BMW Compact

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BMW Compact
Manufacturer	BMW
Production	1994-2004
Successor	BMW 1 Series
Class	Compact car
Body style	3-door hatchback
Platform	FR E36, E46
Engine	1.6 L I4 1.8 L I4 1.9 L I4 2.0 L I4 2.5 L I6 1.6 L I4 Petrol/Biogas 1.7 L I4 diesel 2.0 L I4 diesel
Similar	Alfa Romeo 147 Audi A3 Ford Focus Volkswagen Golf

1995 BMW 318ti

1997 BMW 318ti California Edition

1995 BMW 318ti Sport competing in an autocross event

The BMW Compact, or more commonly known as a 318ti, was a compact car / small family car, basically a truncated hatch-back version of the BMW 3 Series, produced by the German automaker BMW between 1994 and 2004. It was only available as a 3-door hatchback and initially based on the BMW E36 platform. The wheelbase remained the same as the full-size sibling. Since 2001 the BMW E46 platform was used. Production of BMW Compact ceased in 2004 when it was succeeded by the 1 Series.

1 Overview
2 Racing
3 Engines
4 External links

[edit] Overview

The BMW E36/5 Compact shares suspension geometry with the BMW Z3, M Coupe/Roadster, which has E36 front suspension and older E30 rear suspension. From front bumper to A pillar, the Compact is identical to the E36 sedan.

In North America, these models were equipped with a 1.8 litre, 138 bhp four-cylinder M42 engine for the 1995 model year. In 1996, the engine was expanded to 1.9 liters (M44), a treatment given to all 318i/318is. As some changes were required to make the car compliant with OBD-II, power curve adjustments occurred at the same time. European buyers had the option of a smaller 1.6 litre engine, a variety of four-cylinder diesels, and German buyers had the exclusive and rare 323ti option with a 2.5L, 170 hp Inline-6.

318ti came in different trim level, including the base, Active and Sport. Sport package is similar to the ones offered to coupe/sedan models, giving the car the suspension upgrade. Active package offered comfort items such as OBC(On-board computer), cruise control, and remote keyless entry.

The Clubsport edition was only offered in the model year 1995. It received the treatment of BMW Individual, much like the 1995 M3 lightweight and 1995 BMW E34 540i M-sport. The car had upgraded suspension, limited slip differential, sport seats, and full M-aerodynamic package including front and rear bumpers as well as side mirrors. It should be noted the Sport package for 1995 318ti had all the performance upgrade with no exterior distinction from the base model. Starting 1996, the sport package included the M-aerodynamic package like the Clubsport model, with the exception using the standard side mirror. Also there is a rare California edition of the vehicle, introduced in 1996, featured a folding canvas roof reminiscent of those used in the Citroën 2CV. 1999 is a unique year for 318ti in US, since the introduction of E46 sedan/coupe models, BMW has made a decision not to offer the four-cylindered cars available to the rest of the world. All 1999 318ti's came with the sport package.

The car was offered in the United States and Canada for model years 1995 through 1999, and is the rarest and most sought after of the E36 318 lineup by enthusiasts, being the lightest, fastest, best handling and least expensive. Despite being reasonably priced, starting at $19,900, the 318ti never enjoyed popularity in North America, selling much better in Europe.

In order to save space, the E36/5 made use of a smaller semi-trailing arm rear axle derived from the older 3-series (E30). The inherent design of the trailing arm suspension was that it favoured oversteer. Consequently, the Compact received mixed reviews from the automotive press, some claiming the chassis was the most balanced of the E36 range, while others said that the car wandered and darted in a straight line, and was uncomposed in the corners.

The interior was all BMW, apart from a simple one piece dashboard, it shares the same seats and trim as the more expensive sedan. While consumers desired a less expensive BMW, two factors conspired to keep sales low in the US. First, the US market only sporadically supports the hatchback body style. Second, the SUV craze was beginning to surge. The small BMW was the right car at the wrong time.

The TI/Compact was redesigned in 2000 (as part of the E46 line), but was never imported to North America; it must be said that this model was at no time nearly as successful in the European market as its predecessor. The E46 Compact does not feature styling similar to the rest of E46 cars. Most notably, the headlight assembly on the Compact models differ greatly from either coupe, sedan/touring models.

In 2004, the TI/Compact was effectively replaced by the BMW 1 Series. The new 1 Series was being seriously considered for import, however BMW executives are still reluctant and indecisive on it, believing that the 1 Series would take sales from BMW's more profitable Mini line, which sell for about the same price and are of the same size of the 1 Series. Recently, BMW has indicated that some versions of the 1 Series will be introduced in the U.S. market as a 2008 model in Fall 2007.

[edit] Racing

A Motorsport version of the car was briefly considered by BMW but it was concluded that such a production run would never return adequate profits. Despite this, the 16-valve versions 318ti compact and the various verions of the 318is (as 2 or 4 door E36, or as 2 door E30) won overall championships in the German endurance racing series on the Nürburgring, VLN [1] in 2002, 2004 & 2006 and RCN/CHC in 2003, as its class ("V2 standard cars up to 1850 cc") usually has the most entries due to the low costs, and thus slightly more points are rewarded according to the special scoring system. Yet, it was beaten to both the VLN and the RCN/CHC title by 1600cc Opel Corsa once (VLN 2003, RCN/CHC 2005).