The BMW New Six (also known as the BMW E3) is a line of
mid-size luxury sedans and
grand tourer
A grand tourer (GT) is a type of car that is designed for high speed and long-distance driving, due to a combination of performance and luxury attributes. The most common format is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-door coupé with either ...
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
s produced by the German automaker
BMW from 1968 to 1977. All models used the then-new
M30 straight-6
The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine bal ...
engine. It marked BMW's return to the full-size luxury sedan market after a hiatus of 5 years and was introduced as a response to growing market segment dominated by
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
. It was important in establishing BMW's reputation as a maker of sporting, luxury sedans.
The BMW New Six coupés (better known as the
BMW E9
The BMW E9 is a range of coupés produced from 1968 to 1975. Initially released as the 2800 CS model, the E9 was based on the BMW 2000 C / 2000 CS four-cylinder coupés, which were enlarged to fit the BMW M30 six-cylinder engine. The E9 b ...
) are built on a shortened version of the E3 platform. The E9 coupés share engines, transmissions, suspension and many other features with the E3 sedans.
A total of 221,991 sedans and coupés were built.
Development
![BMW 2800 at Schaffen-Diest 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/BMW_2800_at_Schaffen-Diest_2013.JPG)
After a long hiatus, BMW decided to develop a six-cylinder car in the early 1960s. Work on what was to become the E3 commenced in 1965. The engine was based on the
existing fours, sharing their overall layout while not merely an addition of two cylinders.
The design team was led by
Wilhelm Hofmeister
Wilhelm Friedrich Benedikt Hofmeister (18 May 1824 – 12 January 1877) was a German biologist and botanist. He "stands as one of the true giants in the history of biology and belongs in the same pantheon as Darwin and Mendel." He was lar ...
, with some detail work executed by Italy's
Bertone Bertone is an Italian surname meaning "descendant of Roberto". Notable people with the surname include:
* Alicia Bertone, American academic, researcher, and veterinary surgeon
* Catherine Bertone (born 1972), Turkish-born female Italian marathon r ...
and
Michelotti studios.
Becker
Becker () is one of the German-language surnames, along with Bäcker and Baecker, that derive from the root, which refers to baking. The surname began as a name for a baker (and thus his family). In northern Germany it can also derive from the ...
, p. 73 A goal was to allow for more passenger space and comfort than the earlier
"Neue Klasse" saloons had been able to offer.
Becker
Becker () is one of the German-language surnames, along with Bäcker and Baecker, that derive from the root, which refers to baking. The surname began as a name for a baker (and thus his family). In northern Germany it can also derive from the ...
, p. 69 The new sedan was noticeably a "driver's car", focusing on the front-seat occupants, and the smaller coupé was only barely a full four-seater.
Becker
Becker () is one of the German-language surnames, along with Bäcker and Baecker, that derive from the root, which refers to baking. The surname began as a name for a baker (and thus his family). In northern Germany it can also derive from the ...
, p. 72Becker
Becker () is one of the German-language surnames, along with Bäcker and Baecker, that derive from the root, which refers to baking. The surname began as a name for a baker (and thus his family). In northern Germany it can also derive from the ...
, p. 77
A new feature was the twin headlights, set into the grille, a design which was to define BMW styling for decades. Early mockups of the E3 featured broad rectangular single headlamps with rounded corners, but these never went into production - perhaps as a result of the lukewarm reception of the similarly designed
2000 CS.
The new car also required a new welding plant at BMW's Munich site. In spite of the car's all-new construction it only cost 70 million D-mark to develop. This was less than half of what one might have expected at the time.
Becker
Becker () is one of the German-language surnames, along with Bäcker and Baecker, that derive from the root, which refers to baking. The surname began as a name for a baker (and thus his family). In northern Germany it can also derive from the ...
, p. 74
Nomenclature
Models were given names denoting their engine sizes, and suffixes to indicate the long-wheelbase (''L'') and
fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All comp ...
(''i'') available on later cars. The coupés were all named CS, followed by ''i'' (for fuel injection models) or ''L'' (for light-weight models, which also had fuel injection and higher power).
* 2500/2.5, 2.5CS (2494 cc, )
* 2800/2.8, 2800CS (2788 cc, )
* 3.0S, 3.0L, 3.0CS (2985 cc, using twin Zenith 35/40 INAT carburetors)
* 3.0Si, 3.0Li, 3.0CSi (2985 cc, 200 or , depending whether Bosch D-Jetronic or L-Jetronic was installed)
* 3.3L, 3.3Li (3295 cc, )
* 3.3Li (3210 cc, 1976-1977)
Models
The two initial models, introduced in 1968 and sold through 1977, were the 2.5 L 2500 and 2.8 L 2800. The airy design was roomier than BMW's existing range and appeared rather large, in spite of being no more than longer than
Mercedes' midrange sedans, which were generally considered to compete in a lower class than the new E3.
Becker
Becker () is one of the German-language surnames, along with Bäcker and Baecker, that derive from the root, which refers to baking. The surname began as a name for a baker (and thus his family). In northern Germany it can also derive from the ...
