The BMW That Almost Spelt Disaster For M Division… E36 M3 

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“The modern cars really don’t do much for me - they’re re too much like computer games.” Amen. Well said, Jack

I appreciate that this might not be the "best" M3, but this is literally my favourite car of all time. 😊

I love my E36 M3. The E46 is a better sports car, but IMO the E36 is a better car to live with every day. It took a while to grow on you, but it immediately felt "right" to me. I've never tired of it even after 12 years of ownership.

What a handsome car this is, especially in that lovely shade of blue. Thirty years later has made no impact on its desirability, if anything it's even more desirable now!

As a testament to the strength of the S50B32 I can tell you guys one of our top Pro Drifters has been running the same engine for the past 10 years or so, did not miss any races and, cherry on top, it's also turbocharged to about 650whp. Not blowing an engine in 10 years of hard drifting is almost unheard of, even on 2Js. Amazing power plants.

To me this is my fav M3. Styling, class, sound, cabin, ticks all boxes for me. But for sure the 3.2 litre :-) Hope I will get the possibility to own one some time!

Had this evo engine in my old Z3M coupe. The S50 in that was phenomenal, and your only method of traction control was to check the weather report :)

At a track club I attended in the USA, there was this guy who brought a beaten up M3 E36, all stripped out, side pipes, no mufflers, racing suspension, slick tires… the whole thing cost him $15K and he outlapped Ferraris, Corvettes and even GTRs… The E36 has earned my respect. Great underestimated car.

As usual with most of your videos, this one is great too and I enjoyed a lot! However @4:15 when you started listing the upgrades of the evo, you missed THE most major one, especially with all the details you mentioned about the engine, is that it went up from 3.0l to 3.2l. Of course you had it in mind, but maybe simply forgot to mention, although you implied it afterwards when talking about the engine codes. Keep up the good work👍

BMW should have made an E36 M Touring, I've seen a few replicas and they look incredible.

Great Video Jack 🙌 That one seemed to grown on you the more you drove it 🏎️💨💨

Nice car.When I was in the alloy wheel trade people wanted the M3 wheel to upgrade lesser models.Should have bought one when they were much cheaper!

Enjoyable video, particularly liked some of the drive-by views / sounds of the M3. 👍

Glad you enjoyed it Jack, interesting to hear you saying a lot of the things I commented on your Instagram preview post, obviously after you had recorded the video but before anyone had seen it 😂 The narrowness and nimbleness along with the traditional cable throttle and lack of driver aids / modes are the main reasons I have always preferred the e36 over the 46, even when they were in cheap unloved old banger territory. Of course, I’d love an e46 too, but if I had to choose one or the other it would be an e36. I know most people will think I’m crazy for saying it, I’m sure I mentioned it when we met, the e36 is a good fit for me, the things I like and the roads I drive on.

Love that blue colour. Thanks for showcasing this car. Nice video. Keep up the good work.

Looks beautiful old school BMW quality, before I heard the quality control went downhill,headlights/front end looks very sweet. 😮,Crystal 🔮 clear picture quality and sound Jack 👌 🇬🇧 ENGLAND 🇬🇧 ENGLAND

Owned the 3.2l E36 M3, loved it, sold it, now miss it. Upgrades were fun to do on this vehicle. Fond memories.

Great stuff, about time you had a go in the e36 M3. They look soo good and they are looking better and better compared with all the new stuff. The saloon chassis is actually even stiffer! If you think that feels nimble you should try a 318is, not much power but handles amazing. 👍

As a music nerd, this is like listening to a 1st vinyl pressing of a classic jazz album like "Kind of Blue.." I can hear an MP3 of "Kind of Blue," but the old vinyl seems warmer and inviting with its imperfections. But "Kind of Blue" is the height of talent and sophistication. Compared to a current car, this e36 is analog and you are experiencing it as intended. It is still a highpoint of engineering. A template that other cars strive to match. That is glorious.

