The E46 3 Series was the successor to the E36 3 Series, whose manufacturing terminated in 2000, and is the fourth generation of the BMW 3 Series line of small executive automobiles. It was manufactured by the German automaker BMW from 1997 to 2006. The E46 was first made available in sedan, coupe, convertible, station wagon, and hatchback body styles in November 1997. The 3 Series Compact has been the name given to the latter.
The 2-door coupe version of the M3 performance variant debuted in June 2000, while the convertible version debuted in April 2001. The BMW S54 straight-six engine powers the M3, which has a 6-speed manual or 6-speed SMG-II automated manual transmission as an option.
After the E90 3 Series sedans were released in late 2004, the E46 lineup began to be phased out. The E46 coupe and convertible body types, however, were still manufactured up until August 2006.
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But how are the figures divided?
103,704 people purchased the E30 3 Series Touring, which was a respectable amount for the late 1980s.
With a total of 130,611 units sold, its replacement, the E36 3 Series Touring, enjoyed around a 30% greater degree of success.
The 3 Series Touring didn’t start to reveal its true worth until the E46 generation. A total of 428,061 E46 3 Series Touring cars were sold, a 227 percent increase in sales. Impressive? I have no doubts!
The sales increase from the E46 Touring to the E91 Touring wasn’t as large, but it was still impressive. This was to be expected. With 588,863 units sold, over 37% more customers chose the brand to purchase the E91 3 Series Touring. As a result, the E91 platform has produced the best-selling BMW Touring model.
We now have the full sales figures, which come to 501,147 after the F31 3 Series Touring went out of production earlier this year. In other words, over 25% of all sales of the 3 Series.
As was to be predicted, Europe was the largest market, with 33 percent of models sold going to German consumers, 13 percent to British customers, and 10 percent to Italian customers. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Australia were other prosperous nations that imported the 3er Touring.
One statistic that jumps out is from Italy, where Touring vehicles made up 75% of all F3x 3 Series models. Or, as we say in the US, sports wagons.
After the 3 Series GT was discontinued, the new 2019 BMW 3 Series Touring G21 is now going into production. We anticipate it to outsell its predecessor in terms of sales.
Unfortunately, the lovely touring won’t be available on the US market anytime soon, so we opted to test the previous generation once more in the meanwhile.
Numbers of BMW E46 M3s produced
A total of 85,766 BMW E46 M3s were made, including 29,633 convertibles and 56,133 coupes.
It was produced from 2000 to 2006, when the contentious V8-powered E90 took its place. Over 14,000 more units were produced overall than the E36 M3 that came before it and more than five times as many as the E30 M3 from the 1980s.
The E46 was immensely popular from the start and is still so thanks to its timeless looks. A short search of our favorite used car sales websites reveals a variety of vehicles for sale, with beginning bids as low as $12,000 in the US and PS10,000 in the UK. Excellent, a reasonably priced M vehicle; time to get the wallet out.
But wait, we ought to be aware by now that, in the world of investing in cars, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. You’ll need to look a little closer and delve a little further if you’re considering one of them for financial purposes.
How numerous are BMW E46s?
The E30 generation of the original M3 was unveiled in 1986, while the E36 generation was unveiled in 1992.
The E30 was actually a racing vehicle that BMW manufactured as a homologation special so that its M Performance division could compete.
Its tremendous popularity among buyers of performance cars and on the racetrack convinced the firm that it had a lot of potential. So when the second version of the M3 came out, BMW transformed it into a much more sophisticated, swifter, more comfortable car. Purists said that there wasn’t much of a difference between the E36 M3 and the ordinary model.
The business decided to go all out and design the E46 M3 nearly from scratch using a variety of unique parts and components.
The auto industry was shocked when the E46 M3 was unveiled in late 2000. It had classic yet aggressive styling, a powerful (by today’s standards) engine, and true M styling. The engine was paired with a fun-to-use six-speed manual and cutting-edge SMG II automated manual gearboxes, which produced superb handling.
First-round results showed that the E46 3-Series platform was a perfect fit for this version of the car, which drove as well as it looked.
The engine is the beating heart of any M vehicle, and in the case of the E46 M3, that engine was the S54, a 3.2-liter, straight-six with 343 horsepower and a redline of 8,000 rpm. It also produced 269 lb-ft of torque and took little over 5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph thanks to an aluminium block and head and electronically controlled throttle bodies. Although the statistics are acceptable even today, in 2000, they were very similar to the base Porsche 911 numbers.
The E46 was available in two unique versions: coupe and convertible, however BMW decided against making a sedan version similar to the E36 M3. BMW produced exactly 85,766 vehicles over the course of the six-year run, making the E46 M3 the most popular M3 to date.
A good automobile, the BMW E46?
