The Car Spy

It’s impossible to dislike the M3. In fact, we would go as far to say that it is probably the best car ever made. Well, if you don’t need a carry-all for the kids or a 4×4 to climb mountains (or Chelsea pavements) then this ‘wunderauto’ is an act that is hard to beat. From its intial inception as the E30 the M3 has raised the bar consistently when it comes to road-going high-performance cars that Joe Public can use without the need for special tuition on a track. The E30 is a rare old bird now and collectors will pay silly money for a nice original example (if they can find one!). The E36 came along next in 1992 with a nice sharp suit and performance figures that truly embarassed the likes of Ferrari and Porsche. The straight six-cylinder on steroids eventually pumped out 320 BHP and saw the introduction of the revolutionary SMG gearbox.  This car really did put the cat in the birdcage. It could even be said the ‘horsepower wars’ started when this car came along. Suddenly the M3 was the benchmark that had to be beaten and 300-plus BHP was soon to be de-rigeur for any sports car to be taken seriously. It wasn’t all about the horses though. The M3 was a great driver’s car – in other words, it handled superbly. At the turn of the new millennium the E46 M3 was born. More space, more comfort, more power and even easier to drive with the optional second-generation SMG gearbox.  The E46 is a real looker, too. Even though the E90 has now replaced this version we have a feeling that the E46 will have its own fan club of admirers for many years to come. It looks muscular yet restrained and there isn’t a bad angle on the car to be caught on camera. What great value these E46’s are these days too! We have just put a gorgeous Carbon Black example of an SMG convertible on our books for a customer and this one comes with all of the toys too – for less than £20k!! Click here for a full details or click here for a Pistonheads review of the E46 M3.