The release of a new 3 Series BMW is more than just a model change of some car. For enthusiasts it heralds a new epoch of automotive history, like an ice age or the end of the dinosaurs.
The 3 Series’ huge enthusiast following and perennial status atop “best of” lists make it extremely visible in our world. Just imagine where you were in 1991 and 1992, for example, when the boxy, E30-chassis 3 Series was replaced—or in 1999, when the updated E46-chassis model made an appearance on our shores. If you’re like the rest of us, you couldn’t help but take part in the fanfare that accompanied each 3 Series launch.
