What is your favourite generation of M3?

What is your favourite generation of M3?

Author
Discussion

cerb4.5lee

Original Poster:

33,798 posts

188 months

Saturday 30th November
quotequote all
I think my favourite generation of M3 is the F80, but I haven't tried the G80 yet though. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for the E36 M3 too.

So what is your favourite generation of M3?

andy43

10,662 posts

262 months

Saturday 30th November
quotequote all
The Alpina version wink

Mark83

1,225 posts

209 months

Saturday 30th November
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E46 M3, in CSL form and silver grey. That raspy engine note and that induction noise, mmm.

I've only owned an E46 M3 and F82 M4, and test driven some E92 M3s. It was seeing an Estoril Blue E36 M3 on my way to and from primary school that started my M car appreciation but not enough to want to own one, but I get the appeal.

TREMAiNE

4,029 posts

157 months

Saturday 30th November
quotequote all
E46 for me, then E30, then E90
Anything after E90 just doesn't interest me in the slightest.

E90 probably offers the best value for money right now, which would be the one I'd buy - but ultimately, I wouldn't buy any of them.

cerb4.5lee

Original Poster:

33,798 posts

188 months

Saturday 30th November
quotequote all
andy43 said:
The Alpina version wink
biggrin

I did wonder if someone might have thought that I was talking about the Tesla Model 3 to be honest, because I didn't put BMW in front of the M3!

texaxile

3,398 posts

158 months

Saturday 30th November
quotequote all
E46 - My best buddy lent me his for a few days back in 2009.

Going from my Impreza WRX into the E46 took a bit of adjustment, but after an hour or so I soon realised that the car was something very special.

I returned it with an extra 1k miles on it, had blown through a few tankfuls of Vpower and probably removed a few mm of treat from the rear Michelins, he just laughed and said "I told you it was good".

To this day I've no idea why I didn't just rush out and grab one, even then the prices were very reasonable and there were some very good cars for sale. I hanker for an F84 M4C because I think they're almost as good looking as the E46, whether or not I'll get one, time will tell.

MitchT

16,270 posts

217 months

Saturday 30th November
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I've always been a coupé guy so my favourite iteration of the M3 is actually the M4 (F82). My bank account should be grateful for the scarcity of these in Atlantis Blue as that would be the tipping point for me.

stef1808

974 posts

165 months

Saturday 30th November
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I wrote off my e46 15 years ago and sure was sad at the time but replaced it with other cars and didn’t think about it again. Just recently I bought a good e46 m3 and I must say am really enjoy it now more than ever. It’s such an event to drive compared to my modern cars and easier to live with than the classics. It’s almost perfect..

Maybe in the future I’ll feel this way about the e92 also

Paul Thorpe evo

108 posts

14 months

Saturday 30th November
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E46 my fave M3 had one and the first CSL too in UK in black.

I didn't gel with the E30 M3 when I borrowed my pals one for a weekend. Nothing to do with LHD or dogleg gearbox just felt bit underpowered.

I bought the CSL off Frank Sytner when it was 1 month old, when he sold his garage empire to Penske and moved to US.

It still had his £450,000 no plate on it FS1 and he kept forgetting to get it transferred back to him !

I was asked if I'm a Frank Spencer fan by someone ;-( which was a bit cringey..

Billy_Rosewood

3,259 posts

172 months

Saturday 30th November
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Never considered an M3 other than the E92.. So I guess that one.. (the appeal being the V8).

The others never appealed to me.

trackdemon

12,349 posts

269 months

Saturday 30th November
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E46>E30>E92>G80>E36>F80

cerb4.5lee

Original Poster:

33,798 posts

188 months

Saturday 30th November
quotequote all
MitchT said:
I've always been a coupé guy so my favourite iteration of the M3 is actually the M4 (F82). My bank account should be grateful for the scarcity of these in Atlantis Blue as that would be the tipping point for me.
That is the same for me, and I've had the F82 M4 for nearly 4 years now. Calling them the M4 has confused things a bit I think, and my old E92 M3 was a Coupe for example.

cerb4.5lee

Original Poster:

33,798 posts

188 months

Saturday 30th November
quotequote all
Billy_Rosewood said:
Never considered an M3 other than the E92.. So I guess that one.. (the appeal being the V8).

