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The
BMW 3 Series is a line of compact luxury car manufactured
by BMW since May 1975. It is the successor to the
2002 coupe, retaining much of that car's styling
while adding a more powerful 2.0 L 110 hp (82 kW)
engine and other performance enhancements. The 3
Series was for some time the smallest car line manufactured
by BMW, although that place was in 2004 taken by
the BMW 1 Series. The 3 series is BMW's best selling
automobile, accounting for nearly 40% of all automobiles
sold by the company in 2005.
From its sporting origins in 1975, the
E21 generation, available in two and four-door forms(e30
on), as well as a later in-house full convertible
(e30 on) (replacing one developed by Baur of Germany),
became a more formal range that was synonymous with
the "yuppie" generation. Being an accessible
prestige-badge car, the 3 Series' reputation grew
at this time. By the early 21st century, the E46
3 Series, designed by American Chris Bangle, was
the best-selling car of its size in the world, as
commonplace in Asia and America as in Europe, while
maintaining its prestigious image.
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