I want to take the time to give recognition to a automobile that will forever hold a place in the history of touring cars, the BMW E46 M3. Not only is this my all-time favorite car it is also one of the most well respected touring cars ever made. The E46 M3 was in production from 2001 to 2006 and was the most popular selling M in the history of BMW's existence (BMWUSA). Over the course of the cars existence there was the standard hardtop and convertible models as well as a GTR and CSL model as well. The most popular of all the models was, of course, the hardtop. This was also the last model M3 that can strictly as a coupe, unlike the E92 M3, which has a four door model. The E46 model certainly embodies everything that a pure bread luxury-sports car is and always will be.
The body design of the E46 grew from the E36 body design, found on all M3s made from 1992 to 1999. The overall shape of the E36 model was a bit boxy from the front to the rear. The boxy shape of the E36 was scrapped in 2000 and the release of the E46 model had critics raving. The front end shared the same circular headlights as the E36, but were now encased in a rounded rectangular housing; this helped accent the vehicles lines. Along with the redesigned headlights, the fenders were flared to give the car a wider looking stance front to back. One significant redesign found on the E46 was the addition of the chrome side grilles which complimented the 19" optional chrome wheels (available with the sport package). Moving toward the rear of the car, the taillights were tweak a bit but still retained the classic Bimmer look. To conclude our tour of the exterior we must mention the most recognizable aspect of the E46 M3, the quad tailpipes located at the center of the bumper. The E36 model sported the generic dual tailpipes offset to the left but the E46 had been given twice the amount of pipes and the location of them made for a very F1-style design. In fact, the center-set design of the E46 M3's tailpipes was so popular that it was carried on to the new E92 model M. Note: the interior remained basically the same for the exception of a optional navigation in-dash navigation system.
The body design of the E46 grew from the E36 body design, found on all M3s made from 1992 to 1999. The overall shape of the E36 model was a bit boxy from the front to the rear. The boxy shape of the E36 was scrapped in 2000 and the release of the E46 model had critics raving. The front end shared the same circular headlights as the E36, but were now encased in a rounded rectangular housing; this helped accent the vehicles lines. Along with the redesigned headlights, the fenders were flared to give the car a wider looking stance front to back. One significant redesign found on the E46 was the addition of the chrome side grilles which complimented the 19" optional chrome wheels (available with the sport package). Moving toward the rear of the car, the taillights were tweak a bit but still retained the classic Bimmer look. To conclude our tour of the exterior we must mention the most recognizable aspect of the E46 M3, the quad tailpipes located at the center of the bumper. The E36 model sported the generic dual tailpipes offset to the left but the E46 had been given twice the amount of pipes and the location of them made for a very F1-style design. In fact, the center-set design of the E46 M3's tailpipes was so popular that it was carried on to the new E92 model M. Note: the interior remained basically the same for the exception of a optional navigation in-dash navigation system.
The E36 M3 made for a nice track car and was also the first M3 to be powered by a six-cylinder (BimmerWorld). The tradition was renewed in the E46 model, which had a very similar inline-six that had been tuned to produce 333bhp with 269 torque. The overall handling and engine performance helped the E46 M3 finally make a name for BMW's M line, winning countless awards over the time of its production. The engine mated with a six speed manual transmission, or the less popular SMG (Sequential Manual Gearbox), made for a smooth ride around town but was easily capable of tacking down nearly anything it faced on the track. The naturally aspirated engine found in the E46 was one of the best engines ever made in terms of the size to power ratio and is capable of sustaining nearly 1000bhp. Not that it is at all necessary, but a vast range of after market performance parts are available for the E46 model from a range of manufacturers.
In conclusion, the BMW E46 M3 has been put through the paces time in and time out and has passed with flying colors. Even though the model has not been produced since 2006, the car is still one of the most sought after sports cars on the market today and still turns heads when cruising down the street. Whether you plan on tracking the car or just using it as your daily driver, the E46 M3 will behave nothing short of touring-car royalty.
