1990 BMW 325i SE

The apogee of yuppiedom had perhaps just passed when this superb 325i SE was first registered in August of 1990 and the model had started to mature into more of an appealing all-rounder. No one told this car, it seems, as it presents in full-on city trader specification. First off is the vibrant BMW-brillantrot (not an MoT issue in the making but rather “Brilliant Red”) livery. Seemingly repainted at some point in its original hue, this is a statement colour for a thrilling car. Add to this the genuine M-Tech 2 front bumper and chin spoiler and rear bumper and you can almost hear the striped braces twanging. The 17-inch Alpina style alloy wheels round off the look perfectly and lend this E30 a quasi-M3 look that is hard to tear your longing gaze away from.

What’s more this is a post facelift (introduced for the 1989 model year) SE model with all the accompanying accoutrements to mark it out from its more workaday brethren. As a riposte to all those cruel “even the door handles are extra” trading floor jibes, the SE was introduced complete with all the bells and whistles. These include electric steel sunroof, electric windows, headlamp wash / wipe system, roof mounted check / control system, on-board computer and sublime leather upholstery. Factor in the 170 bhp 2.5 litre straight six engine and close ratio five speed manual transmission and you have the sort of specification that’s worth noting down in your Filofax.

The icing on the cake, however, could well be this example’s provenance. The current owner, Shabir, inherited the E30 from his father around three months ago. Shabir’s father acquired it approximately 2012 to become just its second owner. E30 provenances don’t often come more straightforward than that.

Visually, at least, the E30 paid appropriate homage to the purity of Bracq’s E21 design with a surprisingly similar exterior treatment disguising the significant advances wrought within. Although the appeal of the E30 was widened significantly with the introduction of additional body configurations, this one sports the original so called “coupe” two door saloon body and wears it well. The vibrant red livery exudes a fine shine throughout and the aforementioned enhancements add a level of glamorous and desirable differentiation.

There are a few blemishes and imperfections here and there, of course. This is a 35 year old car, after all. These include some paint cracking around the interfaces of the body kit and the body. There is also some paint bubbling around the sunroof and some deterioration to the outer skin of the rear boot spoiler. The small trim fillets for the side panels are also currently missing.

There is more than enough in the “pros” column, however, to more than compensate. Panel gaps are tight, and all opening panels function smoothly and easily without any obvious catching or stiffness. The Alpina style, turbine design alloy wheels really suit the car so well and present nicely. Even the tyres appear to retain decent levels of traction providing tread.   

The E30’s interior featured a further development of BMW’s signature driver orientated dashboard with the centre console markedly canted towards the driver. This combined with the crystal clear white on black VDO gauges, and warship operations room style red illumination at night. This configuration together with the sporty, M-Sport steering wheel seen here was enough to convince most that they were truly piloting the “ultimate driving machine.”

This car’s cabin is greatly enhanced by the black leather upholstery, of course. Those deeply bolstered seats with their signature adjustable under thigh bolsters exhibit a charming level of use related patina, too. The driver’s seat has worn through on the outside bolster and has come unstitched a little along an outer seam near the headrest. The remainder of the seating upholstery presents very well and offers a suppleness that only well cared for and empathetically used leather can.

Headlining and carpets are in good overall condition, as is the M-Sport leather steering wheel other than a little use related fading to the rim. The level of originality in here is good, too. The exceptions are a more contemporary CD head unit which feeds some large surface mounted speakers in the rear parcel shelf. A row of three auxiliary gauges has also been added at some stage as has a more recent M-Sport leather gear knob (the give away being the change pattern that maps out six forward ratios where only five actually exist).

The well-shaped boot offers up plenty of desirable originality, too. The original boot carpet is present and conceals the full sized spare wheel and tyre. The original jack is present, and the BMW dropdown toolkit is impressively well stocked. A fitted boot tidy sits above the battery and even includes the original, boxed first aid kit.

This E30 features the highly regarded and deeply desirable 2.5-litre M20B25 straight-six engine. This SOHC unit features Bosch Motronic 1.3 engine management and originally delivered around 170bhp ay 5,800 rpm and around 164 lb-ft of torque at 4,300 rpm. These highly competitive metrics combined with the E30’s light weight (around 1,300 kgs) to make it one of the compact performance heroes of the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. Its sub 8 second 0-60 mph and 130 mph plus top speed was the stuff of dreams for a 1990s compact luxury saloon. 

Under the bonnet of this 325i the charming originality continues….sort of. All expected data plates and embossed VIN numbers are evident, and the inner panels look straight and clean. The alloy head and intake plenum seem to feature a M-sport style paint job, however, which is charming but not thought to be original. The underside of the BMW looks appropriate to and in keeping with its age and mileage.

The paperwork archive starts with the V5 registration document in the name of the current owner. This version currently bears the owner’s previous private registration number which is being retained. An up to date replacement V5 is reportedly enroute from DVLA. The current, advisory free MoT wasn’t on hand for photographing. The Government’s online portal, however, confirms validity until February 2026. 

The original BMW book pack is included. The original service booklet forms part of this and documents numerous services, brake fluid changes and annual body integrity checks. These are mainly from the car’s earlier history with the latest of these appearing to be from the early 2000’s. A Haynes Manual and E30 guide are also present and included.

The E30 3 Series played a key part in cementing BMW’s place in the hearts and minds of enthusiastic owner drivers the world over. A few well-chosen tweaks combined with some fortuitous timing made it into the world beater that its predecessor failed to become. Today E30s of any description have become few and far between with the six-cylinder higher specification models being especially desired and sought out by those in the know.

This 325i SE, then, is an impressive survivor. Its low owner very well presented condition should represent a siren-call to collectors, enthusiasts and purists alike. The car’s SE specification and subtle but distinctive cosmetic enhancements really mark it out as something special. Surely too exciting an ownership prospect to miss.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £15,000 - £18,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Leicester, East Midlands. To arrange an appointment to inspect this vehicle, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.