BMW Compact Driving Experiences

Known as the 3 Series Compact to give it its full title, the BMW Compact was first showcased in 1994 as the succeeding hatchback to their 02 Series model that had ended production two decades previously.

The Compact is a rear-wheel drive BMW, with a 106.3 inch wheel base offering superb grip of any surface it drives on, making it a popular choice for our many Rally Driving Experience packages we offer on TrackDays that are a hit with fans of this fast growing motorsport.

It also offers superb handling and acceleration for when you take to the gravel and dirt, with a 1.9 litre engine packing 115 bhp. Speeds that you can expect to reach in this model are a top speed of 125 mph, revving from 0 - 60 mph in 9 seconds.

The Compact was one of BMW’s best selling models for the seven years it was in production. Sales figures indicate that nearly 372,000 models were sold before the assembly line on them halted in 2000.

A special model of the Compact was produced in 1996 to celebrate the 50th birthday celebrations of the German car magazine Auto, Motor und Sport. The BMW M3 Compact was hand built by the BMW M high performance division, offering the same technical and engineering developments within a compact model.