There are a few things you should be aware of to make a secure purchase if you’re looking to buy a secondhand early 2000s E46s.
Among the most enduring BMW models are the 3 Series versions from the early 2000s. Whether you choose a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan, there are a few aspects about the used 3 Series cars from the early 2000s that you should be aware of.
One of the most popular BMW models in history is the E46. The E46, which was built from 1999 to 2006, restored BMW’s reputation for producing dependable vehicles.
Maintaining an old, used BMW (or any old automobile, for that matter) is the main expense of ownership. While JD Power lists BMW as one of the most dependable automakers currently, there is no getting around old, faulty auto parts. Let’s discuss all you need to know before buying a used BMW 3 Series without further ado.
What followed E46?
The BMW 3 Series’ fifth generation began with the BMW E90. By the end of the BMW E46 period in 2002, the 3 Series had already had a facelift with brand-new headlights and taillights.
The BMW E90 3 Series Sedan and E91 Sports Wagon eras began in 2006, respectively. Along with it, the BMW E92 3 Series Coupe and E93 3 Series Convertible were introduced.
The fifth generation of the 3 Series has undergone significant mechanical and aesthetic improvements. First, a dimension increase was brought on by the switch from the BMW E46 to the E90. The new 3 Series E90 was more balanced because to its wider tracks, bigger wheelbase (1.4 inches wider than E46), and roomier cabin.
Why are E46 M3 prices so high?
Due to the BMW E46 M3’s timeless design, getting one to call your own might be expensive, especially for examples in immaculate condition.
The versatility of this vehicle makes it appealing to a wide range of drivers. The E46 had a wide range of trims and color choices for the exterior and inside, allowing for factory customization. The regular E46 GTR Sport model still serves a useful purpose as a daily driver even though it was used in racing competitions in the early 2000s.
The passion for BMW E46 M3s also contributes to their increasing value over time. If you already own one, that’s fantastic news, but if you’re seeking to acquire one, the potential hole in your wallet will only widen. Buildjournal states that an E46 typically costs around $26,000. It was little over $19,000 in 2016. And those are for models with a significant amount of miles on them. Expect to pay more for a low-mileage E46 M3 than you would for a brand-new 2022 M4. According to Sports Car Market, a used E46 sold for $84,000 earlier this year, and the limited-edition E46 M3 CSL (Coupe Sport Leichtbau) is expected to sell for over $100,000.
Because the mileage, history, and overall condition are important factors, the price range between E46s is so wide. Be prepared to spend extra money maintaining the automobile, especially if you want to use it frequently. Maintenance costs can add up quickly.
Which E46 year is the best?
Although it’s difficult to go wrong with any model year of the E46, we would recommend the 2002 and later model years to driving aficionados for their increased power and pure steering feel, as well as for the redesigned styling that appeared on the sedan and wagon in that year (and came a year later for coupes and convertibles).
It should be noted that it is also feasible to find a 2001 with the extra displacement but without the over-boosted steering if the visual upgrades are not important to you. BMW offered free (and later paid) recalibration services for impacted 2001 vehicles, and late-model cars had factory-installed stronger steering.
The ZHP-equipped 330i does a great job of bridging the gap as the E46 M3 is out of most people’s price range. A 330i or even a 325i, especially one with the Sport package and a manual gearbox, would undoubtedly satisfy the majority of people who enjoy driving. However, the rather uncommon (in comparison to all the 325/330s out there) 330i ZHP would be well-served by those seeking even sharper handling and even quicker acceleration.
Who created E46?
Erik Goplen, a talented external designer for BMW who also created the famous E46 3 Series, is back at work on the brand-new F25 BMW X3. The 2011 BMW X3 is a product of the renowned BMW DesignworksUSA shop in California, just as the first-generation model.
The BMW E46 3 Series, one of the most well-known and admired 3 Series to date, was also created by the American designer while he was serving as creative director for DesignworksUSA. We have a design heritage to uphold, Goplen, a devoted historic vehicle collector who owns a 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta, stated in one of his interviews.
We are happy to have him back in the game because he is obviously a very creative and enthusiastic designer.
According to our sources, Ulrich Strohle designed the interior of the new F25 BMW X3 in Munich, while DesignWorksUSA worked on the exterior.
Only a few days remain till the new X3 is unveiled, and yesterday the first teaser images were released online. Instead of the revolutionary design that some consumers were hoping for, the second-generation X3 introduces an evolutionary one. The F25 X3 has more softened corners than the previous model while still maintaining a slightly boxy appearance.
The changes will be seen to and felt by the customers below the surface. The second generation of the X3 is all about “reverse engineering” the previous E83 model, and BMW took into account both the positive and negative criticism. The updated design will come with a long list of appealing options.
In Europe, the 2011 BMW X3 will go on sale later this year; sales in North America will start in 2011.