The BMW 3 Series is a compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. Successor to the BMW New Class, it has been produced in six different generations and in no fewer than five different body styles. It is BMW's best-selling model, accounting for around 30% of the BMW brand's annual total sales (excluding motorbikes).

BMW released its E21 in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis, attracting customers seeking both prestige and economy, nearly doubling BMW's worldwide auto sales figures in three years, and winning numerous automotive world awards and honours. The 3 series has also maintained BMW's racing heritage. The M version of the 3 series, M3, debuted in 1988.

There have been six generations of the 3 Series, and their respective chassis codes:

The two-door saloon model only. A factory authorised cabrio version was also built by Baur. The series was superseded by the BMW E30 series.

The cockpit design of the E21 marked the introduction of a new design concept for BMW, with the center console angled towards the driver. This feature has become part of BMW’s interior design philosophy for many years. As a sign of passive safety, all edges and control elements within the interior were rounded off and padded.

Joey Hand is an American professional race car driver. A former champion of the Star Mazda Series, Hand is best known as a sports car driver, and is co-winner of the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Born in 1979 in Sacramento, California, Hand is married to Natalie and has two children.

Hand began his career in kart racing, starting at the age of 12. Moving up to the Star Mazda Series in 1998, Hand won nine races in the series, winning the rookie of the year award in 1998 and the series championship in 1999.

Following an injury that sidelined him for most of the 1999 season, Hand moved up to the Toyota Atlantic series in 2001, scoring two wins in three years spent in the series, with a best championship finish of third in 2001.

Beginning with the 2004 season, Hand has raced in the Grand American Road Racing Association's Rolex Sports Car Series, racing in both the Grand Touring and Daytona Prototype classes, winning five times in the GT category while driving BMWs. Hand has also raced sporadically in the American LeMans Series; in 2006, Hand was involved in a spectacular end-over-end crash at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, while in 2009, he won the first pole position for a BMW in eight years in the ALMS at Road America.