Does the perfect BMW 3-series E30 excist?

When is something perfect? Only the one who claims something is perfect can answer that. If you ask me, it’s a car where I can’t find a single thing I’d do differently. That’s exactly how I feel about this BMW E30. If I say that this one car alone was reason enough to attend the Risenation Hall of Fame show, well, that says it all, I reckon. Years in the making, getting cleaner, lower, and after who knows how many new sets of wheels later, this is the end result.

Built by Damiano Di Viesti over many years. The car was bought brand new by his father back in 1990. Back then, Damiano was just a little 11-year-old lad. The car is still owned by his father, but Damiano has taken over control and made it his own. I bet not many folks can say a particular car has been in the family for that long. What I love most about this project is that it keeps the original lines of the E30 intact, no widebody or other alterations, just the way BMW intended it.

The car rolled off the production line as a BMW 316, but now it’s got a 1.8 liter engine under the hood. And it’s got a little boost from a compressor out of a newer model Mini Cooper S. Don’t expect earth-shattering numbers from the engine, but with a weight of 1065kg, it’s an absolute joy to drive. Plus, the entire engine bay has been cleaned up, with all the unnecessary bits removed or tucked away.

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