Image of BMW M3

BMW M3 (E36) specs

Car type Coupe
Curb weight 1474-1515 kg (3250-3340 lbs)
Introduced 1996
Origin country Germany
Gas mileage 16.3-7.3 l/100 km (14-32 mpg US / 17-39 mpg UK)
CO2 emissions 215 g/km
Views 133.1k

Acceleration

0 - 40 kph1.9 s
0 - 60 kph2.7 s
0 - 80 kph4.0 s
0 - 100 kph5.5 s
0 - 120 kph7.5 s
0 - 140 kph9.6 s
0 - 160 kph12.3 s
0 - 180 kph15.6 s
0 - 200 kph19.6 s
0 - 220 kph26.0 s
0 - 240 kph32.8 s
0 - 260 kph44.0 s
1000 m24.5 s
Est. 0 - 60 mph5.2 s
0 - 100 mph12.5 s
Est. 1/8 mile9.7 s @ 88.9 mph
1/4 mile13.9 s
BMW M3 acceleration graph

General performance

Top speed260 kph (162 mph)
Est. 0 - 100 mph - 020.5 s @ 1755 ft
Est. max acceleration0.56 g (6 m/s²)
Downforce @ 200 kph-40 kg (-88 lbs)
100 kph - 039 m (127 ft)
200 kph - 0154 m (506 ft)

Powertrain specs

Engine type R6
Displacement 3.2 l (195 ci)
Power 321 ps (317 bhp / 236 kw)
Torque 350 Nm (258 lb-ft)
Power / liter 100 ps (99 hp)
Power / weight 214 ps (211 bhp) / t
Torque / weight 234 Nm (172 lb-ft) / t
Efficiency 29 PS per l/100 km
Transmission 6 speed manual
Layout front engine, rear wheel drive

More 0-60 and 1/4 mile times

Rolling acceleration

40 - 60 kph (3)2.2 s
40 - 60 kph (4)3.3 s
40 - 60 kph (5)4.5 s
40 - 80 kph (3)4.0 s
40 - 80 kph (4)6.3 s
40 - 80 kph (5)8.2 s
40 - 100 kph (3)6.1 s
40 - 100 kph (4)9.2 s
40 - 100 kph (5)11.9 s
40 - 120 kph (3)8.2 s
40 - 120 kph (4)12.0 s
40 - 120 kph (5)15.5 s
40 - 140 kph (3)10.3 s
40 - 140 kph (4)15.0 s
40 - 140 kph (5)18.9 s
40 - 160 kph (3)12.8 s
40 - 160 kph (4)18.2 s
40 - 160 kph (5)23.1 s
40 - 180 kph (4)21.6 s
40 - 180 kph (5)27.1 s
40 - 200 kph (4)25.7 s
40 - 200 kph (5)32.2 s
60 - 100 kph (5)8.2 s
80 - 120 kph (5)8.0 s
80 - 120 kph (6)10.7 s
Est. 100 - 200 kph14.6 s

Interior noise

Noise @ idle53 dB
Noise @ 100 kph67 dB
Noise @ 130 kph70 dB
Noise @ 160 kph74 dB
Noise @ 180 kph76 dB
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Bimmer Dan   1y ago

I’ve got a e36 sedan and a e39 540i manual my E 39 is an absolute beast both cars are stock. 540i 5.3 sec e36 m3 5.9
E36 easily out handles my 540(sport models have m5 suspension)

My m3 can hang 60-90mph with it but 0-60 and 90-155 that v8 pulls hard.
Raced a 2011 s4 across a three mile bridge in Seattle and I think the guy was upset at his Audi. We talked at a gas station he thought I had a m5 and then couldn’t believe my car is stock. He did win but he could only creep away.
My m3 makes up time in the corners

Love them both


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Corvolet3  2y ago

This car shot up in value quite a lot. I remember when they were available for 15k, now you're lucky to find a good example for under 35


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196ss  4y ago

From Car&Driver 09/1999 (US version 240bhp):
0-60 mph – 6,0 sec
0-100 mph – 16,0 sec
0-130 mph – 33,2 sec
¼ mile – 14,6 sec 95 mph
70mph-0 – 167 mph
300ft skidpad – 0,84g
Nelson Ledges Raceway – 1:21,0


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dddd  10y ago

0-270 km/h (speedo). Whats a car ! Nice sound and pretty good acceleration :

 


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Davy13682  14y ago

LIMITED to a 155 mp/h, it can do more!


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Georg  14y ago

any scans?


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M336_freak  14y ago

Nordschleife 8:20 (Autocar Magazine (1997)) MT
Nordschleife 8:35 (SportAuto) SMG I

Greez


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Pepem3evo  14y ago

Really, you are right. The stock engine went 13.1@175 on 1/4 mile.

This engine is not stock! Perhaps 12.7 on 1/4 mile... perhaps..


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Georg  14y ago

no one said it is untrue ..problem is no speedclock is accurate, specially older ones are pretty off the real speed, 100km/h speedclock is most likely 95km/h and 200km/h is most likely 190km/h or even worse, no one knows the tire combination of the video car which also could effect the different between speedclock speed and real speed..and no one knows if not modified..


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Pepem3evo  14y ago

it\'s true.


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Georg  14y ago

pointless speedclock video means nothing


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Pepem3evo  14y ago

My m3 (evo 321 hp, s50b32) 0-200 16sec, 0-100 4.8

 


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Bavarian  15y ago

The fist 'real' M3 South Africa got.


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m3 e36 evo  15y ago

verry good car i stil love it and great brakes


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anon  15y ago

Still one of the best handling sports cars of all time!


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E36 M3  16y ago

Mine has 6 gears too and did 0-62 mph in 5.4 seconds


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Anonymous  16y ago

this car is not an m3, because it has bad brakes?? what r u smokin?


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crni09  16y ago

this car is not bmw m3 beacuase the bad brakes


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Anonymous  17y ago

And mine has 6 gears!


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Georg  17y ago

corrected thanks for the info


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Anonymous  17y ago

the 321ps m3 e36 actually has 350Nm


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Georg  17y ago

M Power and...?
This is the 1996 3.2l 321hp (S52B32) version and the 286hp/321hp version are not Germany only they are sold world wide, only the USA recived the 240hp e36 fake M3 and never the true e36 M3... Both US version of the M3 with the S50USB30 and S52USB32 only had 240hp the only different is slightly increased torque from 305 to 320Nm, both engines were based on the M50 and M52 engine of the 325i and 328i and never on the real M3 engine the S50B30 and S52B32


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M Power  17y ago

Georg...
The first M3 have 2 models
US(240hp) and Germany(286hp)...
Visually this M3 have orange lights
....
Before this two versions have replaced for the 321hp version of this photo


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FastestLaps  18y ago

That will be extremely hard to find out because magazine is from late 90s. It's 10 years old now. Just like the car itself.


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Georg  18y ago

just a sidenote the US Version of the e36 M3 was only 240hp and has nothing to do with a real 321hp e36 M3.
Did car and driver test the 321hp version or the 240hp US version at Nelson Raceway?


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Georg  18y ago

0-200km/h 20.1s auto motor und sport 16/1995

Photo of BMW M3 E36