8:1 thus
increasing power output from 163hp (120kW) to
171hp (126kW). In this initial version the M Technik
MARCH 2014 43
040-048 BMWCAR 0314 07/02/2014 15:10 Page 44
aero kit was definitely absent and not even an option
– however, more importantly, Tony Viana won the
championship that year and the following two years
in his 325iS. In 1989 BMW offered the 325iS at a
price of R60,080 (£13,735) with the option of the M
Technik aero kit at R4095 (£936) – which included
the front and rear spoiler, rear apron and side skirts.
The more significant changes to the car came in
1990 as BMW was struggling to keep up with the
Opel (Vauxhall) Kadett which had also gone through
various iterations in Group N racing, from Boss to
BigBoss to SuperBoss. The SuperBoss was, as you
can imagine, the daddy of the bunch, in essence a
Kadett 200 GSi 16v uniquely designed for South
African racing, pushing out 170hp (125kW). These
cars were devastating track weapons especially with
Mike Briggs behind the wheel and has a cult following
second only to that of the E30.
The 1990 325iS sold at a price of R92,720
(£18,870) and came standard with the M Technik
aero kit which is the first significant difference. The
more fundamental changes happened underneath
the skin with an uprated 2.7-litre engine and cylinder
head, care of Alpina, increasing power output by
26hp (19kW) to 197hp (145kW) at 5800rpm
reaching a maximum torque figure of 195lb ft
(265Nm) at 4000rpm. With serious intentions of
reducing weight the bonnet, wings and doors were
made from aluminium. In order to better transfer the
increased power to the road the E30 M3’s
suspension was put into use, including the 15-inch
cross-spoke BBS alloys running on 205/60 15-inch
VR Goodyear rubber. In this iteration locals refer to it
as the Evo 1 although that was never the official
name that BMW assigned to it. Officially it was still
known as the 325iS but the legend had just grown
another tenfold. Unfortunately this was not enough to
fend off the attack by the Opel Kadett.
The final incarnation of the 325iS was introduced
in 1991 with the E36 knocking at the factory door,
but BMW had no choice if it were to take on its main
competitor, the Opel SuperBoss. It sold for R105,100
(£20,815) in 1991 and its official designation was the
BMW 325iS Evolution (more commonly known as
44 BMWcar
040-048 BMWCAR 0314 07/02/2014 15:22 Page 45
E30 M3 vs 333i vs 325iS
the Evo 2 among South African motoring
enthusiasts). Outwardly the car remained exactly the
same except for a flexible black lip extending from the
deep front spoiler. Underneath the car an
aerodynamic cover was installed to improve airflow
and ultimately front end grid. The aluminium bonnet,
wings and door panels reverted back to steel. The
ride height was lowered by 10mm with the
installation of stiffer, shorter springs and a thicker rear
anti-roll bar was installed to keep the tail in check.
The engine remained as the 2.7-litre unit but
modifications were made to the cylinder head
(supplied by Alpina together with the pistons) to
increase compression ration from 9.8:1 to 10.4:1 and
so inlet ports from the inlet manifold were adapted to
accommodate the enlarged diameter of the inlet
ports of the cylinder head. The intake manifold
plenum chamber, airflow meter and throttle butterfly
were uprated to that of the E28 535i and
incorporated into the Motronic system to enhance the
airflow. A cross-piece was installed in the larger
diameter downpipe of the exhaust. All of this led to
an increase in power to 211hp (155kW) at 5920rpm,
with maximum torque remaining at 196lb ft
(265Nm) at 4040rpm. This resulted in improved
acceleration and mid-range performance, eventually
culminating in a Group N championship win for Robbi
Smith in his 325iS in 1993.
This factory-fresh example we see here today in Ice
white belongs to Jack Kaplan a serious car enthusiast
with an even more serious car collection. Most
noteworthy are the eight exceptional BMWs which
also includes the M3 we see here, the only 2002
Turbo on the African continent and an absolutely
gorgeous Batmobile replica in Polaris metallic, to
mention but four. Jack likes to put his own touch to
his cars and these two examples are no exception.
This might not be to everybody’s liking, especially the
purists who believe cars should be kept exactly as the
automaker intended, but we appreciate the fact that
Jack puts his own personal touch to each of his cars.
It makes them stand out and more personalised. Jack
does not stop with the aesthetics and the
mechanicals; he is more hardcore than that and that
is why most of his BMW fleet runs on 102 avgas jet
fuel including the two you see here.
