1987 BMW M333i

Between 1985 and 1987, BMW of South Africa manufactured a very special 3-Series. It was created to complete in Group 1 saloon car racing, however the class was discontinued in 1985. The concept was straight-forward, find one of the biggest engines available in the BMW parts bin and fit it to the lightest body. The 333i featured the M30B32 six cylinder engine, seen in larger BMW models such as the 533i and 733i. This enabled the vehicle to accelerate to 100km/h in 7.2 seconds and to a top speed of 231km/h. Alpina played a role in the creation of the car, providing a specially developed intake and exhaust manifold. Alpina also provided upgraded brakes, revised suspension and 16-inch 20-spoke alloy wheels. It came fitted with a dog-leg close-ratio gearbox and ZF limited-slip differential. Just 204 were constructed before production ended in 1987.