2003 BMW E46 M3 - Manual

Background:

BMW’s E46-generation M3, produced between September 2000 and August 2006, quickly cemented its reputation as one of the brand’s most celebrated performance cars. Under the hood sat the now iconic 3.2-litre S54 straight-six, a high-revving engine that delivered the coupé from 0 to 62 mph in just 5.2 seconds - regardless of whether buyers opted for the traditional 6-speed manual or the SMG-II automated manual gearbox.

Transmission choices defined much of the M3’s character. The standard option was a Getrag 420G 6-speed manual, beloved by purists. The alternative was BMW’s SMG-II, also based on the Getrag unit but fitted with an electrohydraulic clutch and paddle shifters.

Over its six-year production run, BMW built 56,133 M3 coupés, all assembled at the company’s Regensburg plant in Germany. In total, 85,766 examples of the E46 M3 rolled off the line - each carrying the weight of one of BMW M Division’s most enduring legacies.

The Car:

The car presented here is possibly one of the best examples of the marque offered for sale. Having covered just over 79,300 miles, this car has been maintained fastidiously by multiple owners. The car itself is an original, unmodified manual coupé finished in Titan Silver with black leather, notably without a sunroof. Now sitting on its factory-correct 18-inch alloys with fresh Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tyres.

There is an intriguing provenance behind this particular BMW M3 E46. The car was once owned by Jesse Crosse, founding editor of Performance Car magazine and later technical editor at Autocar. Crosse is also remembered as the editor who handed Jeremy Clarkson his first break in motoring journalism, offering him a column in Performance Car.

The M3 entered Crosse’s ownership after a friend in the trade received it as a part-exchange. Crosse kept the coupé for several years before upgrading to the more focused M3 CSL. The sale was handled with the input of Classic Heroes, a specialist well regarded in BMW circles.

During his tenure, Crosse had the car maintained by ETA Motorsport, the respected BMW specialists based near Brands Hatch. They carried out the all-important subframe reinforcement, a known requirement for the E46 M3, alongside regular servicing. Tidy yet honestly worn in places, it still wears its original paint.

Following the change of hands, the M3 was subjected to a significant programme of preventative maintenance by Classic Heroes. The work included restoring the underside to as-new condition, treating the floorpan for surface corrosion and fitting a new front wing. The suspension was returned to factory specification with OEM dampers, rear springs, and original rubber bushes, replacing the polybush setup previously installed. Mechanical reliability was further bolstered with new belts, fuel lines, brake hoses, radius-arm bushes, a four-wheel alignment and a comprehensive Inspection II service with gearbox oil change.

The intention was to preserve the M3 as close as possible to its original driving experience while future-proofing it against age-related wear. Cosmetic detailing, such as a front bumper respray to remove stone chips, was earmarked as a later stage.

Since then, Classic Heroes has continued to oversee smaller jobs, including repairing temperamental rear parking sensors, fixing the horn and electric boot release, and fitting a new door seal. All of this is documented within a well-stamped original service logbook, accompanied by the full set of manuals and books.

The result is a carefully maintained, well-documented example of one of BMW’s most revered M cars - an E46 M3 with both a notable backstory and a meticulous maintenance record.

Mechanically the car is in excellent condition, driving almost as if it was brand new, fresh from the dealer. The engine pulls extremely well and idles flawlessly, with no rattles, squeaks or any other unwanted noises to he be heard from the bay. As with the engine the gearbox continues this trend of ‘box fresh’ feeling, with the clutch having excellent bite and the gear changes are smooth and precise and without problem.

The suspension must be felt to be believed, feeling better than standard thanks to the polybush modification mentioned earlier. In combination with the 18” wheels the car rides sublimely, soaking up everything a British B road has to offer.

There are only minor imperfections cosmetically, many easily rectified. The bumper and passenger side sideskirt have one or two scratches, while an alloy has a very small mark. On the interior the door handles do have very minor blistering, a very common age problem for these cars. All can be seen in the gallery.

As for overall condition, the car is superb. A condition that if tried to be replicated, would cost thousands.

If you’re in the market for an E46 M3 that remains in a wonderful condition and is intended to be used for its intended purpose. Look no further than this example.

Service History:

• 6.6.03 PDI, Tice Dorchester
• 12.7.03 Running-in service, Tice Dorchester
• 19.5.05 Oil service, Tice Dorchester
• 4.5.05 Inspection I, Tice Dorchester
• 13.9.06 Inspection I, Tice Dorchester
• 29.4.08 Inspection II, Malton Motors
• 2.12.09 Oil service, Malton Motors (not stamped but have invoice)
• 15.4.10 Oil service, Malton Motors
• 10.12.18 Oil service, ETA Motorsport
• 24.8.20 Inspection II, Classic Heroes

Brake fluid changes:

• 2.2.07 Tice Dorchester
• 2.12.09 Malton Motors (not stamped but have invoice)
• 15.4.10 Malton Motors
• 26.6.15 Cooper BMW
• 9.12.20 Classic Heroes

Location: Kent

Seller: Private

Photography: Professional