There are BMW models born out of passion, and those born out of tax law. The 320is is one of the rare cases where both coincided: in Italy and Portugal, cars over two litres of displacement were taxed drastically higher — so BMW simply reduced the displacement of the M3 engine.
An S14 with 1,990 cm³
The S14B20 is a genuine S14 with shortened stroke: 1,990 cm³, 192 PS at 6,900/min. It also came with the Getrag 265 sport gearbox with racing shift pattern (first gear bottom left) and a limited-slip differential with 25 percent lock value — both from the M3. All 320is were left-hand drive and ran without a catalytic converter.
What’s inside from the M3 — and what isn’t
- From the M3: engine base S14, Getrag 265, 25 percent limited-slip diff, instrument cluster with oil temperature gauge instead of fuel consumption gauge.
- Not from the M3: the body (standard E30 sheet metal instead of wheel arch extensions), brake system and track width — and therefore also the five-bolt hubs: the 320is runs like any regular E30 with four wheel bolts.
The four-door came in September 1987, at the same time as the model line facelift — a 320is with chrome bumpers never existed. The two-door followed in March 1988 and always came with the M-Technic package from the factory; on the four-door, the spoiler kit was optional equipment.
The numbers, sorted honestly
Sources disagree on production numbers and build period — we won’t smooth that over: the English Wikipedia counts 3,748 units (2,542 two-door and 1,206 four-door) and states 1987 to 1991, the German one around 3,600, BMW Group Classic dates it 1988 to 1990. For torque, 210 stands against 212 Nm. What’s certain: the 320is is many times rarer than the M3 — and the complete data situation, including all contradictions, is on our 320is model page.
Sources: Wikipedia (DE/EN): BMW E30 / BMW 320is; BMW Group Classic (320is Italy model). Photo: Sbscottw (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons — S14 in a 1988 M3; no freely licensed photo exists of the 320is.
Bildnachweise
- Lizenziert · Sbscottw · CC BY-SA 4.0