, p. 72 They were large
six-cylinder
The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balan ...
cars that handled well and impressed contemporary reviewers. ''
Road & Track
''Road & Track'' (stylized as ''R&T'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. It is owned by Hearst Magazines and is published 6 times per year. The editorial offices are located in New York, New York.
History
''Road & Track'' (often ab ...
'' called the later Bavaria "delightful" and "superb", concluding that it was "one of the world's best buys". Aside from the larger engine, the 2800 also had bigger tyres and a somewhat sportier suspension, as well as various creature comforts such as a heated rear window, a full tool set, Boge Nivomat self-levelling rear suspension, and a smattering more external chrome.
Becker
Becker () is one of the German-language surnames, along with Bäcker and Baecker, that derive from the root, which refers to baking. The surname began as a name for a baker (and thus his family). In northern Germany it can also derive from the ...
, p. 76
The big-bore, dual-carbureted 3.0 S was introduced in 1971, being a more powerful and expensive model than the 2800; a fuel-injected version was also made. Also produced were long-wheelbase L models (3.0L, 3.3Li, etc.), whose sharp handling was a stark contrast to the large
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
models of the time. Langley Motors in
Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton is a suburban village on the River Thames, in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey, England. Apart from a large inhabited island in the river, it lies on the southern bank, centred 12.2 miles (19.6 km) southwest of Charing Cross ...
UK also produced an estate (tourer) version. With a fully independent suspension along with four wheel disc brakes, the E3 was well ahead of its time in the early 1970s. Surprisingly, considering their respective marketing profiles, the 3.0 Si sedan was faster than the 3.0 coupé; which was a heavier car by 50 kg, with the same drivetrain.
![BMW 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/BMW_3.0_Si.jpg)
The body was surprisingly light for its size, weighing less than the smaller E9 coupé. Vision is also good, with narrow pillars and no less than of overall glass area.
At the end of 1973 the new, larger 3.3 L was presented, going on sale in January 1974. It had the longer wheelbase and a bigger engine, although the power was no more than that of the 3.0 Si. Instead, more torque meant to provide a more luxurious rather than BMW's usual sporting feel. This engine was updated to fuel injection in June 1975, with a few more horsepower. Subsequent to the introduction of a 3.2 liter version of this engine in the 1976
BMW 633CSi, this slightly smaller model found its way into the 3.3 Li as well. The E3 Sedan was in production from 1968–1978, with a total of circa 190,000 cars produced. Of these, 71,804 were of the US-only "Bavaria" model.
North America
![BMW 2500 1969](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/BMW_2500_1969.jpg)
In the US market, the 2500 and 2800 were introduced in 1969. The 2500 was shy of many of the luxury features included in the 2800, and with the smaller engine, it sold for about $5600 in 1970-equal to $ today.
[From window sticker, US s/n 2150190] The 2800 offered full leather interior, power windows, and power sunroof, which its price of $6,874 reflected. For the 1971 model year
Max Hoffman
Maximilian Edwin Hoffman (12 November 1904 in Vienna, Austria – 9 August 1981), was an Austrian-born, New York-based importer of luxury European automobiles into the United States during the 1950s.
Known equally for his acumen and influe ...
, the BMW importer for the USA, convinced BMW AG to build the 2500 configuration car but use the 2800 engine — offering more power without the weight and expense of the 2800's luxury features. This new E3 configuration was called the "Bavaria" and was unique to the US market. Priced at about
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
6,000, the Bavaria came to replace both older models. It is generally considered the forebear of the modern BMW high-performance sedan as it combined brisk acceleration, reasonable fuel economy, plenty of room for four people and a large trunk. The majority of them were sold with a four-speed
manual transmission
A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission (mechanics), transmission ...
, reflecting the sporting nature of the sedan.
For the 1972 model year, the 2500 was dropped while the
M30 engine size in the Bavaria was increased to 3.0 liters. The former 2800 was now called the 3.0 S reflecting the 3.0 liter engine. These two models, the 3.0 S and the Bavaria, made up the North American E3 sedan line-up for 1972 through 1974. For the 1974 model year the E3 received the ungainly, federally mandated bumpers front and rear, significantly altering its profile.
In 1975 BMW introduced fuel injection to the US market M30 motor, replacing the twin two-barrel Zenith carburetors used since its inception. The Bavaria was dropped from the line-up, nominally replaced by the fuel-injected M30 powered
E12 530i, and the fuel-injected 3.0 Si became the highest end of the BMW model range. The fully optioned 3.0 Si was sold during the 1975 and 1976 model years.
Bavaria Production:
Coupés (E9)
![BMWE9CSc](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/BMWE9CSc.jpg)
The CS
coupé
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
models were based on the standard 2800 sedans, and looked very similar from the front. But they were also related to the earlier
2000CS, as is evident at the rear. The first model was the well-equipped 2800CS of 1968. The 3.0CS models introduced in 1971. In 1974 the smaller engined 2.5CS was made in small numbers, in response to the
fuel crisis. The CSL models were lightweight racing versions.
References
External links
The Senior Six Registry - Dedicated to the E3
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bmw New Six
New Six
E3
Coupés
Sedans
Cars introduced in 1968
1970s cars