BMW 3 Series (E46)
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The fourth generation of the
BMW 3 Series The BMW 3 Series is a line of compact executive cars manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. It is the successor to the 02 Series and has been produced in seven generations. The first generation of the 3 Series was only avail ...
range of
compact executive car A compact executive car, also known as a compact luxury car, is a premium car larger than a premium compact and smaller than an executive car. Compact executive car is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in the European car classification. A ...
s is designated under the model code E46, which was produced by the German automaker BMW from 1997 to 2006, and was the successor to the E36 3 Series which ceased production in 2000. First introduced in November 1997, the E46 was available in sedan,
coupé A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
,
convertible A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
,
station wagon A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...
and
hatchback A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. ...
body styles. The latter has been marketed as the 3 Series Compact. The M3 performance model was introduced in June 2000 with a 2-door coupé body style, followed by the convertible counterpart in April 2001. The M3 is powered by the
BMW S54 The BMW M54 is a naturally aspirated straight-6 petrol engine produced from 2000 to 2006. It was released in the E53 X5 and is the replacement for the M52 engine. The S54 is the equivalent high performance engine, used in the E46 M3, the Z3 M ...
straight-six engine with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed SMG-II automated manual transmission. The E46 line-up was phased out starting from late 2004, following the introduction of the E90 3 Series sedans. However, the E46 coupé and convertible body styles remained in production until August 2006.


Overview


Development

In 1993, the development programme for the E46 began under the lead of chief engineer Wolfgang Ziebart and head of R&D
Wolfgang Reitzle Hans Wolfgang Reitzle (born 7 March 1949 in Neu-Ulm) is a German business executive. Early life and education After leaving his school in Ulm, Reitzle continued his education at the Technical University of Munich where he studied mechanical ...
. In late 1993, design work began under the lead of chief designer
Chris Bangle Christopher Edward Bangle (born October 14, 1956) is an American automobile designer. Bangle is known best for his work as Chief of Design for BMW Group, where he was responsible for the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce motor cars. Early life Bangl ...
and continued into 1995. In May 1995, the general exterior design of the E46 by Erik Goplen of
DesignworksUSA Designworks is a global creative consultancy owned by BMW and based in Santa Monica, California, United States. Designworks has two further studios, in Munich, Germany and Shanghai, China. Established independently in 1972 by Charles Pelly, it ...
was approved and as a result DesignworksUSA was contracted by BMW to work alongside BMW Group's in-house design team to create the exterior bodywork for the 3 Series range in February 1996. The design team put an emphasis on improving aerodynamics and increasing the car's aggressive stance. Design patents were filed in Germany on 16 July 1997 and in the US on 16 January 1998. Chris Bangle and Wolfgang Reitzle were responsible through 1995 for the production sedan's exterior, as evident in the 1997 design patent. Production development of the sedan took 24 months following design freeze and was 31 months from executive board styling approval in 1995 to its start of series production in December 1997. Erik Goplen designed the production coupé, convertible and station wagon during between 1996 and 1997. The E46 sedan was unveiled via press release on 11 November 1997 and was launched on the market at the end of April 1998 with customer deliveries.


Chassis

The body shell of the E46 was claimed by BMW to be 70% more rigid than its E36 predecessor. Aluminium was used for an increased quantity of suspension components, in order to decrease
unsprung mass The unsprung mass (colloquially unsprung weight) of a vehicle is the mass of the suspension, wheels or tracks (as applicable), and other components directly connected to them. This contrasts with the sprung mass (or weight) supported by th ...
. However, with a curb weight of , the E46 328ci is heavier than the E36 equivalent. In tune with BMW's core values regarding handling dynamics, the E46 was initially available with a
rear-wheel drive Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. Most rear-wheel ...
layout and a 50/50
weight distribution Weight distribution is the apportioning of weight within a vehicle, especially cars, airplanes, and trains. Typically, it is written in the form ''x''/''y'', where ''x'' is the percentage of weight in the front, and ''y'' is the percentage in the ...
.
All-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...
, which was last available in the 3 Series in 1991, was reintroduced for the E46 on the 325xi, 330xi and 330xd models.


Electronics

The electronic components in the E46 are more integrated than previous generations of 3 Series, including the use of a
CAN bus A Controller Area Network (CAN bus) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other's applications without a host computer. It is a message-based protocol, designed originally for mu ...
system. Drivetrain information (such as engine, transmission and stability control) is communicated using the CAN bus. Vehicle electronics (such as the radio, navigation, television and telecommunications) can communicate to each other via the K-bus. The E46 was the first 3 Series to be available with an engine using
Valvetronic The Valvetronic system is a BMW variable valve lift system which, in combination with VANOS, allows infinite adjustment of the intake valve timing and duration. The system claims to improve fuel economy and emissions, and negates the need for ...
(variable valve lift). Various electronic features were also introduced to the 3 Series in the E46 generation, including satellite navigation, electronic brake-force distribution, rain-sensing wipers and LED tail-lights.


