BMW 3 Series 1975–1979 car dimensions: 4355 mm long, 1610 mm wide and 1380 mm high. Unladen weight is 1,020 kg. Braked towing is 1,200 kg.
The cabin seats five with a driver-focused dashboard angled toward the wheel and clear analog gauges. Heating and ventilation work well for the era. Air conditioning is optional on some cars. Front headrests are standard. No electronic driver aids appear. Power windows, electric mirrors and a radio are optional extras. Seats are supportive cloth or vinyl with optional Recaro or leather upgrades.
Boot volume is 404 litres with the rear seats fixed in place. The space suits weekend bags or shopping runs in this compact two-door body.
Braked towing reaches 1200 kg and unbraked 500 kg. Payload sits around 420 kg depending on model. A trailer hitch was available from new.
Optional uprated or trailer-specific suspension helps with loads. The car handles light trailer or work duties but stays a compact rear-drive sedan first.
The cabin has a driver-focused dashboard angled toward the driver with clear instruments and well-placed controls. Front seats are well-formed and supportive with generous recline and adjustment range that suits taller drivers. rear space is more useful than in prior models. Heating and ventilation deliver strong output with good soundproofing for quieter travel, and a manual sliding steel sunroof is available as an option along with air conditioning.
Fuel tank holds 58 litres.
DIN fuel use for 323i is 6.8 l/100 km at 90 km/h, 9.1 at 120 km/h and 12.8 in city.
Six-cylinder models need timing belt change every five years or 60,000 miles.
Front three-point automatic seat belts are standard.
Passive safety includes multi-stage crumple zones, stiffer roof and fuel tank under rear seats.
Dual-circuit servo brakes with front discs are standard.
Petrol engines run on the stated grades with DIN consumption figures that rise in city use and fall on the open road. the tank capacity supports typical journeys without frequent stops.
Servicing centres on regular oil and coolant changes to protect the durable four-cylinder chain-driven units and the six-cylinder belt-driven ones. the belt interval must be observed to avoid damage.
Safety equipment centres on crumple zones calculated by computer, a reinforced roof structure, the relocated fuel tank and three-point automatic belts for the front seats, with rear belts and headrests available later or as options. the interior uses rounded padded surfaces.
Keeping the car means checking for rust in rear wheel arches, jacking points and sills while maintaining the cooling system and valve clearances. well-serviced examples remain reliable for high mileages.
Length 4355 mm, Width 1610 mm, Height 1380 mm, Wheelbase 2563 mm (3 Series 1975–1979)
Sources: manufacturer data, BMW Group press, auto-data.net, Wikipedia, BMW E21 Club specs.