5/7/2021 0 Comments Bmw E46 M3 Forum
BMWs decision not to put it into production hasnt stopped people from building their own custom versions, of course.Its stylish, understated looks, combined with a world-class straight-six engine and expertly tuned chassis dynamics, make it a true joy to drive.
![]() Thinking about picking up an E46 M3 of your own Great choice. The Making of a Legend The E46 M3 was first shown to the public as a concept at the 1999 Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany, before making its debut as a production vehicle at Geneva the following March. Based on the standard 3-Series, it was longer, wider, heavier, and more powerful than its predecessor, the E36. In our initial 2001 test, we were able to clock a 0-60 time of just 4.7 seconds, and a quarter-mile of 13.3 seconds at 106 mphnot bad for a car thats now two decades old. An evolution of the Euro-model E36 M3s S50B32 straight-six, it displaces 3.2 liters and made 333 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque when new. Thats thanks to things like an increased bore, new camshafts, a higher compression ratio, individual throttle bodies, and a VANOS (a German acronym for variable nockenwellen steuerung ) solenoid attached to the front of the engine that uses oil pressure to adjust cam timing. Theres also a one-piece aluminum head casting to save weight and an oil scavenging pump to keep oil flowing during cornering. This motor can also be found in the Z4 M and later versions of the Z3 M. A year into production, BMW added the second iteration of its Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) as an option for those who preferred shifting with paddles. In the rear sits a purely mechanical clutch-type limited-slip differential. Like most M-badged BMWs, the E46 M3 doesnt actually look too different from a standard 3-Series of the era. Most of the changes are subtle, but easy to spot if you know what to look for. The fenders are almost one inch wider all around, with model-specific grilles found on both sides. There are bespoke side mirrors, wider kidney grilles, a quad-exit exhaust, and a raised power dome hood. Inside, the M3 got M-specific sport seats with side bolster adjustment, a three spoke steering wheel with M-colored stitching, an illuminated M-badged shift knob, M-specific gauge cluster, M3-badged door sills, and a handful of model-specific cloth and leather material. Although the car didnt change much visually during its production run, BMW continuously added new standard features and options to keep things fresh. Starting in early 2002, a front strut bar became standard equipment, and buyers could option things like 19-inch forged alloy wheels and brushed aluminum interior trim. LED taillights, a bluetooth phone interface, and two new colors were added in 2003, while the steering rack was revised in late 2004. BMW offered the E46 M3 in just coupe and convertible body styles, despite one of the cars main competitors of the time, the Audi RS4 Avant, coming in wagon-only form. An M3 Touring was, at one point, heavily considered for production by BMW, however. ![]()
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