Body style: Convertible (spider/spyder, cabrio/cabriolet, drop/open/soft top)
Segment: Roadster & Convertible
Production years: 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
BMW unveiled an open-top version for its successful 3-Series in 1986, four years after the model's second generation.
The German carmaker was not at its first open-top 3-Series, but unlike the E21 3-Series, it was fully convertible. Its predecessor was only a top-cabriolet produced by Karroserie Baur had the side windows, B-pillars, and C-pillars kept in place. With the 3-Series Cabriolet, BMW entered the world of accessible, daily-driver convertibles.
Its front fascia was similar to the rest of the range, featuring double headlights and a black grille at the front. Its wrapped-around, front plastic bumper featured a lower apron for the fog lights, offered as an option, and a small lip underneath. Its straight lines and slightly flared wheel-arches made it a timeless classic, proving the value of its minimalist design.
Inside, the car carried over the interior from a 3-series coupe. Its driver-oriented dashboard featured a tilted center stack and the angular-shaped instrument cluster. On the base trim level, the car sported a cloth interior, but BMW offered a leather upholstery. Despite its short wheelbase, its rear seats were usable but with limited legroom. The tall transmission tunnel prevented a third person in the back, and the carmaker advertised the car as a four-seat vehicle. The 3-Series Cabriolet offered a decent trunk size for a long journey or a short holiday, even with the top down.
Under the hood, BMW installed a choice of three engines ranged between a four-banger 1.8-liter and a 2.5-liter inline-six. All versions were available with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.
ENGINE SPECS - 318i 4AT RWD (113 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1796 cm3 |
Power: | 83 KW @ 5500 RPM 113 HP @ 5500 RPM 111 BHP @ 5500 RPM |
Torque: | 119 lb-ft @ 4250 RPM 161 Nm @ 4250 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 16.4 gallons (62.1 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 115 mph (185 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 13.1 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Rear Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 4-speed automatic |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Discs |
Rear: | Drums |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 195/65 HR14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 170.1 in (4321 mm) |
Width: | 64.6 in (1641 mm) |
Height: | 53.9 in (1369 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/55.9 in (1,410/1,420 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 101.2 in (2570 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.5 in (140 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 11 cuFT (311 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.34 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2734 lbs (1240 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3616 lbs (1640 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 26.1 mpg US (9 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 318i 5MT RWD (113 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L4 |
Displacement: | 1796 cm3 |
Power: | 83 KW @ 5500 RPM 113 HP @ 5500 RPM 111 BHP @ 5500 RPM |
Torque: | 119 lb-ft @ 4250 RPM 161 Nm @ 4250 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 16.4 gallons (62.1 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 116 mph (187 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 12 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Rear Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 5-speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Discs |
Rear: | Drums |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 195/65 HR14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 170.1 in (4321 mm) |
Width: | 64.6 in (1641 mm) |
Height: | 53.9 in (1369 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/55.9 in (1,410/1,420 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 101.2 in (2570 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.5 in (140 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 11 cuFT (311 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.34 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2689.6 lbs (1220 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3571.5 lbs (1620 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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City: | 22 mpg US (10.7 L/100Km) |
Highway: | 33.6 mpg US (7 L/100Km) |
Combined: | 26.7 mpg US (8.8 L/100Km) |
CO2 Emissions: | 209 g/km |
ENGINE SPECS - 320i 4AT RWD (129 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L6 |
Displacement: | 1991 cm3 |
Power: | 95 KW @ 6000 RPM 129 HP @ 6000 RPM 127 BHP @ 6000 RPM |
Torque: | 121 lb-ft @ 4300 RPM 164 Nm @ 4300 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 16.4 gallons (62.1 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 121 mph (195 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 13.3 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Rear Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 4-speed automatic |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Ventilated Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 195/65 HR14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 170.1 in (4321 mm) |
