BMW E21 3 Series Coupe Polycarbonate Windows

The BMW E21 3 Series Coupe isn’t just another classic, this was the car that kick-started one of the most iconic performance lineages in automotive history. Born in 1975 as the first-generation 3 Series, the E21 was designed to blend everyday usability with a proper driver’s experience. But let’s be honest, what made it truly shine was its motorsport potential.
While the E21 wasn’t officially built for rally or touring car racing straight from the factory, that didn’t stop enthusiasts from turning it into a proper competition machine. With its rear-wheel-drive setup, lightweight chassis, and a selection of punchy inline-four and inline-six engines, it became a go-to choice for privateer racers and tuners looking to push the limits. BMW itself got in on the action with the 320 Group 5, a fire-breathing, wide-body turbocharged monster that tore through the European Touring Car Championship in the late ‘70s. It was loud, it was aggressive, and it made sure everyone knew BMW was serious about racing.
None of that front-wheel-drive nonsense here. The E21 gave drivers the pure, connected feel that made BMW famous. The 323i, with its 2.3L inline-six, had the kind of sound and pull that made you want to keep shifting just to hear it sing. It wasn’t the fastest thing in a straight line, but it handled like a dream and begged to be thrown into corners. More importantly, it was a modder’s paradise. Strip it down, tweak the suspension, slap on some fat fenders, and you had a serious competitor on the rally stage or the track. And then there was the Group 5 320 Turbo, an absolute animal with 600+ horsepower, a gigantic wing, and a presence that screamed ‘get out of my way.’
Although its successors, like the E30 M3, often steal the spotlight, the E21 laid the foundation for BMW’s motorsport dominance. It was a workhorse in touring car championships and a hidden gem in the rally world, where its nimble handling and strong power-to-weight ratio made it a fun underdog against AWD competitors. Today, it remains a favourite among historic racing enthusiasts who want to relive the golden days of analogue driving.
If you ever see an E21 tearing through a rally stage or carving up a circuit, you know you’re looking at a piece of BMW history, an old-school coupe that still knows how to have a good time.