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STORY

The BMW 3 Series is the heart of the brand, the compact sports sedan that has been BMW's best-selling model for most of its life and the car most people picture when they think of a BMW. Launched in 1975 as the E21 to replace the beloved 02 Series, it distilled BMW's formula of a light body, a smooth engine (increasingly the classic straight-six) and rear-wheel drive into an attainable package.

Generation after generation, the 3 Series set the benchmark for the segment, prized for its balance, steering and driver engagement. It also gave birth to the M3, the performance icon that made BMW M famous. From the E30 and E36 to today's electrified and all-wheel-drive variants, the 3 Series remains the model that defines what a "driver's car" means in the mainstream market.