6:10 The steering feel will be affected by the Pilot Sport 5 tyres fitted which have a very soft sidewall for a performance tyre. A more rigid and dynamic tyre like a Goodyear Eagle F1 Super Sport or Yokohama Advan V105 would likely increase the steering feedback considerably. Tyres make a huge difference to steering feel. Even the BMW M star-marked Pilot Sport 4S on modern M cars are considerably stiffer and sharper than a normal Pilot Sport 4S tyre, and therefore they are better in dry and worse in wet than a normal 4S -- Jonathon Benson from Tyre Reviews has a great video on this. 🙂 Sadly while rigid sidewalls are still de rigour in the track day tyre class (thankfully, think Advan AD09 and so on), they are becoming increasingly difficult to find in the road tyre class... especially in the 17" sizes that this M3 wears! The mentioned Eagle F1 SS is not actually offered in 17", only the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 that has a much softer sidewall. 🤨 Granted it rains a lot in the UK, so maybe motorists prefer having wet performance instead, but these softer tyres aren't the best for drier, Mediterranean climates due to the loss of steering feel and precision IMO.

Liked the video before I even watched it! Jack makes the best derned videos about cars and stuff.

I had an 03 M3 e46 convertible, and I loved it - I also had a 95C2 and a 96C4S at the same time...the beemer was the last to go. I am going to buy another one. Very special look/performance and feel.

I have always preferred the E36 shape to E46. Many (many) years ago I almost sold my E39 535i & 944S2 cab to buy an E36 M3 cab (yes I like soft tops) but didn't pull the trigger. Do I regret it? No - still have the 944 after all these years & loving it (although my daughter is now insured on it !!!)...

I used to work with a guy that was given an identical M3 as a company car, he went on to park it on its roof in a field after enjoying a few too many beers...... Funny he also lost his job as a result. So I'm sure if Warren is watching number 27 I'm sure this review will bring back some interesting memories 😂... Cracking stuff as always Jack 👍

Back in the day I took the five-speed E36 M3 for a test drive. It just wasn't enough of an upgrade over the E36 328i I already had. It did not feel a lot faster and the engine sounded a bit unrefined at the top end. Now I know I should have held out for the six-speed. Great video!

In the United States we got a 240bhp version, so imagine our disappointment when these came out. Still a fantastic car, but we knew what the rest of the world got and wanted the extra, needed power.

In the 90s, when I was gradually moving up the car ranks, I wanted one of these more than life itself 😂. I loved them and I think they're still special today. I remember these going for a few grand!! Closest I've had was the S54 engined Z4MC and E39 M5, both of which I loved.

Estoril blue? Dreamed of one of these when they came out but funds only allowed me into a 318i. Later, I had 9 great years in E46 M3 and now 12 years in E92 M3. 260k miles across the two. All are brill cars.

I prefer these quirky and special classic reviews to your car rescues, and also like the drive by shots and overviews shots superimposed over your driving talk. Very nice. Perhaps also get a change of scenery and drive cars on a more track environment or wider flat asphalt road. Beautiful colour this, great car. Also loved your vids on the DeTomasos (and please keep pronouncing the names the right way)

Great video of a car I know very well from back in its day. I cannot believe the price of them, you almost couldn’t give them away at one point! Decent drive all the same, but I’d be missing out the E46 and going V8, but probably not the M3 but the RS4 saloon for that money.

Channeling your inner Magnum PI with that departure shot at 2:49

One of the best BMW's ever made,built at a time when they were phasing in the E46.The E36's have a slightly narrower chassis and feel more nimble so more suited to those B roads.The electric window regulators are better quality than the ones later used in the E46.

Jack, you are doing it right if each of your videos makes you says, "oooh! I'll 'ave a slice of that!"

Thanks Jack, I expected an in period yobbo fishtailing pull away off the grass, but perhaps that's not the 'Accountants' way?! Glad you liked it, a good looking performance car of it's day! 🙏🙏

Gawd I loved my E36 M3. It was so much better than the E46. Not as race-bred as the earlier ///M cars, but holy heck was it fun to drive. Dude - you should get that car - it's a smile-machine. If I could get a car like that for $25K here in the US, I'd have one. The E46 M3 became the gentleman-brother to the E36 (and it was definitely heavier)

I had the 4 door evo saloon in estoril blue over 20 years ago absolutely loved it

Whitney huston singing i will always love you and me with tears in my eyes 😢 the BMW E36 M3 EVOLUTION is the best car ive ever owned loved it so much ive just had great memories of hooning it around country lanes thanks for the nostalgia jack 🤗 a great review of an absolute legend of a car 💓

My brother drove a E36 M3 they prepared in the targa NZ , stripped weight, rear seats etc out, upgraded brakes, exhaust, nothing drastic, but it was a pretty impressive car to drive at the time, we took it out on the motorway at night and it just went straight up to 180kph , no hesitation.....

