01 · Overview
The sporting debut
Even before the six-cylinders, the 320i was the sporting flagship of the new 3 Series from late 1975: the proven M10 four-cylinder with Bosch K-Jetronic injection, good for 0-100 km/h in 10.5 seconds — a notable figure in its class at the time.
With the arrival of the six-cylinders in 1977, its short career in Europe came to an end; in the USA, the 320i (with a different character there) continued for years and became one of the brand’s foundational successes.
02 · History
Einordnung
- 1975 Market launch of the model line in summer; the 320i follows at the end of the year as the top model.
- 1977 The six-cylinders take over; the four-cylinder 320i is discontinued in Europe.
03 · Body variants
Body variants
Sedan (two-door)
Single headlights — the quick way to distinguish it from the later six-cylinders.
04 · Engines
M10B20 (K-Jetronic) plausibel
The engine whose block later made Formula 1 history — in the 320i in a civilian, long-lived form.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Hubraum | 2.0 litres |
| Leistung | 125 PS (92 kW) — commonly cited figure |
| Gemischaufbereitung | Bosch K-Jetronic |
Wikipedia EN, BMW 3 Series (E21) — PS figure simply documented
05 · Engineering
K-Jetronic instead of a carburettor: the first fuel-injected model
06 · Identifikation
Identifikation
The quick reference for the first viewing — ultimate clarity always comes from the individual car's documentation.
- Front
- Single headlights — despite being the top engine option in the early yearsverified
- Heck
- "320i" badge — fuel-injected four-cylinder until 1977verified
- Motorraum
- M10 with K-Jetronic fuel distributor instead of a carburettorverified
07 · Buying guide
Buying advice in brief
Early E21s have become rare: check the bodywork substance, have the K-Jetronic set up by a specialist.
08 · The competition
The competition
Alfasud ti / Golf GTI (1976)
The new compact sporting competition — different layout, same target audience.
09 · Galerie
Bilder
10 · Sources