Jack acquired this 325iS from new in 1991 and
used it as a company car. It’s done 96,000km and,
from a cosmetics perspective, the grille has been
colour-coded with slits cut into it on the left-hand side
where the lights meet for additional cooling. He has
also added darker indicators, racing pedals and a
Nardi steering wheel. Other than that, from a
cosmetics perspective the car is completely original.
The mechanicals have definitely been tweaked. A
Stage One performance upgrade was carried out
which included gas-flowing the cylinder head and
installing a 280-degree camshaft, a Unichip ECU, a
K&N air filter with a modified air-box and a special
sports exhaust, which pushes the compression ratio
to 10.9:1.
So much has been written about the E30 M3, with
just about every motoring scribe worth their salt at
some point contributing to the growing documented
volumes on the M3. In my opinion the M3 is the
most significant BMW model post Second World War.
Yes, it does not have the halo image of the M1 (the
closest BMW came to producing a supercar) but its
contribution to the success of BMW is
unprecedented. Unfortunately the development of
the M1 was plagued with problems, which is putting
it rather mildly. But where the M1 might have failed
the M3 was triumphant winning virtually every form
of competition it was entered into.
As so much has been written about the M3 I
thought I would just give a brief summary of the
highlights of this most illustrious model.
The M3 was developed from the ground up as a
racer. Paul Rosche was tasked to develop a suitable
engine and what he came up with is ingenious: a
2302cc four-cylinder, 16-valve, dual-overhead cam.
For all intents and purposes the S14 engine is two
thirds of the M88 motor (although the block is based
on the cast-iron M10 engine), developed for the M1,
the M635CSi and the South African-only 745i. This
engine was further honed for the E28 M5 (second
generation) to become the S38. BMW’s initial
intention was to sell 5000 units to ensure eligibility
MARCH 2014 45
040-048 BMWCAR 0314 07/02/2014 15:07 Page 46
for racing but such was the demand that it ended up
manufacturing over three times this number during
1986-1990. In its first iteration it developed a
maximum power output of 200hp (140kW) at
6750rpm and 177lb ft (238Nm) of torque at
4750rpm. It sold for £22,750 (R57,599) in 1985.
During its five-year production run BMW
Motorsport kept on honing the performance and
agility of the M3 giving rise to the Evo 1, Evo 2,
Europa Meister, Cecotto and Ravaglia Editions. It was,
however, most lethal in its final incarnation known as
the Sport Evolution. The engine capacity had been
increased to 2467cc which was achieved through an
increase in bore and stroke. This necessitated larger
valves and camshaft, plus special spigots to spray oil
under the pistons to keep temperatures under
control. Power was up to a staggering 238hp
(177kW) at 7000rpm and torque remained the same
at 177lb ft (238Nm) at 4750 rpm.
46 BMWcar
The M3’s war paint clearly defines its intentions (it
is rather different to its regular 3 Series brethren) with
flared wheel arches to accommodate wider rubber,
and at the rear sits a large wing on a raised bootlid
with a separate cowling over the rear window
aperture, all of which help improve the aerodynamics.
All of this translated into the M3 being the most
successful Touring Car racer of all time, with more
than 1500 individual victories and more than 50
international championship titles. These included a
World Touring Car Championship, two European
Touring Car Championships, two German Touring Car
Championships, several other individual European
titles including, Nürburgring 24 Hours, Spa 24 Hours
and even a few Rally titles.
The second of Jack’s cars is this pristine Lachs
silver M3. It is the first version of the M3, imported to
South Africa in 1995, and Jack acquired it in 1997.
This is only one of three M3s in South Africa, as
mentioned previously it was never imported as it was
left-hand drive only. There is also a Cecotto and a
racer, which has just undergone a complete
restoration; it competed in the Touring Car race series
in the ‘90s. It was piloted by well-known motoring
and racing enthusiast Farouk Dangor, who also
competed with his 325iS in the Group N racing
championship earlier on in his racing career.
So the car we see here is ultra-rare and has just
94,600km on the clock. Legislation in South Africa
has changed (since about 2000) in such a way that
left-hand drive cars can no longer be imported, with
very few exceptions, racing cars being one of them.
The first thing we notice is that Jack has fitted the
rims from the E36 M3 (in certain circles he would be
lynched for doing this), running on Bridgestone SO2
225/35/17 rubber. The capacity of the engine has
been increased to 2493cc by changing the crankshaft
and connecting rods. Further upgrades include gas-
040-048 BMWCAR 0314 07/02/2014 15:07 Page 47
E30 M3 vs 333i vs 325iS
flowing the cylinder head, installing a 260-degree
Schrick camshaft, a Unichip ECU, a K&N air filter with
a modified air-box, and a special stainless steel sports
exhaust, plus a 228mm organic spring disc clutch –
pushing the compression ratio to 11.8:1.
