BMW’s 3 Series Coupé a Sales Success

Its no surprise though, with the 335i Twin Turbo straight six engine leading the way, the 3 Series Coupe has the looks and the power to match.

However, all this success is nothing new for BMW, in the past ten years, the E36 and E46 generation BMW 3 Series Coupés have been very successful in the market. In the E36 generation, BMW only offered a four-cylinder engine, but with the the E46 release in 1999, the 3 Series Coupé became a six-cylinder-only model, moving up a grade to match its buyers needs.

From the start of 1997 to the end of 2006, BMW sold 11,470 3 Series Coupé models, compared with 6,938 of its closest rivals (being Mercedes-Benz), a lead of more than 65 percent. In some years the BMW outsold its rival by more than 3 to one. These figures do not even take into account the track-bred M3 supercoupé.

Its not even Australia were the 3 Series is so successful, worldwide the 3 Series Coupé has a very special role to play in the 3 Series family. Its best sales year in the E46 generation was 78,600 sales in 2000, while its last year in full production (2005), it achieved more than 25,600 sales. In all, more than 460,000 BMW customers drove off in a new E46 3 Series Coupé.

The BMW 325i is the most popular model (both internationally and in Australia), but in Europe the 320d turbo-diesel powered coupé is the popular choice, reinforcing the Europeans affection for Diesel powered cars.
So who buys a 3 series coupe? Is it the typical mid-life crisis scenario? BMW says that most drivers are sporty, high-achieving, car-loving males in their late 40s. Which tends to fit into the picture of a mid-life crisis.

Would we buy one? Absolutely! But then again we are not in our late 40s going through a divorce with 2 kids.