The BMW 323ti Compact (E36) was the long-awaited six-cylinder version of the short BMW 3 Series. It was only launched in the marketplace in 1997, i.e. three years after the introduction of the first Compact models in the market. The vehicle was equipped with the M52 power unit provided with a displacement of 2.5 litres and VANOS on the intake camshaft. The engine was originally designed for the Euro 2 emissions standard and from 1999 it was fitted with a secondary air pump, which improved the emissions values. This enabled the engine to achieve Euro 3 standard. No other engineering changes were made. The combination of Compact bodywork and inline six-cylinder engine made the BMW 323i Compact a unique selling proposition. When the model was discontinued in August 2000, a total of some 15,000 units had been manufactured.