The third-generation M3 can travel at 155 mph (250 km/h).
With over 85,000 sales, the BMW M3 of the E46 generation is still the most popular BMW M vehicle. It was a perfect combination of a low curb weight and low center-of-gravity, as well as a high-revving, inline-six engine. It’s capable even by modern standards. A new video from the AutoTopNL channel YouTube shows that.
The driver of this video easily exceeds the speed limit of 137 miles an hour (2220 km/h) on some sections of the German Autobahn. It seems that the M3 is able to reach speeds of 155 mph (250 km/h), and there is potential for more. It can reach speeds of around 168 mph (270 km/h) in this video, with an engine that runs at just under 8,000 RPM.
The M3 E46’s heart was BMW’s 3.2-liter S54B32 inline-six S54B32 motor, which is a continuation of its predecessor. This was a completely new development at that time. The original model launched in 2000 with 343 horsepower (252 Kilowatts) plus 269 pound-feet (356 Newton-meters). The video shows the car with a six-speed manual gearbox. An optional automatic manual transmission was also available.
The curb weight of the M3 E46 is 3,461 pounds (1.570 kilograms). On paper, it should be able to accelerate from a standstill at 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 5.1 seconds. It has an electronically controlled maximum speed of 155 MPH (250 Kph), but the video clearly shows that it can reach speeds much higher.
Last note: The M3 E46 also had a version with V8 engines. This was the road-legal GTR that was built to homologate the race car. The sports coupe could reach speeds of 183 mph (295 km/h) with the larger engine.