Evolution of the BMW 3 Series Is a Wonderful Short on Our Beloved 3er

However, there isn't always time for such trips into the past, which is why we've brought you an animated short that manages to compress the tale of the 3 in under 90 seconds.

Those of you who drove a BMW built until the mid-2000s and compared it to the vehicles the Bavarians delivered afterwards have probably noticed the dilution in terms of driving character.

For over a decade now, BMW has been in a process of reinventing itself. Since contemporary market demands spread far beyond stuff like "the ultimate driving machine," the German automaker has been experimenting with tons of comfort and luxury features.

Sure, such assets were already on the menu, but they had always been overshadowed by the go-fast attributes of Bimmers. Fortunately, the company has now started to settle down, which has allowed it to once again dedicate enough energy to the sporty bits.

We're not talking about M cars here, even though there would also be some M examples that fit (F10 M5 included). Instead, we're talking about the models that make up the bulk of the sales and help the automaker survive.

Nevertheless, in all this lost-and-found identity madness, there's one model that has remained closer to BMW's core sporty driving values than any other. And yes, that's the 3 Series. Get into an oil-burning 320d nowadays and, despite the focus on efficiency, you can still feel the spirit of the marque.  To put things another way, spending time behind the wheel of a 320d might just give you the go-fast sensations you're looking for. As for where that spirit comes from, hit the "play" button below for a brief tale.