Still love mine (US Version) after 9 years of ownership, and it just gets better every time I tweak it. Z3 racks bolt into these cars like legos and really wake the steering up.

I bought my 99 E36 M3 back when they were less desirable. My goal was always to move up to the E46 M3, but after owning it for a while and falling in love with it, I test drove an E46 and wasn’t impressed. Add to that the problems with the E46, I kept my E36 and will continue to enjoy it.

Love the car and the vid Jack but hate the title (sorry!). If you read the old car mag articles, the original E36 M3 came out pretty well. That inspired me to buy my M3 cabriolet in ‘95 and I loved the performance and handling - and still do. The steering is precise and the chassis is firm for a cabrio, encouraging you to set it up for a touch of drift in the bends, and the engine is supple yet pulls like a turbine, still accelerating past 150mph (though that’s way too fast for me now). And it’s been infallibly reliable. It’s the only car I’ve ever wanted to keep for 28 years! Would you do us old E36 lovers a favour and test one for comparison?

My favourite M3. Owned 3 of them over the years. Wish I never sold my last one. Techno violet Evo vert. Loved it 😥😥😥

British expat living in the US. We get a fake e36 M3 that's basically a 328i. I'd love a Dakar yellow M3 Evo. Modern BMW's are just crap

Great review. Best M3:s are: 1) Manual converted CSL, 2) E36 3.2 manual, 3) E30 EVO II, 4) E46 manual. More difficult to find a really nice E36 3.2 than basically all the others... I think prices will take off.

@number27 As far as I concern the “Evo” in Lhd form has the same steering rack as an 316..only the 3.0 has different steering rack..

I love the dashboard in this iteration of the 3 series - clear, logical, good quality. Pity that BMW went full ‘bling’ in recent years - they were beautifully engineered machines once upon a time.

What a great car 👍 I love the estoril blue colour so much so my bmw is the same colour and tbf I still would rather have an Evo over an E46 M3 I just love the square edge look more and as you said more refined than an E30, tbh although that car is 26 year old it could give a lot of new cars a run for there money .....but what a noise Jack!

I had an American E36 M3 in this cosmetic spec. It was my daily for the best part of a decade, and despite its motor being down on power to the Euro version it was the best driving car I have ever owned.

excellent stuff

At last the E36, they are such handsome cars. Nice to drive too.

Nice! Loved it!

The evo in techno violet is 🔥🔥🔥

...there are other videos that claims that this was indeed the model that SAVED the M-division, certainly in the US. That's since the US-version sold very, very well after they've been peruaided to make a version for the US. The E30 never sold well over there.

As a personal preference. I always love E30’s, but E36 S50B30/ and B32 Euro versions are my all time favourite BMW. I’m not talking so much about performance comparisons, but if I had to choose, I’m taking the E36 M3 Evo. Why? It just captured exactly what I love in a car design. Remember, your favourite car doesn’t always = the best car, but it’s something unique and subjective for you 😌

Hello Number 27! Another fabulous review and I couldn't agree with you more: that engine is epic! But, in my opinion, it's the "image" - amongst other things - that let's it down. At half the price it would be tempting. But at 25k Sterling a good 928 would be much more... special? Your recent purchase of a Conti GT - pricewise at least - puts into perspective what 25k, or less, can buy. Having said that, the E36 M3 is fantastic value compared to an E30 M3: Likewise the Integrale Evo. (Truth being the 16V being a better road car.) Your 167hp 306 also makes it clear to me that you know what you're talking about. And to your "Influenzo." Probably the most beautiful and pure of Leonardo's designs. To complement this fact the "fun factor" - I'd say joy - of a Sunday morning blast at the wheel... Few cars at any price could be more alluring. Please don't sell her.. or restore her. Patina is the spice of life!

so the screaming S50B30 with 286 hp was "more boring" than that 4 cylinder pot in the E30 ? nah, i won't believe that

I had an E36 325i in about 2000 and loved it but, at the time, the E30 and E46 were lauded as both being miles better. Fast forward to the E90 era and the E36 was the platform everyone got misty eyed over with the E46 not so much. Time plays funny tricks with people's perceptions.

