20 years later, is the BMW E46 M3 still competitive? | Track Test

If you ever get the chance to visit the Nürburgring–and for real, make it happen–a couple bits of the local vibe hit you after you spend a few hours there.

[How to turn your Nürburgring fantasies into Nürburgring realities]

First, the area feels very much like a surf town–just like when you walk around Santa Cruz or San Clemente, you …

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After driving one years ago, but not on track, I've wanted one ever since. Just have never been able to make it work. Now clean ones are $$$$.

As the owner of a high-mileage E46 that is used mostly for grocery runs, the answer is still yes.

My Elantra N may be faster on track, but do I lust after it like the M3? No. 

For the record, I am pretty sure THIS M3 was faster on track...

I love these cars. They have just gone up in value too much at this point.

I own both these cars, I dont understand how the M3 is slower, my guess is the falkens give up signficant time. 

I regret selling mine . . . and yes, I am looking for another one.

In reply to dennisb40 :

Yeah, could have been the tires. Could have been track conditions. Could have been JG knowing I was there. 

I think we can call it a statistical tie. 

E46 M3 was dream but I wanted 4 doors so I set my sights on the E36. Maybe the engine will blow so I can swap an S54 in. 

I think I've driven one twice but I really liked them.

David S. Wallens said:

In reply to dennisb40 :

Yeah, could have been the tires. Could have been track conditions. Could have been JG knowing I was there. 

I think we can call it a statistical tie. 

Yeah I think it's a few things. Tires for sure, and David being all there and his his car appreciating in real time made me ensure a bit of extra safety margin for sure. But I think a lot of it is that cars have just gotten really good in the last decade. The data is way more similar than it is different and that's really impressive considering one of the cars is basically a hotted up econobox and one is a legendary sport sedan.

Sold my track prepped Alpine white E30 M3 that owned for 29 yrs last year so I had to convert my alpine white E46 M3 into a track rat. It now has a Spec 46 MCS suspension. Loves both but miss the E30

If the tests that far apart then I wouldn't read much into a 4 tenth (half a percent) difference in lap time.  Temperature changes, humidity changes, variations in track surface condition can all be worth several seconds just between morning and afternoon sessions on the same day, let alone a year later!

E46 M3s are great cars, I'm racing mine with NASA at Sonoma this weekend and then SCCA at Laguna Seca the one after that. :)

Lots of coverage of the E46 M3 lately, but as you see in the comments; lots of money to own one. The everyday man E46 is still plentiful. any chance of doing some features with one of these. Have one  you can use for a project car, just ask it be returned when done!

In reply to rjracin240 :

You didn’t hear it from me, but we might have some low-buck E36 content heading your way shortly. 

The grid and podiums at Champ Car, Lucky Dog, WRL and pretty much any track day respond with a resounding YES!!!!

A well-prepped E36 or E46 is an absolute weapon in the hands of a skilled driver, but makes a GREAT learning platform. I own both and  put the E36 in the same group as the Miata for a learning platform

My question is which one was the most fun to drive? Any "N" badged car is to be taken seriously, but I bet the E46 was more fun.

In reply to DaleCarter :

I think it’s also interesting that you’d pay about the same to either the E46 M3 or the Elantra N in the garage. 

I spent an hour with the M3 last night–took the back way to DeLand and back. When you’re out there alone on the road, it’s just magical. 

Great comparison, thanks.  Haven't driven the Elantra, but do love the e46 platform.  
Off topic, but scrolling down that list, I'm surprised by the 2014 Cayman's location/pace near the bottom.  I don't recall the article - is their background on that one (or a re-test)?

Having driven it too, I would have expected it to be a little closer to the e46 M3 than where it landed, unless the lack of low end punch hampers it at The FIRM.  
 

Thanks,

Kevin

kmb2002 said:

Great comparison, thanks.  Haven't driven the Elantra, but do love the e46 platform.  
Off topic, but scrolling down that list, I'm surprised by the 2014 Cayman's location/pace near the bottom.  I don't recall the article - is their background on that one (or a re-test)?

Having driven it too, I would have expected it to be a little closer to the e46 M3 than where it landed, unless the lack of low end punch hampers it at The FIRM.  
 

Thanks,

Kevin

That was just the project's first baseline with blown shocks and the stock alignment--here're more details:

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/2014-cayman/track-test-how-fast-is-our-981-porsche-cayman-proj/

Excellent. Thank you for sharing the link!