BMW E30 325e eta

Character and place in the range

Designed for efficiency, loved by tuners.

122 - 129 hp. 0-100 in ~11.0s. Not fast at high revs, but pulls effortlessly in fifth gear.

Engine range

M20B27: 2.7L 'eta' engine. Characteristic low-rev rumble.

Inspection and maintenance

More reliable than early M20B25s due to lower compression and revs. Check early Motronic injection.

Condition varies more than specification. Inspect structure first, verify the engine’s time-sensitive service and road-test the complete car before valuing trim or options.

Details worth knowing

The 325e is famous in modern E30 culture as a donor for a 2.7L 'stroker' engine (eta block + 325i cylinder head).

Only about 189,000 units of the 'eta' models were produced worldwide.

The 'E' stands for Efficiency/Entwicklung, designed to reduce fuel consumption after the oil crisis.