The BMW E30 3 Series might not need commercials today as everyone knows everything about the iconic model but that wasn’t always the case. Back in the 1980s when it initially came out, the new Bimmer needed a proper marketing campaign to make it visible for potential customers. Since these are the 80s we’re talking about, the commercials that were brought to life and aired on TV definitely seem to have been put together by the same team that shot Miami Vice.
All the action footage, the music in the background and the fashion shown in the 6-minute video posted below definitely gave us an 80s feeling, the only thing missing being a neon-lid sign and maybe some footage from inside a club, to check out those crazy dance moves everyone seemed to do. Apparently, the footage you’re about to watch was aired throughout 1986 and it includes all types of BMW E30 3 Series models, from sedans to convertibles and even the legendary BMW E30 M3.
Furthermore, we also get to watch one of the first all-wheel drive cars BMW ever made in action on some snowy mountain slopes, the BMW E30 325iX. It used a Viscous coupling in the center and rear differentials. The transfer case had a 37:63 (front-back) torque split due to the planetary gear. When one axle spins quicker than the other, the shear force of the silicone fluid increases as the VC slips. This would instantly transfer up to 80% of the available torque to the gripping axle, meaning you could get out of some rather tricky situations without any electronic nannies.
In the end though, not every single shot in this video was done to showcase a feature of the car and some were just done to present the beautiful design the Bimmer had in the first place. In doing so, we’re all reminded of what passed as beautiful back in the 80s and some of us might just get a terrible case of nostalgia. You have been warned!