Width: | 64.6 in (1641 mm) |
Height: | 53.9 in (1369 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/55.9 in (1,410/1,420 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 101.2 in (2570 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.5 in (140 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 11 cuFT (311 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.34 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2866 lbs (1300 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3748 lbs (1700 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 22.6 mpg US (10.4 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 320i 5MT RWD (129 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L6 |
Displacement: | 1991 cm3 |
Power: | 95 KW @ 6000 RPM 129 HP @ 6000 RPM 127 BHP @ 6000 RPM |
Torque: | 121 lb-ft @ 4300 RPM 164 Nm @ 4300 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 16.4 gallons (62.1 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 121 mph (195 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 11.5 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Rear Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 5-speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Ventilated Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 195/65 HR14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
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Length: | 170.1 in (4321 mm) |
Width: | 64.6 in (1641 mm) |
Height: | 53.9 in (1369 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/55.9 in (1,410/1,420 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 101.2 in (2570 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.5 in (140 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 11 cuFT (311 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.34 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2821.9 lbs (1280 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3703.7 lbs (1680 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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City: | 17.7 mpg US (13.3 L/100Km) |
Highway: | 30.5 mpg US (7.7 L/100Km) |
Combined: | 23.1 mpg US (10.2 L/100Km) |
CO2 Emissions: | 242 g/km |
ENGINE SPECS - 325i 4AT RWD (170 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L6 |
Displacement: | 2494 cm3 |
Power: | 125 KW @ 5800 RPM 170 HP @ 5800 RPM 168 BHP @ 5800 RPM |
Torque: | 167 lb-ft @ 4000 RPM 226 Nm @ 4000 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 16.4 gallons (62.1 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 131 mph (211 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 10.1 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Rear Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 4-speed automatic |
BRAKES SPECS | |
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Front: | Ventilated Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
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Tire Size: | 195/65 VR14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
---|---|
Length: | 170.1 in (4321 mm) |
Width: | 64.6 in (1641 mm) |
Height: | 53.9 in (1369 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/55.9 in (1,410/1,420 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 101.2 in (2570 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.5 in (140 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 11 cuFT (311 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.34 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2811 lbs (1275 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3693 lbs (1675 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 25.8 mpg US (9.1 L/100Km) |
ENGINE SPECS - 325i 5MT RWD (170 HP) | |
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Cylinders: | L6 |
Displacement: | 2494 cm3 |
Power: | 125 KW @ 5800 RPM 170 HP @ 5800 RPM 168 BHP @ 5800 RPM |
Torque: | 167 lb-ft @ 4000 RPM 226 Nm @ 4000 RPM |
Fuel System: | Multipoint Injection |
Fuel: | Gasoline |
Fuel capacity: | 16.4 gallons (62.1 L) |
PERFORMANCE SPECS | |
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Top Speed: | 134.8 mph (217 km/h) |
Acceleration 0-62 Mph (0-100 kph): | 8.3 s |
TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
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Drive Type: | Rear Wheel Drive |
Gearbox: | 5-speed manual |
BRAKES SPECS | |
---|---|
Front: | Ventilated Discs |
Rear: | Discs |
TIRES SPECS | |
---|---|
Tire Size: | 195/65 VR14 |
DIMENSIONS | |
---|---|
Length: | 170.1 in (4321 mm) |
Width: | 64.6 in (1641 mm) |
Height: | 53.9 in (1369 mm) |
Front/rear Track: | 55.5/55.9 in (1,410/1,420 mm) |
Wheelbase: | 101.2 in (2570 mm) |
Ground Clearance: | 5.5 in (140 mm) |
Cargo Volume: | 11 cuFT (311 L) |
Aerodynamics (Cd): | 0.34 |
WEIGHT SPECS | |
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Unladen Weight: | 2766.8 lbs (1255 kg) |
Gross Weight Limit: | 3648.6 lbs (1655 kg) |
FUEL ECONOMY (NEDC) | |
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Combined: | 26.4 mpg US (8.9 L/100Km) |
CO2 Emissions: | 212 g/km |