Production and sales

The E46 was produced in Germany (
Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...
,
Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
and
Regensburg Regensburg or is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the Danube, Naab and Regen rivers. It is capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the state in the south of Germany. With more than 150,000 inhabitants, Regensburg is the f ...
) and in South Africa ( Rosslyn). Local assembly of
complete knock-down A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, then exported to another country or region ...
(CKD) kits was used for cars sold in China, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Thailand and Russia. The highest selling year for the E46 chassis was 2002, when 561,249 vehicles were sold worldwide.


Body styles

The body styles of the range are: * 4-door sedan/saloon, produced from December 1997 to May 2005. * 2-door
coupé A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
, produced from December 1998 to May 2006. * 2-door
convertible A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
, produced from December 1999 to November 2006. * 5-door wagon/estate (marketed as 3 Series Touring), produced from January 1999 to May 2005. * 3-door
hatchback A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. ...
(marketed as 3 Series Compact), produced from April 2000 to December 2004. File:1998-2001 BMW 328i (E46) sedan (2011-07-17) 02.jpg, sedan/saloon File:1999-2000 BMW 323Ci (E46) coupe 01.jpg, coupé File:BMW E46 Cabrio rear 20070914.jpg, convertible File:BMW 320d Touring E46 (1998–2001) rear MJ.JPG, wagon/estate


3 Series Compact (E46/5)

The shorter three-door hatchback version of the E46 was marketed as the
BMW 3 Series Compact The BMW 3 Series Compact is a 3-door hatchback version of the BMW 3 Series, which was produced from 1993 through 2004. Initially based on the E36 platform, it switched to the E46 platform in 2001. The launch models were powered by four-cylinder ...
. The exterior styling has several differences to the rest of the E46 3 Series range, notably the distinctive headlights and tail-lights. Mechanically, the Compact shares many elements with the rest of the E46 range, however the steering rack has a faster ratio.


Engines

Factory specifications are listed below. Coupe and convertible models were badged as "Ci (petrol) or Cd (diesel)", and all-wheel drive models were badged as "Xi (petrol) or Xd (diesel)".


Petrol


Diesel


Drivetrain


Manual transmissions

* 5-speed ZF S5-39 (325xi, 330xi) * 5-speed
Getrag Getrag (), stylized as GETRAG, was a major supplier of transmission systems for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The company was founded on 1 May 1935, in Ludwigsburg, Germany, by Hermann Hagenmeyer; as the ''Getriebe und Zahnradfabrik ...
250G (316i, 318i, 320i, 325i) * 5 speed ZF S5-31 (320d, 330i, 330Ci, 325xi) * 6-speed ZF S6-37 (325ti, 330i, 330Ci, 320d, 320Cd) * 6-speed
ZF S6-53 The ZF S6-53 is a 6-speed manual transmission manufactured by ZF Friedrichshafen AG. It is designed for longitudinal engine applications, and is rated to handle up to of torque. Applications Rear-whee ...
(330d, 330 Cd) * 6-speed Getrag 420G (M3)


Automatic transmissions

* 4-speed GM 4L30-E (A4S270R) * 5-speed GM 5L40-E (A5S360R) * 5-speed GM 5L40-E (A5S390R) * 5-speed ZF 5HP19 (A5S325Z) * 5-speed GM 5L50-E (A5S390R) * 6-speed SMG-II * 6-speed Non-M SMG-I


Differentials


M3

The E46 M3, first introduced in October 2000, was available with the 3.2-litre S54 M-tuned engine. It was available in coupé and convertible body styles. The M3's S54 engine has a redline of 8,000 rpm. As with most M engines, the S54 has 6 individual throttle bodies, in this case electronically operated ( drive-by-wire throttle). The transmission options for the M3 were a 6-speed manual or the 6-speed "SMG-II"
automated manual transmission The automated manual transmission (AMT) is a type of transmission for motor vehicles. It is essentially a conventional manual transmission but uses automatic actuation to operate the clutch and/or shift between gears. Many early versions of t ...
.


