Words Andrew Everett | Pictures Total BMW

Straight-six power isn’t always the key to E36 driver enjoyment. We look at what’s involved in buying the economical but zesty four-pot 318iS

History
The 318iS Coupé arrived 19 years ago, on 23 April 1991 to be exact. Like the 320i and 325i Coupés, the iS had a spec that included body colour bumpers, folding rear seats with through loading, unique alloy wheels, M Technic suspension, three-spoke leather steering wheel, central locking and the M42 16-valve engine revised from the E30 318iS. Performance was satisfactory too: 0-60 in 9.3 seconds; 0-100 in 30 seconds; and 130 mph flat out. It would also do 35 mpg on a run and the smaller engine gave it a lighter feel. The E36 was a great handling car and the iS Coupé even better. 

At £17,250 it wasn’t cheap but it was cheaper than the 16v VW Corrado and wasn’t beyond the reach of Vauxhall Calibra 2.0i buyers. The only real change came in late 1995 when the 1.8 M42 engine was replaced by the 1.9-litre M44. Torque was increased slightly and the final drive ratio raised from 3.45 to 3.38. A driver’s airbag was standardised in 1994 along with EWS ‘chipped key’ anti-theft technology, and the grille gained wider kidneys in September 1996. In this form, the 318iS was produced into 1999 when it was replaced by the E46 318Ci. That car used an eight valve 1.9 engine and wasn’t as zippy as the old iS.

Engine
Both the M42 1800 and M44 1900 are decent strong units that take a lot of abuse. They look similar but are very different under the skin. The M42 was a development of the E30 318iS engine but it has a rear sump bulge, different inlet manifolding with a DISA valve to redirect inlet air flow at lower RPM, and the head uses single not double valve springs and thinner valve stems. The other change was the replacement of the troublesome lower chain guide gear with a nylon slipper guide.

The main issue with the M42 is a cracked head. They are normally fine, but get one of these too hot and you will crack the cylinder head; this is not repairable. They crack on cylinders two or three (often both) from the exhaust valve seat across to the water way. The first you’ll know of this is when the car starts on three cylinders and latches onto number four shortly after – that’s coolant dribbling into the cylinder overnight and putting the spark out until it dries out.

tech spec

MODEL         ENGINE     POWER    TORQUE    MAX SPEED    0-60
318iS 1.8      1796cc/4    140 bhp    129lb.ft      128 mph          9.3 secs
318iS 1.9      1895cc/4    140 bhp    132lb.ft      132 mph          9.2 secs

For the complete buying guide including overall verdict and prices see the August 2011 issue of Total BMW
Back issues available here