Did you know that the first BMW with all-wheel drive was the E30 325iX back in 1985? That is why this showroom condition E30 BMW 325iX was on display at BMW’s international media test drive for the BMW X3 at the Painted Rock Farm in Georgia, USA. Being a fan of the E30, I was thrilled to see such an excellent example on display – something for classic car restorers to aspire to!
The all wheel drive version of the E30 was exclusively available with the six cylinder M20B25 engine, making 171 horsepower. You could have it in either a sedan, a coupe or a touring body. Today, the E90 can be specified on a multitude of engines and recently we even saw the first duo of M cars equipped with all wheel drive – the X5 M and the X6 M.
The old 325iX split its power between the front and rear wheels at a constant 37:63 ratio. It was only later with the E34 5-Series that BMW’s all wheel drive system gained multi-plate clutches that could vary the torque distribution between the front and rear axles as needed, using a control unit that took into account signals from the ABS system wheel speed sensors, and various other sensor input data.
BMW’s all wheel drive system was finally renamed xDrive only with the first generation X3 and X5 models, which was fully integrated into the entire car computer system, heavily tied to DSC and other systems. BMW claims that xDrive is the world’s only intelligent all wheel drive system which varies torque proactively based on predictions rather than reactively.
Anyway I’ll leave you with the nice gallery of the 325iX after the jump. Look out for our take on the new second generation BMW X3 soon.
[zenphotopress number=999 album=1654]
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Paul, where’s your E300 restoration journey update? it’s quite awhile hey…
Nice..my father owns a E30 325i, bought it in newcastle back then..and I am still driving it now, a powerful fast car..love it =)
wow.. dunno this all-wheel drive exist!.. always being a fan of e30… I’m driving e46 but still longing to have e30 in the garage… between me and the e30.. there’s a wife in the middle holding a baseball bat!
hahaha…. same same…….. except that i don’t own an e46… LOL…..
Just get one and… Duck!!
Jokes aside this is when cars still had plentiful of character, unspoiled by tight emission, noise and crash requirements. A true sports sedan.
damn very nice looking stock car..hope my e30 will look like this one day..
Paul.. May I ask question. what means of all wheel drive system?
sorry if this is dumb question.
Haven’t met a dumb question before.
It is a method of transferring power from the engine to all of the four wheels. The method typically uses gears and shafts. Imagine one source and four outputs which are the wheels.
is there any in msia?
My goodness, I miss driving the E30…. my cousin had one…. 1988 model 320i MANUAL sad thing he had to sell it…… huuhuhuuuu :(
i do know about this. it is quite popular in UK when I was there in 1986-87 where the 4WD proved its worth on slipper surface during winter.
the name is special though.
It is absolutely gorgeous! It was my dream car when I was a kid.
Looking at the pics, I can imagine all the tender loving care given.
Beautiful car – drove the E30 325ix back in 1986 in Germany. Covered a total distance of about 800km in 1 day! Have fantastic pictures of the car, what with sunroof and all …
Audi also had it’s Quattro back then.
E30 was also my dream car decades ago. One of my mgrs actually got a 2nd hand one years ago.
Suddenly feeling nostalgic!
Since BMW can restore, how about 1987 Proton Saga?
paul, are you in caffeine overdose again?
Ahhh…. E30 325iX the xdrive… the first in the line… can’t even find any in Malaysia even around asia. Not mistake just for Europe market only… so anyone have this rare spices, please keep it, restore it & care it nicely…
I don’t have a e30 but e36,14 years old but still great, use it daily,technology wise its very much ahead…
it was so advance !!!!
Four wheel drive have been around since before the turn of the 20th Century. This is BMW E30 at it’s cornerstone. Less power than the M3 but it had to haul 2 more wheels. It was a time when inline sixes 2.5ltras were top of the game.
my uncle still have this car back in sandakan
I wish that BMW company can reproduce this E30 model….