Some enthusiasts fussed at the E36 M3 when it bowed in 1995, as BMW transitioned the M3 from a niche thoroughbred to a high-volume grand tourer. Other enthusiasts, like our friends at Car and ...

the E36 M3 aimed to soften BMW's highest-spec 3-series for mass market appeal. Where the boxy, rev-happy original M3 really only made sense to a hardcore track rat, the new car's smooth straight ...

In the case of E36 M3s with stock gearing (3.15 for 1995 models and 3.23 for 1996-on and M3 ... the car's cooling systems for both water and oil. Victory Product Design, known for its BMW high ...

But not if it's under the hood of an E36 M3. This car is a supporting wall in the house that BMW built. A house that stands for rear-drive dynamics, autobahn-blasting, and unarguable automotive class.

Some cars are simply made to be messed with. Customization is every gearhead's sacrosanct right, and the best carmakers build certain models with that in mind. As large manufacturers invest in ...

Old-car ownership can be a soul-crushing, wallet-draining joy, whether it's a big piece of American iron like a 1963 Pontiac StarChief or a finicky E36 BMW M3. Mr. Alex Kersten from CarThrottle ...

Most BMW fans ... spot in the M3’s history. It has a bit more aggression than the E36, a high-revving, naturally-aspirated inline-six and is still modern enough that the car’s dynamics aren ...

the E30 is obviously the first BMW M3, but it's not the car I consider to be the true spiritual forefather to the M3. In my opinion, the E36 is the starting point for what the M3 has come to signify.

His personal project car, a ’97 BMW 3 Series, looks pretty modest from 20 feet away. But up close and under the hood, you can tell this is one of the cleanest E36s on the road. The BMW E36 was ...