Now all that is said and done, what is it like to
actually drive them? In a word: fantastic! This is by no
stretch of the imagination going to be a completely
fair contest with the substantial modifications done to
the 325iS and M3, not forgetting that they both run
on aviation fuel.
Let’s start with the 333i, which I have spent quite a
significant amount of time in. At idle it has that nice
straight-six BMW bass and once on the go it has that
familiar BMW big-block exhaust note. The most
distinguishing factor about this car is the amount of
torque that has been bestowed upon it. One gets the
sensation that it has more bottom-end grunt than
both the other competitors put together. It really is
the hooligan among the lot and is always keen to get
its tail sideways. Key in getting the most out of it is
figuring out how to regulate the throttle feed; letting
go while going through a bend will result in you
facing the wrong way. This thing will snap your neck if
you don’t give it the attention and respect it deserves.
In July 2012 I was fortunate enough to be taken
on a few hot laps around Aldo Scribante Raceway in
Port Elizabeth while shooting a 2002tii Alpina replica
for BMW Car (see October 2012 edition). The 333i
was definitely nose-heavy with the 3.2-litre lump in
the front but the owner knew the twisty track like his
own back yard, using the insurmountable amount of
torque and making good use of the limited-slip diff to
power-slide through the corners – definitely the
quickest way around the track with the 333i.
Although the 333i has a close-ratio gearbox the
gear throws are long which detract from the
experience when pushing in the redline. As stated
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throttle control is paramount and once you have
mastered this the chassis is actually quite compliant.
The Bilsteins and stiffer strings holding things together
nicely. The 333i is better suited for the open road,
with the extended torque flow even from low revs
making it a great continental cruiser.
The 325iS is definitely a more balanced and
focused car. The Nardi steering wheel, being smaller
than the standard item, gives very good feedback and
much better turn-in. This car is based on the M3’s
suspension so handling is superb and direction
changes are ultra-sharp. The short-shift gearbox is
definitely one of the highlights, making gear changes
easy and precise when pushing on, in vast contrast to
the 333i. Surprisingly, though, things only really start
to come alive at 4000rpm, which is reached with
ease. The whole experience is addictive, though,
which leads to unnecessary downshifts just to achieve
the giddy sensation once again. The standard exhaust
on the 325iS is a real charmer, belting out plenty of
delightful notes but the custom item fitted to this car
is so much better, especially when one trounces the
throttle and then lifts off immediately to be rewarded
with a truly delightful crackle.
Everything in the M3 is turned up a couple of
notches. Even when at optimum temperature the idle
is erratic, a strong indication that something
extraordinary is happening. The M3 picks up revs far
easier and quicker than in both other cars and the
redline seems much further down the line. The car
displays amazing levels of grip and is extremely wellplanted on the asphalt. Turn-in is razor-sharp and
even on a charge going through hairpins seem to
require far less braking and instead more acceleration.
But when one does need to stop, the retardation
happens so instantaneously that there is a newfound
appreciation for seatbelts. Gear changes are instant
48 BMWcar
Ultimate E30s: 333i, 325iS Evolution and M3
YEAR:
ENGINE:
CAPACITY:
MAX POWER:
MAX TORQUE:
0-62MPH:
TOP SPEED:
WEIGHT:
PRICE (NEW):
E30 333i
1986
Straight-six, SOHC, 12-valve
3210cc
145kW (194hp) @ 5500rpm
285Nm (210lb ft) @ 4300rpm
7.23 seconds
231km/h (144mph)
1256kg
R41,300 (£16,312)
E30 325iS Evolution
1991
Straight-six, SOHC, 12-valve
2683cc
155kW (208hp) @ 5920rpm
265Nm (195lb ft) @ 4040rpm
7.1 seconds
235km/h (146mph)
1340kg
R105,100 (£20,815)
and make you appreciate why this car is the most
successful Touring Car ever produced and, to my ears,
the sound from the tailpipes puts Beethoven’s Fifth
Concerto to shame.
This M3 is everything I had hoped it would be and
so much more; this experience is definitely part of my
motoring Nirvana.