M3 GTR road car

In order for the M3 GTR race car to compete in the
American Le Mans Series The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) was a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consisted of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The American Le Mans' hea ...
, BMW produced 10 examples of the "M3 GTR Straßen Version" (street version) in 2001. As per the race M3 GTR, the roadgoing Version was powered by the
BMW P60B40 The P60B40 is a naturally aspirated DOHC V8 engine, designed, developed and produced by BMW, for sports car racing, between 2001 and 2005. Usage M3 GTR The P60B40 was the powertrain for the BMW E46 M3 GTR from 2001 to 2005. The BMW M3 GTR c ...
4.0 L V8 engine which was slightly detuned and generated a maximum power output of at 7,000 rpm. Power was delivered to the rear wheels via a race type 6-speed dual clutch sequential transmission with M locking differential. The engine featured dry sump lubrication as its racing counterpart and bigger radiators. The stiffer chassis and suspension system were a carryover from the race version. The car was lowered further than a standard M3 and featured additional strut braces between the firewall and strut towers as well as between the right shock towers. The redesigned front and rear fascias and the rear wing optimised aerodynamics. The roof, the hood, the rear wing and front and rear fascias were made from carbon-fibre in order to reduce weight. Notable changes made to the interior included leather
Recaro Recaro Holding, as the parent company of the Recaro Group, owns the Recaro brand and the independently operating companies Recaro Aircraft Seating (aircraft seats) based in Schwäbisch Hall and Recaro eGaming (gaming seats) based in Stuttgart, Germ ...
bucket seats, removal of rear seats and special M3 GTR sill plates. M3 CSL, CSL stands for " Coupe Sport Leichtbau " means Coupe Sport Lightweight and the spec is to do the weight reduction such as the original roof, door panel, center console were replaced with the carbon fiber.


Alpina models

The Alpina "B3 3.3" and "B3 S" were based on the E46 and were powered by inline-six petrol engines.


Special models


Performance package (ZHP)

The Performance Package was an option sold in North America, which is commonly referred to by its order code in the United States, ZHP (the order code in Canada was ZAM). It was available for 330i sedans from model years 2003 to 2005, and available for 330ci coupés and convertibles from 2004 to 2006. It included various aesthetic changes over the regular 3 series, as well as functional and mechanical enhancements. The ZHP was equipped with sportier
camshaft A camshaft is a shaft that contains a row of pointed cams, in order to convert rotational motion to reciprocating motion. Camshafts are used in piston engines (to operate the intake and exhaust valves), mechanically controlled ignition systems ...
s and revised engine tuning to increase power output from as well as a shorter final drive gear ratio, and a corresponding increase in redline from 6,500 rpm to 6,800 rpm. Suspension was modified over the standard suspension with firmer springs and dampers, larger anti-roll bars, stronger front control arm ball joints, a lower ride height, heavy duty steering rack, and slightly more negative
camber Camber may refer to a variety of curvatures and angles: * Camber angle, the angle made by the wheels of a vehicle * Camber beam, an upward curvature of a joist to compensate for load deflection due in buildings * Camber thrust in bike technology * ...
. ''
Car and Driver ''Car and Driver'' (''CD'' or ''C/D'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. In 2006 its total circulation was 1.23 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011. It was fou ...
'' magazine track-tested the car, which recorded a 0– acceleration time of 5.6 seconds and a 1/4 mile time of 14.3 seconds.


325i SULEV

In some parts of the United States, BMW sold a version of the 325i which met the
super ultra low emission vehicle Super ultra-low emissions vehicle (SULEV) is a U.S. classification for passenger vehicle emissions. The classification is based on producing 90% fewer emissions than the average gasoline-powered vehicle. The SULEV standard is stricter than the stan ...
(SULEV) emissions standards. California, New York, and Massachusetts received the SULEV E46's in 2003, and Vermont in 2004. They utilised a variant of the M54 engine named the
BMW M56 The BMW M56 is a 2.5 liter 184 PS (135 kW; 181 bhp) straight-six engine. It is a re-engineered version of the BMW M54B25 engine, manufactured in order to meet SULEV regulations in 4 US states. Background The updated 2.5 liter engine ...
. The M56 meets SULEV standards, as well as partial zero emission vehicle (PZEV) and zero evaporative emissions requirements. The M56 is claimed to have identical power output as its M54 counterpart.


