If you monitor the used car market as closely as we do, you’ve probably noticed the increase in the price tag that the owners are putting on well-kept BMW E46 M3s they’ve got for sale. In most situations, owners are asking between $20,000 – $30,000 for M3s that clearly tick all the boxes. For the most part, the price hike is mandated by the sheer scarcity of these vehicles and a lot of motorsport driven demand lately. Simply put, more and more owners are buying these vehicles and turning them into weekend racing warriors.
Similar status is what the owner of this beautiful Silver Gray BMW E46 M3 went for. This striking finished M3 comes equipped with the 3.2 liter naturally aspirated engine. In the E46 M3, the engine produces 343 horsepower and 269 lb⋅ft (365 Nm) of torque. While clearly a lot less than the F80 M3, the rather heavy (3,415 lb / 1,549 kg) car will sprint from 0-62 mph in around 5.1 seconds. Top speed is an electronically limited 155 mph (250 km/h), while some models achieve a top speed of 171.38 mph (275.81 km/h). This particular vehicle comes with a six-speed manual, a highly-coveted option that caters to the purists among the ownership base, further increasing both its appeal and resale value.
This particular Silver Gray BMW M3 was recently visiting European Auto Source. It was with this tuning company that the car received some much-needed track oriented additions. Namely, the owner wanted to improve his driving position by adding a set of bucket seats. The choice landed this M3 with a set of Recaro Profi SPG seats. These fixed shell bucket seats can completely transform the way a car looks and feels to drive. With rigid bolstering and the ability to sit in the seat, as opposed to on top of it, the driver will stay put under cornering.
The Recaro Profi SPG seats are a bit wider than the Pole Position seats offered by the same seat maker, ensuring these are far more livable with daily use. The rubberized material on the shoulder area of the seat helps ensure a more secure driving position in conjunction with the Schroth harnesses. The seats are installed on Macht Schnell mounts and sliders. These help ensure the seats are securely mounted to the floor even in various high-performance driving situations.
Furthermore, this M3 also features a complete roll cage, a fully stripped out interior, an Alcantara steering wheel and is now ready for a track day any day of the week.
Grab a quick look at the whole install procedure and the end result with this Silver Gray BMW E46 M3 media gallery right below.
