BMW M3 Coupé E46 Competition

From December 2004 the special sports package was added to the production line. The package is a little deeper and more extensive than you know from the normal M Sport package for the BMW 3 Series E46, but after all it should also intensify the sportiness of the BMW M3 and not that of an ordinary 3 Series. The package was not associated with an increase in performance, but the famous six-cylinder in-line engine with its 343 hp from 3246 cubic centimeters of displacement did not need that either.

The additional package, which can only be ordered for new cars at a price of 5,300 euros, was given a directly geared steering gear (gear ratio 14.5: 1 instead of 15.4: 1). The rims only seem to come from the CSL at first glance. They are narrower and have different offsets, and they are half an inch narrower at the front.

In addition, instead of the Michelin Sport Cup semislicks, the rims at the CSL only wear normal Michelin Pilot Sport tires, which are also fitted in other tire sizes: tires in size 225/40 R 19 are used in the front, rubber in size 255 are used in the rear / 35 R 19.

The chassis has been optimized from a sporting point of view by means of a modified damper-spring setting. At the front, the compound brake system received the brake discs familiar from the M3 CSL, enlarged by 20 to 345 millimeters. Incidentally, the BMW Z4 M Roadster and Z4 M Coupé have the same brake hardware. The electronic driving aids have been expanded to include the M Track Mode function, which allows you to approach the limit without having to forego Dynamic Stability Control (DSC).

There is a corresponding button on the right spoke of the steering wheel to activate or deactivate this function, so the multifunction buttons normally used to control radio etc. are no longer required. Both the steering wheel and the handbrake lever handle and – with the optionally available sequential M gearbox – the gear knob applications are made of Alcantara. The exclusive interior trim is called Alu-Tech. The exterior paintwork Interlagos Blue Metallic, as featured in the M3 Competition Package shown, was also optionally available for the even sportier M3.

A total of 3,011 units of the E46 M3 Competition were built, of which 275 were right-hand drive, 241 of which were delivered to Great Britain, these were called CS, including the pre-eminent vehicle and 1 vehicle to Ireland. The remaining 34 vehicles went to Singapore and Australia, no vehicle was delivered to South Africa.

In addition to the special CS (Competition) model, the E46 M3 also had the 30-year edition and the Silverstone Edition.