M3 Sedan

Make
BMW
Segment
Sedan

With decades of experience producing some of the world's finest machines, you'd be right in assuming that BMW has an incredible museum setup dedicated to all its historic models. BMW Group Classic is the name given to the collection of classic metal, with cars restored and housed all over the world in absolutely pristine shape. But now, thanks to a new series of videos on the company's YouTube channel, we've been given insight into just how meticulously maintained these vehicles are, as well as how dedicated BMW is to looking after clients' classics. In the first video of the series, it's all about the first-generation BMW M3.

In the clip, we're told how almost every car in the warehouse has a license plate and is ready to be driven on the street. The E30 M3 was powered by a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, highly tuned to deliver 200 horsepower. Unlike lesser-powered derivatives that made use of straight sixes, the M3 utilized a four-cylinder for the sake of maintaining a lightweight front end, ensuring that turn-in was crisp and handling was superb. Power was routed to the rear axle via a five-speed manual gearbox, making for endless hours of fun behind the wheel.

But before we're able to see the E30 M3 in action, a German term the presenters call "gesperrt durch musterteileverbau" interrupts the fun. No car leaves the warehouse unless it's fully intact, and while the M3 is mechanically sound, it's fallen victim to the team from BMW's own parts supply division. That's because BMW uses its own collection of classics to reproduce parts for current owners, allowing you to purchase OEM parts from a BMW dealership, manufactured to the exact specifications as the originals.

In this case, it's the rear carpet that's fallen victim and prevents us seeing the M3 driven enthusiastically. Yes, really. The carpet. We also hear how the blistered box-fenders over the rear wheels have previously fallen victim to the same, meaning that owners of E30-generation 3 Series models will be able to shortly purchase these items direct from the dealership.

While we don't get to see the M3 driven, we do fortunately get to hear the four-cylinder fired up, after which the video ends showing off old B-roll footage of the E30 in action. The takeaway from this all is that BMW disassembles its classics to ensure that fans of the brand who collect their own are taken care of when it comes to properly maintaining these period correct driving machines. And that's an initiative we can firmly get behind.