Like so many ultrahigh-performance cars of today, finding the limit of the M3's abilities takes more than just an empty road and the guts to hold the pedal down longer than usual. Better yet, it's been blessed with an even more powerful 333-hp engine, a sturdier, more responsive suspension and slinkier bodywork that, we think, makes it one of the most stunning cars on the market. The M3 is now the same whether you buy it in Stuttgart or San Francisco.
#BMW M3 E46 2006 PRICE DRIVERS#
With the introduction of the current-generation BMW M3 for the 2001 model year, drivers had to wonder no more. enthusiasts couldn't help but wonder just how much better the M3 was in its Euro-spec trim. But the grass is always greener on the other side, and U.S. Not that we were complaining.Įven with its detuned engine, the previous-generation M3 was still one of the best performance coupes available anywhere. Their M3s boasted 317 horsepower, while ours made do with just 240. Until the 2001 model year, we had to deal with the fact that as much as we loved those Motorsport machines, our European counterparts were getting versions far more powerful than ours. Whether blasting up Tamburello at Imola or diving into the corkscrew at Laguna Seca, few cars in the world could attack a road course with the tenacity of those wearing the "M" badge of BMW's Motorsport division. These famous racetracks would be fitting playgrounds for any car that promises such stratospheric levels of power and handling.
Make no mistake.With colors like Laguna Seca Blue and Imola Red, there's no question as to where the BMW M3's aspirations lie. The 2006 BMW 325i and 330i sedans accelerate more quickly, stop shorter and turn …
#BMW M3 E46 2006 PRICE SERIES#
Coupes and convertibles are still available, but for now they are built on the previous-generation 3 Series platform, and are more closely related to the 2005 models. The tires-up overhaul for 2006, including new exterior styling and interiors, more powerful engines, all six-speed transmissions and redesigned suspension, applies only to the 3 Series sedans. Yet after a good test drive we're left to wonder how much technology is appropriate in a 3 Series, and at what point it detracts from the car's original pureness of purpose.įor this year at least, buyers have the unique opportunity of comparing the new with the old. The car buying public expects technology in its products. The 3 Series accounts for 40 percent of BMW's sales worldwide and BMW is a high-tech brand. It's the first car in its class to offer radar-managed active cruise control, and even the standard cruise control will automatically apply the brakes if the 3 picks up too much speed going down a hill.
#BMW M3 E46 2006 PRICE DRIVER#
The 2006 BMW 3 Series offers Active Steering that actually turns the front wheels without driver intervention, not to mention 150-mile run-flat tires, turning bi-xenon headlights and an optional i-Drive interface inside. If we characterized the new 330i with one word, it might be 'stuff,' even if BMW would prefer 'technology.' Technology is everywhere in this compact sedan, some of it first-in-class and some not previously applied in any BMW. At their core these remain true sport sedans, but their sporting heart is a bit more difficult to find. Given mixed reviews following the launch of BMW's current 5 and 7 Series sedans, anticipation for the 2006 3 Series might be exceeded only by the potential for disappointment.Īs consumers we certainly are not disappointed, but as enthusiast drivers we're pensive about the 2006 325i and 330i sedans. Finally, the 3 Series has embodied consistent product character and values, defining what has become one of the most respected brands among automobile enthusiasts. Above all, the 3 Series is a driver's car: accelerating, turning and stopping with remarkable agility and balance, without seriously compromising comfort or common sense. It's the car that defines 'sport sedan,' and the benchmark every luxury car maker from Acura to Volvo aims at when it develops a sport sedan or a smaller luxury sedan.
For 40 years the 3 Series had delivered a special mix of sporting performance, practicality and European luxury in a compact package.
The 2006 BMW 325i and 330i sedans comprise the fifth-generation of a car that created a concept, or at least cemented that concept indelibly in the buying public's awareness. Is there a driver anywhere who doesn't recognize the BMW 3 Series? The 2006 3 Series may require a double-take, at least until we get used to it, because BMW has launched the first all-new 3 Series models in six years.
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