BMW 3-Series 50 Years

By Tony Lewin

Trace the 50-year success story of BMW's 3-series in this luxuriously produced and stunningly illustrated volume.

From its launch in 1975 with the 316, the 3-series has moved from strength to strength, defining what it means to be a performance sedan/coupe/wagon. Beloved by enthusiasts worldwide, it is the series benchmarked by all other manufacturers. Whether daily driven, tracked, or raced, BMW's 3-series delivers the goods.

BMW 3-Series 50 Years charts the 3-series' design and technical evolution from the 1970s to today, from the clean, classic two-box design of the E21 and E30 to the handsome E46 to today's sophisticated G20. The book features:

A detailed history of the BMW 3-series by automotive historian and industry analyst Tony Lewin First-person interviews with key designers and engineersPhotography from BMW's archive as well as commissioned, contemporary photographySidebars diving into interesting stories covering design, related models like the Z cars, and the collector perspective
The 3-series is a performance and competition story, as well, with no car more storied, or critical to BMW's reputation, than its vaunted M3. Racing and M3s play out across the book's chapters, providing a performance perspective across the 3-series' 50 years.

With decades of showroom, performance, and competition success, BMW's 3-series, in all its permutations, shows no signs of slowing down. BMW 3-Series 50 Years details the full story in a lively volume deserving space in every enthusiast's collection.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 076039315X
• ISBN13: 9780760393154
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Motorbooks International
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 2.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 10.0" x 12.3"