Model year changes


2000

*
Electronic Stability Control Electronic stability control (ESC), also referred to as electronic stability program (ESP) or dynamic stability control (DSC), is a computerized technology that improves a vehicle's stability by detecting and reducing loss of traction ( skiddi ...
("Dynamic Stability Control") introduced, replacing the previous ASC+T
traction control A traction control system (TCS), also known as ASR (from german: Antriebsschlupfregelung, lit=drive slippage regulation), is typically (but not necessarily) a secondary function of the electronic stability control (ESC) on production motor vehicle ...
system. * Manual shift mode ("Steptronic") added to automatic transmissions


2001 facelift (LCI)

In September 2001, the
facelift A facelift, technically known as a rhytidectomy (from the Ancient Greek () "wrinkle", and () "excision", the surgical removal of wrinkles), is a type of cosmetic surgery procedure used to give a more youthful facial appearance. There are mul ...
(LCI) versions of the sedan and Touring were released for the 2002
model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...
. * 325i (M54 engine) replaces 323i (M52TU engine). * 330i (M54 engine) replaces 328i (M52TU engine). * 320d engine upgraded from M47 to M47TU. * Display for navigation system upgraded to widescreen. * Sedan and Touring receive revised headlights, tail-lights, grille, hood, front fenders and front bumpers. * Single Xenon headlights for 2001 and in 2002 Xenon were installed for high-beam lamps; Bi-Xenon headlights for 2002. File:1998-2001 BMW 328i sedan.jpg, pre-facelift sedan File:1998-2001 BMW 328i (E46) sedan (2011-07-17) 02.jpg , pre-facelift sedan File:2001-2005 BMW 318i (E46) sedan 01.jpg , facelift sedan File:2001-2005 BMW 318i (E46) sedan 02.jpg , facelift sedan


2003

In March 2003, the
facelift A facelift, technically known as a rhytidectomy (from the Ancient Greek () "wrinkle", and () "excision", the surgical removal of wrinkles), is a type of cosmetic surgery procedure used to give a more youthful facial appearance. There are mul ...
(LCI) versions of the coupe and convertible models (except M3) were released for the 2004
model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...
. * Navigation system upgraded to Mark IV version, which is DVD-based. * Auxiliary input for sound system becomes available. *
SULEV Super ultra-low emissions vehicle (SULEV) is a U.S. classification for passenger vehicle emissions. The classification is based on producing 90% fewer emissions than the average gasoline-powered vehicle. The SULEV standard is stricter than the stan ...
engine option ( M56) becomes available for 325 models with automatic transmission. * Manual transmission for 330 models upgraded from 5-speed to 6-speed. * Coupes and convertibles receive revised headlights, tail-lights (LED), grille, hood and front bumper. * Adaptive headlights available for coupe and convertible models * 330d engine upgraded from M57 to M57TU. File:2000-2003 BMW 320Ci (E46) coupe 01.jpg, pre-facelift coupe (front) File:2000-2003 BMW 320Ci (E46) coupe 02.jpg, pre-facelift coupe (rear) File:2004 BMW 325Ci (E46 MY04) coupe (2015-07-24) 01 (cropped).jpg, facelift coupe (front) File:2004 BMW 325Ci (E46 MY04) coupe (2015-07-24) 02.jpg, facelift coupe (rear)


Motorsport

Andy Priaulx Andrew Graham Priaulx, MBE ( born 8 August 1974) is a British professional racing driver from Guernsey. In 2019 he raced for Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK in the FIA World Endurance Championship, and Cyan Racing Lynk & Co in the FIA World Tou ...
won the
2004 European Touring Car Championship season The 2004 FIA European Touring Car Championship season was the last European Touring Car Championship season. For 2005, the European Championship would become the World Touring Car Championship, and a one-off European Touring Car Cup would be held. ...
and 2005 World Touring Car Championship season championships driving a 320i.2005 Championship point standings
Retrieved on 22 February 2012
Franz Engstler Franz Engstler (born 25 July 1961) is a German auto racing driver. Racing career Born in Kempten im Allgäu, Engstler started racing in the European Hillclimbing Championship and the German Long Distance Cup, which he won. From 1988 he competed ...
won the 2006 Asian Touring Car Championship season in a 320i. The E46 has also competed in the British, European and Russian touring car championships. In the United States, the
National Auto Sport Association The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is an American motorsports organization promoting road racing and high-performance driver education. Founded in 1991, NASA hosts High Performance Driving Events (HPDE), automotive rallies, Time Trial ...
and
BMW Car Club of America The BMW Car Club of America (BMW CCA) is a U.S.-based organization of enthusiasts and owners of BMW-made automobiles (including MINI). Organized into five regions and 69 chapters, the club boasts more than 55,000 active members within the United S ...
(BMW CCA) have organized a "Spec E46" amateur racing series. The Spec E46 cars are built to a standard with limited modifications, to create a level playing field and increased competition between drivers. By mid-2020, Spec E46 had become one of BMW CCA's three largest racing classes.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bmw 3 Series (E46)
3 Series The BMW 3 Series is a line of compact executive cars manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. It is the successor to the 02 Series and has been produced in seven generations. The first generation of the 3 Series was only avail ...
E46 Cars introduced in 1997 2000s cars Compact executive cars