1989 #15 Warsteiner E30 M3 - greatest E30 ever?

[Lance Racing]

During the heyday of BMW's involvement in the DTM series (1988-1992), you could argue that the 1989 #15 Schnitzer Team car achieved the greatest success. Roberto was crowned the Driver's champion in 1989. As dominant as the E30 M3 was in Touring Car racing in that era, BMW never won a makes title in the DTM (though they did in lesser series).

That being said, what an era for BMW Motorsport. Huge crowds, special qualifying S14 engines good for only 3-4 laps before exploding. What an era.

Greatest E30 ever?

Here racing at the street circuit Norisring (still used in the DTM).

[ahrensNW]

My e30 is the best e30 ever.
Duh.

[Lance Racing]

My e30 is the best e30 ever.
Duh.

Well played there sir.

Back to the #15 car we did a run of T-shirts featuring the #15 Ravaglia car for the E30 Picnic last month. The shirt was well received so we are doing another run of shirts. If you want to order one, go to this thread in the Pacific NW sub forum.

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=389202

Lots of colors this year (Motorsports!).





Hard to see in the image of the back, but the gold has little sparkles in it, looks good on the wheels.



Also the traditional white and black:





More close ups of the backs, the red Yokohama on the tire sidewalls came out nicely:

[noke325]

The greatest E30 M3 DTM/Grp A car would be the chassis # with the most wins, in my opinion. Very possible the #15 decal was used on multiple tubs driven by Ravaglia or otherwise. It would be interesting to know which one it is and where/who has it now. I believe Schnitzer Motorsport still has all the records for those cars as I've heard of guys buying old works cars still with the Matter serial numbers on them, then they find out they bought Soper's old car campaigned by Bigazzi.
I saw something like this on tentenths.com. I'm sure there's still a thread there.

[flyboyx]

eh, its pretty cool i guess.....

[Lance Racing]

Good points. These chassis led hard lives. From my reading, a fresh chassis was usually run for one year by a top tier team like Bigazzi or Schnitzer. Then the chassis is sold to a privateer team, possibly still to run in the DTM as a backmarker (think the Tic Tac or Jagermiester cars), or over to a series like the Belgian, Italian, or Japanese national series. After that, a chassis might have ended up in the hands of a hillclimber and led a hard life there.

The greatest E30 M3 DTM/Grp A car would be the chassis # with the most wins, in my opinion. Very possible the #15 decal was used on multiple tubs driven by Ravaglia or otherwise. It would be interesting to know which one it is and where/who has it now. I believe Schnitzer Motorsport still has all the records for those cars as I've heard of guys buying old works cars still with the Matter serial numbers on them, then they find out they bought Soper's old car campaigned by Bigazzi.
I saw something like this on tentenths.com. I'm sure there's still a thread there.

[Lance Racing]

#15 leading at the start.

[djjerme]

I really wonder if any of the chassis from the first few season are still around. You look at what we at the PRO3 level put ours through, and then multiply that, and add that there is even more on the line and that the drivers are told to win at all cost.

It wouldn't surprise me if most of the "surviving" original DTM M3's are from the last few seasons of the E30 M3 DTM career, when they weren't campaigned by top tier teams.

But then again, they had Factory support and could repair MOST of the damage picked up in a race..

[noke325]

Just for the sake of it, here is the thread I had recalled.

Read post #6 and #36.

Can you imagine his fortune getting that news??

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98823

[bangn]

JPS

[Lance Racing]

Great post, shows how much isn't and will never be known about the various MS chassis.

#15 at an unknown track?

Just for the sake of it, here is the thread I had recalled.

Read post #6 and #36.

Can you imagine his fortune getting that news??

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=98823

[Lance Racing]

Must be the Nurburgring:

[Lance Racing]

So must be the best ever, right now 7 to 6. LOL.

Note that I can extend the deadline for PAYPAL orders for the #15 Warsteiner M Team shirt until tomorrow, July 23.

[agent]

#15 at an unknown track?

Must be the Nurburgring:

I have both of these in my laptop's wallpaper rotation. :coolphoto: