Can the M3 generation be compared to the M2?
This article is for all BMW enthusiasts who are dissatisfied with the new M3. A blast from the past is the best way to heal wounds, especially when it includes the beloved E46, the last six-pot engine ever built. This three-way race features an E36M3 from 1994 if that is not enough.
A brand new HTML2 Competition is here to keep the oldies honest. It is widely considered to be the spiritual successor of the M3. The new M2 is smaller than its rivals and actually lighter than E46. It’s far more powerful than its predecessors, thanks to two turbochargers that force-feed its 3.0-liter inline-6 engine.
The M2 will have 410 horsepower, but the classic M3s don’t come in stock. The E36 has exhaust and ECU upgrades to produce around 300 horsepower from its 3.0-liter naturally-aspirated six. While the E46 comes with… a cat air freshener! The 2005 M3 is said to produce 340 horsepower with kitty hanging out from the mirror. However, we suspect that there are other enhancements underneath the hood.
We don’t normally like to talk about racing results, but let’s face it. While we love the M3s, neither M3 or M2 can beat the M3. We give credit to the E46, however, for their strong showing. The M3 won the first three races, with the new M2 having a hard time making up the difference. However, the E46 driver managed to slip into third gear. We all experience performance anxiety from time-to-time, which ironically was the case for the E36 driver on the second race. Old cars can sometimes be finicky.
Although the final run was easy, it didn’t really matter. The roll race that followed was also successful, although the gaps were smaller. It is still a mystery, which leads us to the question we’ll be leaving you with, dear readers. The M2 win is well known, but what about E36/E46?
We feel so lucky to have seen these older men in action one more time.