Car Model History

First generation · E21 · 1977–1983

1977BMW 3 Series

The original 3 Series — a two-door sport sedan that replaced the 02 Series (the 2002). US cars arrived for 1977; the E21 established the compact rear-drive BMW formula the line still follows.

First generation · E21

1977 BMW 320i E21 Group 5, front view

Photo: “1977 BMW 320i GR5 (front).jpg” by David Merrett / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.

Quick facts

Engines
1offered2.0L fuel-injected M10 inline-four
Top output
110hp2.0L fuel-injected M10 inline-four

Body styles2-door sedan

Start here

What do you need to know?

This page covers the whole 1977 BMW 3 Series model year. Choose your task first; exact trims and engines are separated where the factory offered different versions.

Complete, source-verified lineup

Find your exact 1977 3 Series

Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.

1factory configurations
Verified complete for the U.S.-marketHow this lineup was verified

We checked this U.S.-market lineup against period sources for BMW's complete 1977 U.S. debut roster: the two-door E21 320i. Every version shown below has its own detail page.

Verified 2026-09-01 from BMW of North America — first 3 Series U.S. history and specifications, BMW of North America — new BMW 3 Series Sedan and Sports Wagon technical release.

1versions shown
Two-door sedan

BMW 320i

Body
Two-door sedan
Engine
2.0L fuel-injected M10 inline-four (110 hp / 112 lb-ft)
Gearbox
4-speed Getrag manual or 3-speed ZF automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version

The 1977 model year

Overview

The 3 Series reached the United States for 1977, replacing the 2002 as BMW's compact, rear-drive sport sedan. BMW offered one U.S. model: the two-door 320i, with a fuel-injected 2.0-liter M10 four-cylinder rated at 110 hp and 112 lb-ft, paired with a four-speed Getrag manual or three-speed ZF automatic.

Specifications

Engines
  • 2.0L fuel-injected M10 inline-four110 hp
Body styles
2-door sedan

Year over year

What changed

  • US launch of the 3 Series, succeeding the 2002 / 02 Series.
  • The 320i was the sole U.S. model, with manual and automatic transmission choices.

Worth knowing

Notable

  • The first-ever 3 Series — the start of BMW's most important model line.
  • European six-cylinder and additional four-cylinder models were not part of the 1977 U.S. roster.

Living with it

Reliability & ownership notes

  • Rust, Bosch fuel-injection condition, cooling-system health, and aging electrical connections are key survivor checks.
  • Confirm the original 2.0-liter 1977 powertrain rather than assuming later 1.8-liter E21 service parts apply.

Maintenance & service parts

Keep your 1977 3 Series on the road

Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.

Service desk

What this car needs & when

Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1977 BMW 3 Series. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.

Service topics
10
Factory intervals
8
Fitment-scoped
10
Exact references
1

Before orderingIdentify your engine, options and build date.Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.

  • Engine oil and filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 6,000 mi / 9,600 km · Change at the BMW Oil Service and again at each 12,500-mile BMW Programtest.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 94 — engine and engine-oil-filter rows · checked

  • BMW Programtest

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 12,500 mi / 20,000 km · After the initial 600-mile Programtest, repeat the published BMW Programtest at this interval.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook pp. 94–95 — service-instruction-plan column headings · checked

  • Manual-transmission oil

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · manual · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 25,000 mi / 40,000 km · Change at every second BMW Programtest; check the level at each Programtest.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 94 — manual-gearbox row and 25,000-mile footnote · checked

    Automatic-transmission oil

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · automatic · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 25,000 mi / 40,000 km · Change at every second BMW Programtest; check the level regularly.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 94 — automatic-transmission row and 25,000-mile footnote · checked

  • Engine coolant

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 24 months · Renew the coolant filling every two years.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 95 — radiator row · checked

  • Brake and clutch hydraulic fluid

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 12 months · Renew the brake-system fluid once a year; check the level regularly.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 95 — brake/clutch hydraulic-fluid row · checked

  • Main fuel filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 12,500 mi / 20,000 km · Replace at each BMW Programtest; clean the fuel-tank pre-mesh filter every 37,500 miles.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 95 — fuel-supply rows · checked

  • Engine air-filter element

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 12,500 mi / 20,000 km · Renew at each BMW Programtest.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 95 — air-filter row · checked

  • Final-drive oil

    Fitment must be confirmed

    Change the factory running-in oil at the initial 600-mile Programtest; check the final-drive level at each recurring Programtest.

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 94 — final-drive row · checked

  • Throttle linkage, hinges, locks, and latches

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1977 · M10 2.0L fuel-injected inline-four · 320i (E21) · United States · Exact 1977 US 320i factory handbook; later E21 schedules and other-market engines are not claimed.

    Published interval: 12,500 mi / 20,000 km · Lubricate at each BMW Programtest; the initial Programtest also lubricates the throttle linkage.

    Source: BMW — 1977 320i Owner's Handbook, factory US edition (preserved by Steve's BMW 320i Site) · Owner's Handbook p. 94 — linkage, hinge, lock, and latch rows · checked

  • Engine oil filter — catalog fitment

    Exact reference available

    Applies to: 1977 · United States

    2.0L fuel-injected M10 inline-four (110 hp / 112 lb-ft) — K&N HP-1002

    K&N HP-1002

    Manufacturer-catalog replacement-part fitment only; it does not establish a BMW service interval. Confirm the VIN, production date, engine, and installed filter dimensions before ordering.

    Applies to: 1977 · 2.0L fuel-injected M10 inline-four (110 hp / 112 lb-ft) · 320i · United States · Exact model-year and engine-family catalog scope; verify VIN and production date before ordering.

    Source: K&N — BMW 320i replacement oil-filter catalog · 1977 BMW 320i 1.8L/2.0L gasoline — HP-1002 · checked

    Verified ordering references

Collect

Bring this model year home

Find a scale model using the exact year, make, and model—not a generic generation search.

Sources

  1. BMW of North America — first 3 Series U.S. history and specifications
  2. BMW of North America — new BMW 3 Series Sedan and Sports Wagon technical release

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