This car sends me back. In the late 90’s a pal had an E36 M sedan. I just had an A4 turbo quattro. 😂

2:06 brake caliper spring clip missing, quite an important part if you ask me ;)

As a child in the 90s I always hoped my dad would come home in an M3 E36 convertible, blue with the white leather. Sadly it was a 320i saloon! Still a lovely sweet 6 and nice velour seats. So I still liked it. That then for replaced by a 328i touring. That was a lovely car. Quick. Didn't really need any more power than that. Both sounded similar to the M3 in the video. But not quite as high revving. I wish modern 4 cylinder turbos sounded like that.

Great review Jack: How about doing the 2007 Audi S6 V10 ????? awesome cars

Another good one. I'd still like you to give some thought to finding that one perfect car, if you had to live with just one...okay had to live with just that one car for one year (more realistic)...what would it be?

Lovely car had the first E36 with 286BHP and then had the Evo 321BHP convertible! both great but agree with all your comments, this was mid 90s

E36 M3 is to BMW as the R33 Skyline GTR is to Nissan. Still a great car, but for whatever reason, was not as warmly received. I love both of them; choice spec for me is the M3 Evo in Estoril Blue with the grey leather as you have there!

This man knows his cars well, I have both the E46 M3 ( charged) and a e36 EVO ( with a E46 rack) and I also prefer the e36 evo drive in country lanes, the E46 is better but marginal when in tight country lanes , the EVO just feels so much smaller and nimbler , it also grew on me

I had a rare 4 door version in Estoril blue, absolutely loved it. Sold it for no money back when no one wanted them ! Rumour had it that de restricted with the top speed limiter removed , they would do 175mph ! Maybe that's why 6th gear feels like an overdrive ?

What's a 306? Great video as always.

Evo M3 E36 is approx. 80-100kg lighter than M3 E46...Your thoughts on how the car feels are spot on! Having driven an E46 M3, i couldn't find the hype almost every car magazine was writing...It felt heavy and not nimble at all, at least to my preferences on twisty roads. It sure could definitely keep power oversteer as long as you had skills and wide road but nimble and accurate it was not...

I had an e30, late model. Just a 320i 2 door with the sport package and suspension. It was a really good car. Built brilliant with good parts. My mate got an e36.. what a drop in quality and build . Noticeably different . BMW weren’t alone at this though

Another great video Jack! Have you thought about doing a Z4 coupe - Would be interested as to your thoughts on these great BMW's!

I had an evo e36 M3, loved it!

My brother owned a BMW M3 convertible, nothing but problems with the top mechanism, he finally got rid of it and bought a Subaru

Not sure how a car could suffer at launch by not being as good as the car which was to follow? Also personally think the 3.0 is a better buy than the Evo. They all make their stated power - very few Evos do - and that Evo gearbox is not serviceable like the 3.0 version. Interestingly, i’ve read more than once that the E36 M3 was initially developed as the 330i - and got the M badge designation later in development. Goes some way to explaining why it wasn’t as raw as the E30.

My Dad had one of this generation back in 1996, band new then. I think it' sone of the best M3's ever. Wouldn't mind having one myself. It did 0-60 in less than 6 seconds with just 240 horsepower, U.S. specs. It almost killed BMW?

BMW M should have invested in different front fenders and rear wheel arches. The E36 M3 didn’t have any visual appeal apart from the side mirrors, bumpers and skirts.

I drove one. Lovely, but I hardly got to have much fun in it. I had it for a week or so over Christmas when the roads were covered in snow AND the company I got it from said that because of the weather conditions, I was only insured third party. I drove it like a granny. It was a nice place to be though!

I got my E90 330i M-Sport, because it was effectively the last 'analog' BMW. Its 6 cylinders 6 speeds are truly the ultimate analog ...

