Presenting the latest addition to the Motoring Con Brio stable..

..a 1989 Delphin Metallic 325i. Hat tip to the previous owner(s) for modifying it pretty darn well— there are a lot of badly modified E30s out there, and we are pleased to report that this isn’t one of them. It’s a little rough/unfinished around the edges (which we certainly don’t mind), but not counting the little things here and there that will need to be addressed over time, we cautiously venture to say that much of the heavy lifting seems to have already been done.

Is it an M3, that most lustworthy of E30s? No. But we’re certainly not complaining. We are happy to be the latest to assume ownership of this magnificent – if unassuming – machine, which has aged gracefully during its now twenty (!) some-odd years of being. The lines still look fresh, and in the metal, it remains every bit the head turner we remember it being in our youth, its classic Teutonic appeal undiminished. We’d argue that not even the E36 – a car we don’t dislike, by the way – can make that claim.

We hope (and expect) that it’ll make us better drivers, as we learn the fine art of momentum driving and extracting the most out of its modest (by modern standards) ~ 178 horsepower (with chip) and 164 lb-ft of torque.

Look for more of this (photos and video) over the course of the year. Should be a good one.

~ by velofinds on January 21, 2011.

25 Responses to “Presenting the latest addition to the Motoring Con Brio stable..”

  1. Your car and the ‘hood look sinister. Mazel tov!

  2. Well done guys. I agree, the E30’s still look the part, possibly more so, twenty years on (and in any of their body forms for that fact).

    Looking forward to reading about it, and your drives.

  3. Sweet!!! So this is the one you spoke of? Good canvas! Needs some TSX projectors 😉

  4. Congratz!! Nice Beemer 🙂

  5. Mazel Tov. Peter and I just bought one of these for an ice racing/summer track machine. It’s going to get a full cage and safety system…oh yeah, ours is a lowly 325e.

  6. Congrats! Drive it in health!

  7. Very nice! This car does have the edge over the M3 in one (crucial) aspect: The sound of a silky-smooth small-capacity straight-six. Hmmmm….

  8. I regret not buying a black E30 325is from my friend when I had the opportunity a few years ago.

  9. Congrats. Really a timeless shape.

    If you think 178hp is modest, you should have taken a ride in my ’91 318is. 136 big ones!

    Looks like maybe yours has had a 5-lug swap? Those look like E32 wheels if I’m not mistaken… I had them on my E28.

  10. mike: close! they are E38s. and you are correct, the car has had a 5-lug swap. which is cool, but i would have been just as happy with the stock 4-lug setup— i happen to think 15×7 is the best look on these cars anyhow. as for 325i versus 318is, true enough, but doesn’t the 318 also have less weight to carry around? 🙂 in truth, if the right m42 had come around, i could’ve gone that route. more than anything, i was interested in a clean car, regardless of displacement.

    brandon: i ended up going with a pre-fabbed HID kit, which should be more than enough for my needs based on what i’ve been seeing. the retrofit projectors were cool, but i needed something more within my budget!

    thank you all for the well-wishes!

  11. Congrats on a great pickup! She’s definitely a looker! Tell us more about the specs. Suspension setup, LSD?

  12. Doh yeah E38. 16×8 is a sweet size for both E30 and E28… but I feel you on the 15s too. You gotta try those E38 wheels without the caps sometime… they look meeeeaaaaan.

    Yeah the M42 was fun and very well balanced because of the light front end. It made me work for the power; not much fun in traffic but lots of fun up and down Beverly Glen where I lived back then.

    I was coming out of an E46 325i wagon at the time and to be honest, even though the 318 was like 3 seconds slower 0-60, it didn’t feel that slow in driving comparison.

    Anyway more power is good and you are gonna have fun getting tail happy in that thing. Enjoy.

  13. i may at some point need to run them without the caps. to be honest i like the clean oem look with them on, but i would also like to do a wheel stud conversion. from what i understand, the studs are just a little too long to fit beneath the caps.

    it’s not a bad look, just not as oem.

  14. Congrats on the excellent purchase! BMWs are a dream to drive and work on. Treat it right, and it will reward you in spades. I absolutely love my 328is, but I’d certainly love to add an E30 to the stable, too.

  15. Great choice guys. I personally love the E38 wheels, gives a stockish look with a more serious wheel arch filling.

    Envious of your new purchase and excited to hear about your times with it. Hopefully it will inform my own E30-having sometime.

  16. I almost bought one of those some month ago. I chickened out because it was a foreign car and had an alarming burned oil flavor after our test drive.

    I still regret my decision.

    Congrats for the buy it looks superb !

  17. […] https://motoringconbrio.com/2011/01/21/presenting-the-latest-addition-to-the-motoring-con-brio-stable… […]

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