1983 BMW 316 | Chichester, West Sussex

The BMW 316 is the smaller-engined version of the E21, the first 3 Series: a compact, rear-wheel-drive two-door saloon. It is known for its driver-angled dashboard, the BMW kidney grille and the neat, upright lines of early-1980s design. By this date the 316 badge went with a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine. This car is white with a blue interior, a light, clean pairing that keeps the straight-edged body easy to read in a frame. Its simple two-door shape and unfussy styling leave the location, or the people beside the car, to carry the picture. That period look suits photography and fashion and editorial work set around the turn of the 1980s, and film and TV scenes that need a believable everyday saloon from the era. Advertising and music video get a restrained German classic as a backdrop. A wedding or personal hire brings an understated arrival. The car is based in Chichester, West Sussex.