Love the E36, more than the E46 by far. The E39 was the best M car, but I love the E36 it has to be in my top 5. People forget just what a massive leap this was from the E30.

I owned an E36 M3 and E46 M3. Also drove an E30 M3 multiple times. The E36 M3 3.0 is my favorite for sure. I really don’t get the hype for the E46 M3. It was in mint condition and I sold it for €13.000 around 6 years ago. Still regret it almost every day.

I never drove one of these, but I had a 320i and even that was fun. Underpowered, but fun. These must be fantastic 😀 I’d still prefer an E46 though!

Thr E36 M3 is the most reliable from the lot, doesn't have bearing issues & most important of all, it comes with a spare wheel.

The E36 M3 model would be my go to BMW if money was no object, had an 318is saloon, was awesome, then went E46 (320ci and 325ci).

I had P reg same colour and spec as this one. Absolutely the best fun you can have on the road. It sounded lovely until the vanos went which is a common issue on the Evo. I think those wheels are off the convertible Evo. I did the same wheel swap on mine as the original wheels weren't as nice. I sold mine at just over 100k and was gutted to see it go.

The E46 had electronic throttle lag. Few people mention it, but it put me right off buying one. I’ve not driven an E36 M3, but I’ve owned an E36 325i and 328I Sport, and they both had instant throttle response via a cable throttle. For me that makes them better cars. The E46 handled better and had a better engine, but the throttle lag put me right off and it’s the E36 I lust after.

I don't think we got the EVO here in the USA, but the typically watered down version we have is very nice, I have no complaints other than it could shed 400 lbs or more and be really something severe but as it is this is a sports car you can daily drive and smile all the way.

And, because RHD, made in Uitenhage, outside of Port Elizabeth in South Africa. Loads of them in Cape Town when I was in High School...

Jack why do all your ‘headlines’ have to be so negative - failed this/bankrupt that. Can’t we just celebrate great classic cars.

I feel the lack of specialness of the E36 m3 is in a slightly perverse way a gift to owners of all the non M3 E36s. They are all cut from the same cloth, they are all brilliant and they all retain their self respect. E30 and 46 owners always seem to have a bit more of a chip on their shoulder if their car is not a heavenly blessed M3.

Like and comment. Another excellent video. Thank you.

The convertible is mint on this series

Nr27 keep going❤

This is a grown up M3,I love it, except the mirror

E30 M3's have always been £££ and rightly so, I would take an E36 M3 Evo over any of the latter M3's any day. Pure, Classic, Clean un-bloated looks is a win for me.

The good thing about the e36 was, you could get a normal coupe and get the body kit and lights to make it look just like an M3. Only a geeky connoisseur would be able to spot the difference. Nowadays even manufacturers do this with their “…Line” trim level. The only problem with the 318 IS Coupe was its very underpowered with its poverty spec 4 cylinder engine, 138 bhp and 132 lb ft of torque in a car that almost weighs 1400Kg. So the performance couldn’t pull off its looks. Also my IS Coupe had this bizarre fault… these cars didn’t have a fixed service interval but the car calculated its service interval based on how you drove it, there was a service bar that would count down in the dashboard. For some reason mine reckoned that it needed servicing every one or two months.

great car!

It did elevate the M brand to another level. It's a legend it's a monster still on track near stock giving gt3's a run for it's money after all these years. I am insulted with the title tbh. And I'm not to keen on the particular example.(the car) it does 0-60mph sub 5 seconds and 100-200 kmh 12s. On stock engine. The ones that I've seen and the particular one I got. (All LHD)

Did you hit that nasty pothole on the twisty s bend Jack? Hope no serious damage was done. Sounded like a nasty clunk.

2:29 in and I’m inclined to say No no no! I love this car! It’d better get positive sooner than later. I’m sure it will. The e36 was badly received at first for the front suspension layout, I remember that much. Not the M, the regular models. But when that was settled, I liked it. Not as spicy as the e30, yet not as bloated as later series. Just nicely in the middle, balanced. It got my vote, just for that. And I liked the looks. Enough to promise good things, not so much as to overstate things. Not the US e36 M3 though. That one was crippled from birth.

I had a 95 M3, best car I ever owned