The BMW 318is: Affordable Driving Fun
In the September 1990 issue of Car and Driver, the automotive world was introduced to a new BMW that was aimed at a different market segment than the traditional luxury car buyer. The BMW 318is was a sporty two-door coupe that was designed to be more affordable and appeal to a younger, more performance-minded audience.
At the time, BMW was known for making some of the best-handling and most luxurious cars in the world, but they were also quite expensive. The 3-Series was their entry-level model, but even that came with a premium price tag. The 318is, however, offered a way for people who couldn’t afford a more expensive BMW to still experience the brand’s driving dynamics and engineering excellence.
The 318is was powered by a four-cylinder engine, which was a departure from the traditional inline-six that BMW was known for. The 1.8-liter engine generated 134 horsepower, which might not sound like a lot today, but was respectable for the time. BMW’s engineers had used all their expertise to extract the most performance they could from the small engine, including four valves per cylinder, double overhead camshafts, and individual ignition coils.
Of course, the real reason to buy a BMW is for the driving experience, and the 318is did not disappoint in that respect. The chassis was typical BMW, with responsive handling and excellent feedback through the steering wheel. The suspension was fully independent, and the M-Technic package included thicker anti-roll bars and sportier shock absorbers that made the car even more fun to drive.
The 318is was not just a stripped-down version of a more expensive BMW. It still came with a good amount of standard equipment, including air conditioning, power windows, a central locking system, and a four-speaker sound system. Even the sport seats were designed to provide good lateral support, so you could really take advantage of the car’s handling abilities.
Overall, the BMW 318is was a new direction for the brand, but one that ultimately paid off. It allowed more people to experience BMW’s engineering excellence and driving dynamics, and helped to introduce a new generation of buyers to the brand. Today, the 3-Series remains one of BMW’s most popular models, but the 318is will always be remembered as the car that made BMW more accessible to a wider audience.
