A new format for the medium class .30 Years of BMW 3 Series.

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30 years ago: A new format for the medium class.
1975

The 1970s were to be a landmark decade in the history of BMW. Beyond the company's internationalisation, a key priority was the realignment of its model range. After the BMW 5 Series had successfully replaced the cars of the New Class in 1972, the next step was to find a successor to the most popular of all model ranges, the BMW 02.

Development work on the model, code-named the E 21, had already begun in 1970. The defining influence on its design came from BMW's then head of design, Paul Bracq. The French stylist successfully blended styling cues from the 02 Series with the modern design language of the BMW 5 Series. When it came to the engines and chassis, BMW's engineers focused on optimising existing technologies.
On the safety front they entered new territory: energyabsorbing front and rear sections, deformation channels in the wheel arches and a special locking mechanism and buckling creases on the bonnet were unique for the automotive mid range. Inside the car, the driver-oriented cockpit made its debut.

In 1975 BMW presented the outcome of a fiveyear development phase: the BMW 3 Series. "A new format for the medium class" announced the slogan, underlining the exceptional position of the model in the car market of the time.

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