#E46 m3 specs 2003 redline manual#
#E46 m3 specs 2003 redline series#

The E46 sedan was unveiled via press release on 11 November 1997 and was launched on the market at the end of April 1998 with customer deliveries. Erik Goplen designed the production coupГ©, convertible and station wagon during 1996вЂ“1997.

#E46 m3 specs 2003 redline series#

Production development of the sedan took 24 months following design freeze and was 31 months from executive board styling approval in 1995 to its start of series production in December 1997. Д¬hris Bangle and Wolfgang Reitzle (BMW head of R&D) were responsible through 1995 for the production sedan's exterior, as evident in the 1997 design patent. Design patents were filed in Germany on 16 July 1997 and in the US on 16 January 1998. The design team put an emphasis on improving aerodynamics and increasing the car's aggressive stance.

In May 1995, the general exterior design of the E46 by Erik Goplen of DesignworksUSA was approved and as a result DesignworksUSA was contracted by BMW to work alongside BMW Group's in-house design team to create the exterior bodywork for the 3 Series range in February 1996. In late 1993, design work began under chief designer Chris Bangle and continued into 1995. In 1993, the development programme for the E46 began under chief engineer Wolfgang Ziebart and head of R&D Wolfgang Reitzle. However, the E46 coupГ© and convertible body styles remained in production until August 2006. The E46 line-up was phased out starting from late 2004, following the introduction of the E90 3 Series sedans.

#E46 m3 specs 2003 redline manual#

It is powered by the BMW S54 straight-six engine with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed SMG-II automated manual transmission. The M3 performance model was introduced in June 2000 with a coupГ© body style, followed by the convertible counterpart in April 2001. The latter has been marketed as the 3 Series Compact. First introduced in November 1997, the E46 was available in sedan, coupГ©, convertible, station wagon and hatchback body styles. The BMW E46 is the fourth generation of the BMW 3 Series range of compact executive cars, which was produced by the German automaker BMW from 1997 to 2006, and was the successor to the E36, which ceased production in 2000.

Whilst you can show off a bit more in the convertibles, and theyвЂ™re far more fun in the summer, itвЂ™s well known that investors will generally prefer the thoroughbred, more stable coupe version of any sports car. However, thatвЂ™s not to say itвЂ™s to everyoneвЂ™s taste weвЂ™re aware of a number of enthusiasts who enjoy the SMG version just as much, despite what youвЂ™ll read online.ДЄnother consideration needs to be whether you go for a coupe or a convertible. The former is much preferred by investors, and given the choice weвЂ™d pick the manual too. Whilst it is still technically the same gearbox, it only has two pedals and gears are changed by a pump linked up to the carвЂ™s steering wheel paddles. The E46 M3 came with a choice of two a six-speed manual, and the second generation of their sequential manual gearbox (SMG II). So how do you avoid getting burnt? A good way to narrow your search would be to take into consideration some of the factors that car investors will be looking for in years to come.ДЇirstly, the gearbox. The same people would now love to sell you their M3 at a bargain rate.Д«MW E46 M3 Convertible BMW E46 M3 buyerвЂ™s guide We like to call this the вЂ minefield phaseвЂ™ here at The Car Investor.ДЄ significant proportion of these cars will inevitably have fallen into the hands of people who were lured in by the relatively cheap asking price, and then prioritised buying new rims and adding random plastic stuff to the bodywork, rather than splashing out on the maintenance an M car needs to survive into its later years. Whilst many are already considering the E46 M3 a classic, itвЂ™s now between 15 and 20 years old. If youвЂ™re seriously looking at one of these for investment purposes, youвЂ™re going to need to look a little harder, and dig a little deeper. Excellent, an affordable M car, time to get the chequebook out then.Д«ut hang on, we should know by now that in the world of car investment, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. A quick check on our favorite used car sales sites show a number of cars up for sale, with prices starting at an incredible $12,000 in the US and ВЈ10,000 in the UK. The E46 was incredibly popular from day one, and with its timeless looks, continues to be today.