The 3 Series is the quintessential BMW sedan, but for about a decade, it also came as a hatchback. The original 3 Series Compact was essentially the 1 Series before the 1 Series, offering a smaller, more affordable way into BMW ownership without abandoning rear-wheel drive. However, while the E36/5 Compact arrived with three doors, Munich apparently considered giving it two more.

Now, BMW has pulled a mysterious five-door prototype from its vault, revealing an unusual piece of brand history that never made it to production. Meet the otherwise humble 316i Compact, an experimental E36/5 variant that adds two rear doors to the familiar hatchback body style. Unlike the better-known three-door model, this one-off prototype remained out of public view for decades before BMW Classic finally showed it off.

The car started life in Boston Green, with a cloth interior, an automatic transmission, and heated seats. It has since been repainted red, but some unusual details suggest it was never intended to be a showroom-ready production model. For example, the car has glorious crank windows despite having electric window switches on the center console. This curious combination hints at the prototype's experimental nature.

As for why it never made it to production, BMW hasn't said. An educated guess would be cost. Adding another pair of doors would have required extra engineering and tooling for a car whose main selling point was affordability. A five-door body also would have overlapped with the regular 3 Series sedan and Touring, both of which already catered to buyers who needed extra practicality.

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