Now the Munich manufacturer has taken the wraps off the hot new M3 convertible – building on over 20 years of history.

Vijay Pattni takes a look at one of the most recognisable badges in history – the BMW M3.

E30 BMW M3

The 1980s was a decade best remembered for shoulder pads, yuppies, electro pop and the birth of MTV.

But in Germany, a new beast was being born – one which would dominate the sports coupe market for more than 20 years.

In 1986, BMW’s Motorsport division – ‘M’ – was desperate to take the E30 3-Series racing in the world touring car championship.

To compete, the Munich firm had to build at least 5,000 models of the tuned 3-Series to maintain the integrity of the competition. And while the rules were designed to keep the race cars as ‘street-legal’ as possible, the M Division churned out a bona-fide track monster – the original E30 BMW M3.

The German engineers stripped the standard E30 3-Series body to its core and set about creating a legend – the tracks were widened to give the car better grip; the bodyshell was stiffer and more aerodynamic and featured the famous ‘box-flares’, and bigger brakes used for the 5-Series replaced the standard items.

Underneath the bonnet, BMW M initially fitted a 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine producing 195bhp, later upgraded to 240bhp.

While the power figures aren’t shocking in today’s climate of 1,000bhp+ horsepower Bugattis, the lightweight and track-focused E30 BMW M3 soared to touring car success, winning over 50 international racing championships, and remains the most successful touring car of all time.

And critics raved about its on-road behaviour, blending everyday usability and uncompromised driving composure.

BMW’s E30 M3 sales record paints the best picture of all – only 5,000 models were intended for production, pointing to the company’s desire to simply take the car racing.

In total, around 18,000 BMW M3’s were produced between 1986 and 1992.

E36 BMW M3

By the time the 1990s arrived, BMW saw fit to revise its starlet with a heavyweight makeover.

Taking the shell of the new 3-Series, BMW M went easy on the outside, fitting those famous wing mirrors, a subtle boot-spoiler and a gorgeous set of 17-inch wheels.

Underneath, the M engineers slotted in a high-revving 3-litre six-cylinder engine producing 286bhp.

But it wasn’t enough, and mid 1990, a more powerful ‘Evo’ model was released – with a massive 3.2-litre straight-six engine with 321bhp, taking the M3 into new territory.

It may not have been the track-honed success of the original, but critics praised its handling and engine characteristics.

E46 BMW M3

As the 21st century dawned it was clear BMW had been bitten by the power bug. In 2000, the new generation M3 took the highly-praised 3-Series as its benchmark, sticking with the 3.2-litre capacity of the E36 – but with more power.

Now the M3 was producing 343bhp, and it was, at the time, the most powerful engine in BMW’s range.

Coupled to advanced suspension components and electronic driver aids, the E46 BMW M3 marked out the legendary badge as a true, modern-day performance icon.

E92 BMW M3

Fast forward to 2007 – and BMW unleash one of the sportscars of our time.

With 420bhp, a lightweight carbon-fibre roof and an onboard computer capable of 200 million calculations a second, the E92 model is the fastest, most powerful, and most advanced M3 ever to wear the badge.

Sporting a monstrous 4-litre V8 petrol engine – the biggest ever in a 3-Series – the new BMW M3 pays ultimate homage to razor-sharp handling, bags of power and enough space in the boot to carry the weekly shop.

Click here for more pictures of the BMW M3 saloon