1988 BMW 3 Series Touring (E30) Photos, engines & full specs

There were not too many compact executive station wagons on the European market in the ‘80s, and one BMW engineer developed one with a friend, which eventually led to the introduction of the first 3 Series Touring in 1987.

Sometimes, a few enthusiastic engineers who worked for big car companies managed to do something their employers didn’t even dare to think of. For instance, the Mustang Fastback appeared out of passion, and the same went for the first generation of the Audi 100, the Wankel engine, and so on. In this case, the genius behind the idea of a 3 Series station wagon started from Max Reisböck, who worked for BMW. He modified an E30 sedan and then showed it to management. The effect was exactly what Max hoped for: his model went into production, so he could finally buy one fresh from the assembly lines, not built in a garage as he did together with a friend in the mid-80s. Furthermore, the German automaker rushed the project and introduced the station wagon as a distinct new version of the E30 in 1988, along with the facelift for the 3 Series.

The updated version of the 3 Series came with visible updates for the car. At the front, the automaker installed new projector headlamps, which greatly improved the nighttime driving experience. The grille between the twin-headlight design was similar to the one offered on the 1983 3 Series. Below, it was a different story since BMW understood the concept of the wrapped-around plastic bumpers that provided better protection and improved aerodynamics. In addition, they also looked better. The automaker also offered the option for integrated fog lamps next to a set of squared air intakes that cooled the front brakes.

While it was the first 3 Series station wagon, it wasn’t the first such vehicle in the automaker’s lineup. The car’s shape began as a personal project of one BMW employee named Max Reisböck, who designed and assembled the prototype in a friend’s garage in 1986. The project was so good that the automaker could put it into production in less than two years. Up to the B-post, the car was identical to its sedan sibling. Behind that spot, things went in a different way. The roof was extended behind the rear seats and over the trunk space, ending in a raked-forward tailgate. BMW also created an intelligent system that allowed customers to independently open the rear window so they could throw small items in the trunk without opening the entire tailgate. To cut production costs, the rear taillights that featured small, horizontal reversing lights carried over from the rest of the 3 Series facelift range.

Inside, there was a slight improvement in the dashboard design. Fortunately, the automaker kept the same tilted-towards-driver center stack that housed the stereo and the HVAC controls. Unlike its predecessor, the refreshed version sported an analog clock next to the tape player. Between the bucket seats, BMW placed a center console that housed the gear stick (or the gear selector for the automatic transmission) and even a six-cassette holder. In the back, customers enjoyed more headroom thanks to the long roof design, and the bench seat could fold to increase trunk size.

Under the hood, the 1988 BMW 3 Series Touring (E30) featured a range of inline-four and inline-six engines, including two diesel engines. Besides the 325 iX version, which had an all-wheel drive system, the rest of the range was fitted with RWD-only systems. All versions were available with a five-speed manual, while a four-speed automatic was optional.