Five Reasons to Own the E46 M3

The guys at Bimmerclub have produced a little ode to the E46 M3, one of the more celebrated platforms from BMW's proud M history to date. While the car was hugely popular at launch, it's seeing a huge uptick in people eager to experience the car today, nearly twenty years since its debut. The reason? Well, the Bimmerclub guys will give you five of them just in case one wasn't enough.

I've been driving mine a bit more nowadays ever since I had to take it in for the (second) airbag recall. Doing so has definitely reminded me of all the things that make it a really special car to keep around. It's not nearly as raw as the E36 M3 by any means, but I think it balances a true sports car personality with something incredibly livable on a day to day basis so well. Truthfully, this has been the signature of BMW M since its inception, but the E46 is at a sweet spot right now that makes it a really compelling buy: enough modernity to keep touch with the digital age, yet analog enough to give you the real driving sensation you crave.

But more than anything else, the E46 M3 continues to be cherished because of its community and that's a really special thing to see. Surely, a car like this is one that begs to stay, even as other cars join its ranks. But the people you meet and the friendships you make because of it make it irreplaceable.