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BMW 325 ti compact - short and sporty

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Created on September 27, 2025

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Bruno von Rotz

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Bruno von Rotz

49

BMW AG

27

Archiv

15

Bruno von Rotz

49

BMW AG

27

Archiv

15

BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the look was futuristic back then, today it is pleasingly classic

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - with the headlights on, it looks almost a little angry

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the "chubby-cheeked" appearance was criticized at the time

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the headlight design stands out from the rest of the E46 three-series

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the 16-inch wheels look a little economical

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the large tailgate ...

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - ... gives access to a variable luggage compartment

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - thanks to the upright rear lights, the tailgate was wider than on the predecessor E36

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - 175 cm narrow and the mirrors didn't make it much wider

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - long wheelbase (272.5 cm), short overall length (426 cm)

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - 16-inch aluminum wheels, only 205 mm wide tires

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - Cockpit with color accents and aluminum trim

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - driver-oriented cockpit

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the ergonomics fit

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - Leather steering wheel and adjustable steering column were standard equipment

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - as a sports driver you would probably have preferred to see the oil pressure rather than the consumption

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - when there were still no LCD screens in the cockpit

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - beautifully designed instruments

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - manual seat adjustment

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the manual seat adjustment

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - with the original BMW radio tape

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - five gears have to be enough, and they are

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - when there were no automatic lights - but everything is clearly understandable

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - interior similar to the other three-wheelers

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - Airbags also in the doors

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - electric exterior mirror adjustment

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - beautiful upholstery fabrics

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - three belts, three seats in the back

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - Tire pressure sticker

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the 2.5-liter straight-six delivers 192 hp at 6000 rpm

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the six-cylinder in-line engine installed relatively far back

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the designers covered up the engine 20+ years ago

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - tidy engine compartment

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - Type specifications with total weight

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - Chassis number

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - hood opening with safety lever integrated in the kidney grille

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the BMW kidney grille and the trademark

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - flat and compact kidney grille typical of the E46

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - in contrast to the sedan, the headlights were mounted individually

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - 17-inch wheels also fit in there

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - rear-view mirror adjustable from the inside

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - when door handles were still handles that were not recessed

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the rear light design did not convince all critics at the time

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the type lettering on the rear

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - Rear lights and type plate

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - the clear glass rear lights were criticized

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - twin exhaust for the six-cylinder engines

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BMW 316 i compact (1993) - the short E36 version with four-cylinder engine

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BMW 318 ti compact (1995) - the short E36 three-cylinder with 1.8-liter engine

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BMW 318 ti compact (1995) - the short E36 three-cylinder with 1.8-liter engine

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BMW 318 ti compact (1998) - short E36 triple with 1.8-liter engine

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - hardly distinguishable from other E36 series three-cylinder models from the front

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - 4.2 meter long compact three-seater

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - a large tailgate at the rear

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - the first three-door three-seater

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - View of the interior

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - View of the rear seats

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - very similar to the normal three from the rear

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - large tailgate, but it only goes as far as the rear lights

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - compact and agile

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - two side doors and large tailgate over a length of 4.2 meters

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - Short run

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - practical, thanks to the tailgate

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BMW 316i compact (1994) - aimed at a young clientele

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BMW 323 ti compact (1998) - also available with six-cylinder engine and 170 hp as well as large sunroof

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BMW 325 ti compact (2001) - 0 to 100 km/h in around seven seconds

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BMW 316 ti compact (2001) - View of the four-cylinder engine with 1.8 liter displacement

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BMW 316 ti compact (2001) - Valvetronic stands for fully variable valve control

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BMW 316 ti compact (2001) - four-cylinder with variable valve timing

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BMW 325 ti compact (2001) - see-through drawing reveals the technology

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BMW 325 ti compact (2001) - Safety written in capital letters, airbags everywhere

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BMW 325 ti compact (2001) - Cockpit

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BMW 325 ti compact (2001) - Interior

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BMW 325 ti compact (2001) - Cockpit with M sports package

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BMW 325 ti compact (2001) - Interior with M sports package

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BMW 325 ti compact (2001) - Space for three people in the rear

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BMW 325 ti compact (2001) - Rear seats

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BMW 325 ti compact (2002) - on the move

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BMW 325 ti compact (2002) - on the move

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BMW 325 ti compact (2003) - active driving

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BMW 325 ti compact (2003) - over 235 km/h fast

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BMW 325 ti compact (2003) - neutral weight distribution

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BMW 325 ti compact (2003) - Front and rear distinguish it from the rest of the three-cylinder models

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BMW 325 ti compact (2003) - big wheels suit it well

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BMW 325 ti compact (2003) - as E46/5 significantly larger than its E36 predecessor

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BMW 325 ti compact (2003) - with twin exhaust for the six-cylinder engine

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BMW 325 ti compact (2003) - the rear lights under clear glass are striking

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BMW 325 ti compact (2003) - View into the trunk with additional storage compartment

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BMW 325 ti compact (2003) - also available with SMG (robotized manual gearbox)

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - Xenon was still an expensive accessory back then, but projection headlights also worked pretty well

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BMW 323 ti compact (2002) - rear lights under clear glass, such as on the Lexus

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Summary

It may not be the most beautiful BMW of the early 2000s, but the 325 ti of the E46 series is not lacking in talent and expressiveness. And as a youngtimer and soon-to-be classic car, the short three-seater is particularly impressive. This driving report shows the 325i in current and historical images and tells its story.

This article contains the following chapters

The short E36 for the niche market
Introduction with a delay
Closer to the three-seater saloon
Different engines
Better than the competition
Driving pleasure in the truest sense of the word
Less successful than expected

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

No, the 325 ti is not a chauffeur-driven limousine, even though there is plenty of room to sit in the back. Nor is it a station wagon, even though you could obviously transport a full-size washing machine in it. Nor does the E46 in compact design aspire to be a real sports car. But somehow it has a bit of everything and the overall package is almost more convincing than it was 20 years after it was built. The short E46 series three-door did not come out of nowhere, as BMW had already presented the Compact as the fourth model based on the E36 series in February 1994. As a car in the 30,000 mark class, the 316i Compact was intended to appeal to younger people who expected a sporty and safe car with little road space and a high degree of variability.

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