All three of these cars were developed out of a
need to race and it clearly shows. Each car has
displayed its own unique characteristics and each has
its own special charm. Yes, outwardly the M3 is more
dramatic with its flared arches but the M Technik aero
kit on the 325iS still gives it an assertive sporting look
and the 333i has its own aero appendages, though
slightly more subtle. On the inside all three cars feel
and look very similar (and one is transported back to
the ‘80s), with Sports/Recaro seats, BMW Sports
three-spoke leather steering wheels, leather gearlevers with M tricolour stripes and instrument
binnacles housing speedos and rev counters the size
of flying-saucers. The cabins are airy with very thin
A-pillars that are virtually in the upright position and,
by today’s standards, these cars seem rather
E30 M3
1989
Four-cylinder, DOHC, 16-valve
2302cc
140kW (200hp) @ 6750rpm
238Nm (177lb ft) @ 4750rpm
6.7 seconds
235km/h (146mph)
1200kg
R57,599 (£22,750 in 1985)
rudimentary. The driving experience is so much more
involved, though. These are cars you need to take by
the scruff of the neck to get the most out of them. If
you want a sensible choice get a 1 Series.
So which one is the winner? As a South African I
am definitely biased but I have to say that the M3 on
the day was definitely the best driver’s car – the one
to tackle track days and sweeping back roads with.
The M3, however, feels like it is all or nothing all of
the time; maybe it’s just the way Jack set it up. The
333i is definitely the hooligan of the bunch and I’d
say is much better suited for long distances. The
325iS is the better balanced car and much better
suited for everyday use. Interestingly, editor Bob
Harper did a direct comparison between the 325iS
and the Alpina C2 2.7 and gave the 325iS the nod
(see BMW Car January 2008 edition).
However, despite my personal preferences, driving
anyone of them is an occasion in itself will always
puts a smile on your face. And as the old Louis
Armstrong song goes, “when you’re smiling the whole
world smiles with you”.
Special thanks to: Ron Silke l
114 BMWCAR 0314 07/02/2014 09:15 Page 114
BMW CONCEPTS
BMW CONCEPTS:
The cars it should have made
Z07
The Z07 was the concept that was to become the Z8, but we can’t
help thinking BMW should have gone with the original plan…
Hard-top version could have been a pure sports car and BMW missed out the head-rest fairing on the Z8 Roadster, too
O
fficially unveiled at the Tokyo Motor
Show in October 1997 the Z07 was the
concept car that was to become the Z8
Roadster. But as the Z8 was already well
under way at this point the presence of
the Z07 at the show was there simply as a styling
exercise to showcase the plans for BMW’s bold new
M5-powered sports car. It was built almost as a
modern interpretation of the 1950s BMW 507 and it
mimicked many of its styling cues along with heavy
nostalgic racing influences.
The finished, road-going Z8 that emerged from the
Z07 followed the original concept closely. The car’s
general profile, dimensions and proportions all
appeared to be the same and the front and rear end
styling was replicated almost entirely. Even the
detailed features such as the 507-esque wing vents,
chrome mirrors and twin tailpipes were copied over. It
114 BMWcar
was the same inside, too. The interior with its centre
mounted clocks was virtually identical to the concept,
except the vintage, racing car inspired wire-spoked
steering wheel was replaced with a three-spoke item.
However, one thing you may have noticed that
didn’t manage to make the cut was the roof. The Z07
was launched showing off a double-bubble hard-top
that extended all the way down the C-pillars to the
end of the bootlid. It was a bit quirky, but the car’s
shape lent itself well to it. The Z07 was also shown as
a Roadster, where it displayed a brilliant helmet rest
style fairing on the driver’s side that tapered back
down to the boot, harking back to the days of the
1950s racers once again. Both designs were well
suited, innovative and looked good, so it seemed
almost a shame that upon release the Z8 only came
fitted with a fabric soft top.
We can’t help but feel BMW missed a trick by not
releasing the hard-top version as it had a chance to
build a real, dedicated sports car there. The
convertible Z8 was good but despite the styling cues
and dynamic design of the car it didn’t quite live up to
the out-and-out sports car the Z07 hinted it was going
to be. The lack of LSD was a crucial point here, so it
would have been nice to imagine the hard-top version
could have been equipped with one as standard and
marketed directly at buyers wanting a more exciting
experience on the road.
Perhaps BMW was wary that the hard-top looked a
little too quirky, but the success of the oddball Z3 M
Coupé over the Roadster version not long after proved
that customers would have put their money where
their mouths were for the right car, regardless of nonconformist styling. Maybe BMW will do a concept car
in years to come to celebrate the Z8, and fingers
crossed there will be a hard-top version… l