In many ways, the E46 generation was a return to form in the United States for the M3 lineup. Unlike its predecessor the E36 M3, the E46 was a car intended to be sold around the world from the get-go and equipped with BMW's motorsport-derived S54 inline-6. Upon its release in 2000, the E46 M3 was immediately winning magazine road tests, as well as the favor of enthusiasts around the world thanks to its neutral handling and responsive and melodic engine note. Along with its improved driving characteristics, the E46 M3 received a massive upgrade in refinement over the previous car- material quality on the interior was significantly improved and extensive time was spent making sure the vehicle felt like a truly complete package.

This 2002 BMW M3 is finished in Titanium Silver Over a black leather interior and indicates just 38,676 miles on the odometer. Titanium Silver is a great color that does an impressive job of highlighting the subtle curves and flares on this generation M3- something that is frequently lost on dark-colored examples. This car is fitted with a set of the desirable 19” Competition Pack wheels that both allow for the fitment of higher-performance tires and add to the sporting appearance.

Black leather is fitted to the seats, doors, and steering wheel- and the leather in this car is in exceptional condition. Accented with brushed aluminum trim, the interior is pleasantly simple in a way that new cars aren't and allows the driver to focus more on the enjoyment of the drive, than a large center console screen. One of the most beloved features of the E46 M3 interior is the unique gauge and the tachometer in particular. In an effort to keep the highly-tuned S54 happy for a long time, BMW developed a moving redline that would begin to get smaller as the engine oil came up to temperature. Not only does this look great on the dashboard but provides truly useful information to ensure you don't wind your car out before it's ready.

Without a doubt, one of the best inline-6s ever produced by BMW is the S54 found in the E46 M3. With dual overhead cams, individual throttle bodies, and VANOS on the intake and exhaust cams, the S54 feels like a proper motorsport engine in the high revs, but that maintains the ability to be happily used around town as well. This is then connected to a slick 6-speed manual gearbox which has wonderful gear spacing and sends power to the rear wheels. What makes driving the E46 M3 so pleasant is that from behind the wheel, it really feels like BMW engineers designed it to be a perfectly well-rounded package. Frequently, cars are saddled with more power than handling or a great chassis, but they lack a nice shifter feel or power to have fun- this car really doesn't suffer from any of that and it is no surprise they are many enthusiast's performance benchmark.

The E46 M3 has been a popular performance car since it was new and unlike so many other sports cars, it never really fell out of favor-even when the E90 replaced it in 2007. That being said, prices did dip for a number of years and many M3s fell into the hands of drivers who were unable to keep them in good shape. Because of this, values for truly great examples like this one have been on the upswing as they are getting harder and harder to find- if you have always wanted an E46 M3 or want to revisit the chassis, you'll be hard pressed to find a better example than this car.