Specifications
Highlights
• Wonderfully Original Throughout
• Sought-After Competition Pack With a Manual
• The E46 M3 Everyone Wants!
EAG Impressions
Building on the success of the E36, the E46 3-Series refined BMW's compact luxury formula. Its design was evolutionary rather than revolutionary, maintaining the brand's signature styling cues. While European buyers had access to a wide range of diesel and petrol engines, U.S. models were primarily offered with inline-six powerplants. The performance gap between European and U.S. models narrowed significantly with this generation, particularly with the M3. Both markets received the same high-revving 3.2L S54 engine, though European models still enjoyed a slight power advantage due to less restrictive emissions equipment.
Overview
If you grew up learning to love cars through video games in the early 2000s, chances are good that when somebody brings up BMW, the first car that comes to your mind is the E46 M3. A feature in pretty much every racing game of the time, the E46 M3 may not have been the fastest car in the game, but thanks to its powerful inline-6 and balanced handling, it could take on cars that were faster on paper and still win. Unlike many things in video games, this was also true in real life, which is why the E46 has become a truly beloved car among the new generation of car collectors.
This 2005 BMW M3 is finished in Titanium Silver Metallic over a black leather interior, and shows just 38,753 miles at the time of cataloging. On top of the low miles and late production, this M3 was equipped from the factory with the sought-after Competition Package. Coming from the second-to-last model year for the E46 M3, this car benefits from all the desirable LCI modifications, including LED rear lights and updated Xenon headlamps, which look stunning when paired with the 19-inch Competition wheels.
On the inside, the black leather interior shows negligible signs of wear and is fairly uniquely optioned. Up front, the sport seats are both heated and manually adjustable - a rare combination that reduces complexity and cuts a bit of weight from the car. The trim is outfitted with patterned aluminum that gives the cabin a nice, updated feel and works well with the exterior finish. As a Competition, the 3-spoke steering wheel is wrapped in Alcantara and has just a single button on it to switch it into M Track Mode with higher limits for the stability and traction control.
Under the hood, this car is powered by BMW’s legendary S54 inline-6, which produces 333 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. This is then connected to a 6-speed manual gearbox, which sends power to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential. Under the car, the Competition Package gives the car stiffer springs, larger front brake discs, and most importantly, a quicker steering rack that livens up the handling and makes the drive even more involving.
History
Enthusiast Auto Group first received this Titanium Silver over Black M3 back in 2013, and we’ve had the privilege of placing it with multiple long-term enthusiast owners since. Each owner has maintained the car to a high standard, and it has returned to EAG several times for both sales and service, ensuring consistent oversight and documentation throughout its life. Having spent the majority of its time in enthusiast care, this M3 remains in excellent condition inside and out, with clean history, original finishes, and proper maintenance of its S54 powerplant.
With just under 39k miles and complete EAG provenance, this Competition Package M3 represents one of the finest late-production examples of the E46 platform, low-mileage, manual, and preserved to the level that continues to make it one of the most admired modern BMWs ever built.
Gallery
Documentation
