BMW (E30) M3 Sport Evolution (1990)

In 1983 Nelson Piquet won the Formula 1 championship in a Brabham powered by a BMW engine. The engine's designer Paul Rosche was told by BMW's CEO that 'we need a sporty engine for the 3 series.' This fabulous, four-cylinder motor was to become the heart of the M3. The production of the celebrated E30 road car was to homologate the M3 for Group A Touring Car racing and was campaigned successfully by BMW as well as other teams including Prodrive and Schnitzer.

Built between 1987 and 1990, the M3 was supplied in various guises for both the European and US market. Equipped with 12 different and unique panels from the standard E30. Improved aerodynamics were afforded by an additional trim piece that reduced the angle of the rear windscreen and box-flared wheel arches on the front and rear to accommodate a wider track and wider wheels and tyres. Suspension was greatly improved too, and the brakes had special callipers and a revised master cylinder.

Once a manufacturer had constructed the 5000 base cars required for Group A homologation, further uprated Evolution variants could be produced once every twelve months. For each Evolution to be approved, 500 base cars to this latest specification had to be built.

The first Evolution was permitted as soon as Group A homologation had been approved. Accordingly, BMW had produced a batch of E30 M3 Evolution 1s with revised cylinder heads upon which the Group A racing variants for the M3’s debut season in 1987 were based.

Towards the end of 1989, BMW announced what was to be the most extensively evolved variant of the E30, the Sport Evolution. With a view to compete in the Division 2 category, the most notable change came in the form of the bored out, 2.5-litre engine, with a considerable number of mechanical developments to suit the higher displacement. The chassis and bodywork were also subject to review, with an aim to deliver more focused handling. Bookended by adjustable front and rear spoilers, required for homologation, the Sport Evolution remains not only recognisable within the M3 lineage, but represents the pinnacle of the E30 platform.

Despite its principal rival, the Ford Sierra Cosworth, running an engine with a swept volume of nearly 2.8-litres when the 1.4 multiplier for turbocharged engines was considered, the M3 saw immense success in Division 2 (open to cars with a capacity less than 2.5-litres).

Completed in January 1990, an early build within a limited production window that saw just six-hundred units, this BMW M3 Sport Evolution was supplied new to Germany, where it remained throughout the majority of the nineteen-nineties.

Towards the end of the decade, the car was bought to the UK and listed via Sorenson’s of Kings Lynn. At this time, the instrument cluster was replaced with a miles per hour readout and the odometer reset. With a history of specialising in M cars and affiliations with enthusiast-led motorsport-inspired projects, Sorenson’s was perfectly equipped to handle the Sport Evolution. Having been for sale with enthusiasts, to eventually being bought by another; the car was purchased by David Flux, of Adrian Flux Insurance, in September 1998.

A pair of history folders, brimmed with a variety of documentation, chart the M3’s time in the UK, and having parted ways with Mr Flux in 2000, it has been cared for by three people since, all of which have retained vital records involving the car.

Notably, the M3’s most recent owner, has covered less than fifteen-thousand miles in the car since acquiring it in 2007. Throughout his ownership, he has ensured the filing of all involving paperwork. Among the extensive documentation, are vital maintenance records, outlining any necessary works; nearly all of which, have been carried out at Easten BMW, Edinburgh’s main retailer.

The term ‘homologation special’ is a sure-fire way to evoke emotion amongst enthusiasts, it tells us that a car has been conceived as a necessity, in order for a manufacturer to go racing, and as a result, is often motorsport inspired, driver-focused, and produced in limited numbers. The E30 M3, became one of the most successful touring-cars in history, attaining an incomparable list of achievements. With a multitude of international championships, a total of nine combined Spa and Nürburgring 24-hour victories, and even a stint in the World Rally Championship, the E30 cemented itself among the greats. The Sport Evolution represents the summit of E30 development and remains one of the highest regarded models BMW has ever produced.

• 1 of 600 Examples Completed
• Offered for sale from 18 years of ownership
• Extensive main dealer service history
• Fewer than 15,000 miles covered in the past 15 years
• Previously cared for by David Flux of Adrian Flux Insurance