Here's how much power is needed to make an e30 do 200mph

[Silverdogz]

420hp

http://warped.org/vw/calc.html?a=20.9&cd=0.33&e=0&fo=&fr=&fs=&gas=12&ml=15&model=325IS&p=&t=60&th=0&vendor=BMW&wc=2965&wd=150&year=1989

[nando]

420 isn't that much. not sure I'd want to do 200mph in an E30 or any car outside a racetrack..

[Red_liner740]

If only it was that simple.

[ELVA164]

Took me 488bhp with only 4 gallons of gas in the tank.

[efficient]

the aero dynamics on a e30 suck.

[ELVA164]

the aero dynamics of a brick suck.

ftfy

[nando]

the aero dynamics on a e30 suck.

~.33 cod isn't too bad. what the E30 really has over modern cars is a small frontal area. a modern "3" series has a lower cod but the frontal area is much greater.

[digger]

i've data an old "motor" magazine article for the 325ix and 325i it lists the Cd as 0.38 which isn't surprising given its hardly a sleek design.

of course Cd x A is the proper way to compare cars

[nando]

the earlier ones were worse than the later ones. I'm pretty sure I saw the face lift 325is at .33

[digger]

the earlier ones were worse than the later ones. I'm pretty sure I saw the face lift 325is at .33

data was from 1987, but with different spoilers, rideheights, bodykits, rear wings and wheel widths etc results may vary

[nando]

yeah, pretty sure the earlier cars were a bit taller, or at least had a bigger air gap up front. BMW did actually wind tunnel test the facelift design, the is spoilers are supposed to reduce drag by a couple %.

also, if you want brick shapes - E30s hardly have any square corners compared to say, a 1979 ford Fairimont. ;)

[Silverdogz]

IIRC, the M3 actually has a worse drag coefficient than the standard iS.

[ELVA164]

IIRC, the M3 actually has a worse drag coefficient than the standard iS.

That's due to the extra downforce the M3 produces.

[Stanley Rockafella]

also, if you want brick shapes - E30s hardly have any square corners compared to say, a 1979 Volvo 245DL ;)

ftfy

[george graves]

Wider tires cause a good increase in drag as well - or so I've heard.