Model History

The E46 M3 was introduced in October 2000. It was only available in coupe and convertible form, with BMW’s six-speed Getrag manual transmission or the six-speed SMG (Sequential Manual Gearbox). The popular S54 naturally aspirated 3.2-litre engine was something special. Producing 338hp with a redline all the way up at 8000rpm the car produced an enjoyable soundtrack to say the least.

A firm favourite among enthusiasts, many people regard this generation of M3 to be the best driving M3 to date. Back in 2001 this car was the best in its class and was named car of the year by various magazines.

The look of the M3 made it stand out from a regular E46 3-Series with its flared arches, more aggressive bumpers, larger wheels, lower suspension, and quad exhaust pipes. The interior featured many upgrades such as new sports seats, an M steering wheel, M dials, and special trim. This example is a post-2003 facelift version, benefiting from LED rear lights amongst other minor cosmetic improvements.

Equipment

Titanium Silver metallic paintwork, Black Nappa leather upholstery, 19-inch forged alloy wheels, 6-speed manual transmission, Electrically adjustable front seats with back width adjustment, Harman/Kardon HiFi sound system, 6 CD changer, Rear parking sensors (PDC), Rain sensor, Xenon lights, LED rear lights, Professional navigation system, Multifunction M leather steering wheel, Rear centre headrest, Alarm system, Headlight washer system, BMW toolkit, Warning triangle, BMW velour overmats, Spare key.

Exterior

Finished in timeless metallic silver, this low mileage M3 coupe presents handsomely throughout. Having just been treated to a full detail and machine polish the paintwork appears in fantastic condition with a deep and uniform shine across every panel. At the front end there are very few stone chips to report, and the bumpers are free from any unsightly scuffs. Looking closer, all of the external trims remain in excellent order, including the kidney grilles, with no major wear or damage. The lights are also nice and clear with no signs of any moisture ingress front or rear.

VIEWINGS WELCOME BY APPOINTMENT ONLY /// ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Interior

The black Nappa leather is a great contrast against the bright exterior paintwork. The electric sports seats are further equipped with electronic back width adjustment, and the upholstery still retains a great matte finish with no major wear to speak of. Other commonly worn items such as the steering wheel and sat nav screen are remarkably well preserved, with an excellent texture to the leather and perfect scratch-free finish respectively. The black carpets are equally fresh having always been protected by tailored BMW mats, and at the rear the seats appear to have seen very little use.

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

The 3.2-litre S54 straight-six fires up with an intoxicating rasp, sounding great through the original exhaust system. Lifting the bonnet you’re greeted by a very clean engine bay that looks to have seen only half the mileage. The car is accompanied by a good maintenance history and comes fully inspected, freshly serviced, and MOT’d at the current mileage. Other notable maintenance work includes replacement of the Vanos unit at 58,625 miles; this was carried out by marque specialists Mr Vanos in September 2016.

WHEELS, TYRES & BRAKES

The M3 sits on immaculate 19-inch diamond-cut wheels, all in perfect unmarked condition having previously been refurbished to the highest standard. They are wrapped in matching Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber with minimal wear to report. The brakes were also checked on arrival with us and remain in fine operational condition with plenty of life left.

History File

Supplied new in 2005 this ‘facelift’ E46 M3 has now driven a mere 61,519 miles. The accompanying History File is complete with the original M leather document pack, owner’s manuals, the stamped service booklet, maintenance invoices, MOT records, and the V5C showing 8 former keepers. On arrival with us the car was fully inspected and freshly serviced for the new owner’s peace of mind; the boot floor area was also checked and no cracking issues around the subframe mounting points were found. All in all, a fantastic example of the fast-appreciating E46 M3 in desirable manual, non-sunroof coupe specification.

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