The others never appealed to me.
The V8 really attracted me to the E92 M3 as well. However the engine isn't traditionally V8 feeling though for me, because I usually associate a V8 with lots of easy torque, and similar to the V8 4.8 that was in my X5 4.8iS for example. But the V8 M3 isn't anything like that though, and it is more Honda VTEC in my view.

ubbs

664 posts

225 months

Saturday 30th November
quotequote all
E36 M3 for me, I owned a nearly new one in 1996 it just seemed a lot of car at the time it had a lot of presence and drove rather well.
I owned an E46 M3 in the early 2000’s for about 5 years, it was a great car the last 2 cars were M2’s OG and comp, similar in size to the original M3’s (to me they seem similar) but a hell of a lot quicker.

Billy_Rosewood

3,259 posts

172 months

Saturday 30th November
quotequote all
cerb4.5lee said:
Billy_Rosewood said:
Never considered an M3 other than the E92.. So I guess that one.. (the appeal being the V8).

The others never appealed to me.
The V8 really attracted me to the E92 M3 as well. However the engine isn't traditionally V8 feeling though for me, because I usually associate a V8 with lots of easy torque, and similar to the V8 4.8 that was in my X5 4.8iS for example. But the V8 M3 isn't anything like that though, and it is more Honda VTEC in my view.
Agreed, it didn't rumble either, so somehow sounded more straight 6 without being a flat plane.

It was also from an era when bmw seemed to take joy in building high power cars and trying it's utmost to disguise that fact by giving the cars very restrained exhaust systems.

cerb4.5lee

Original Poster:

33,798 posts

188 months

Saturday 30th November
quotequote all
Billy_Rosewood said:
cerb4.5lee said:
Billy_Rosewood said:
Never considered an M3 other than the E92.. So I guess that one.. (the appeal being the V8).

The others never appealed to me.
The V8 really attracted me to the E92 M3 as well. However the engine isn't traditionally V8 feeling though for me, because I usually associate a V8 with lots of easy torque, and similar to the V8 4.8 that was in my X5 4.8iS for example. But the V8 M3 isn't anything like that though, and it is more Honda VTEC in my view.
Agreed, it didn't rumble either, so somehow sounded more straight 6 without being a flat plane.

It was also from an era when bmw seemed to take joy in building high power cars and trying it's utmost to disguise that fact by giving the cars very restrained exhaust systems.
Yes and I was always critical of the standard exhaust in the V8 M3 too. I remember when I first test drove one(I did have the Cerbera at the time in fairness though), and I joked with the salesmen at how quiet it was for a V8 as you say.

You can certainly understand why the majority modify the exhaust on the V8 M3 for sure I reckon.

ubbs

664 posts

225 months

Sunday 1st December
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cerb4.5lee said:
Yes and I was always critical of the standard exhaust in the V8 M3 too. I remember when I first test drove one(I did have the Cerbera at the time in fairness though), and I joked with the salesmen at how quiet it was for a V8 as you say.

You can certainly understand why the majority modify the exhaust on the V8 M3 for sure I reckon.
Flat plane crank AJP V8 sounded like no other V8 imo coupled with straight pipes it could wake the deadbiglaugh
My brother had 2 a 4.2 and a 4.5 and a Tuscan you could hear it rocking up from yards away, totally unsociable these days.

Stunters

595 posts

202 months

Sunday 1st December
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Tough call between the E46 and the E90 for me. I think an E46 CS in Interlagos Blue with a manual gearbox might well be the sweetest of sweet spots, for me.

I've owned a manual E46 Coupe on 18"s and still own a manual E90 LCI on 19"s. Not looking to change it, although I think the G80 cars are very impressive and capable things.

Stunters

595 posts

202 months

Sunday 1st December
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Gratuitous photo of my E90, taken last year smile

cerb4.5lee

Original Poster:

33,798 posts

188 months

Sunday 1st December
quotequote all
Stunters said:


Gratuitous photo of my E90, taken last year smile
That is a lovely/great photo. coolthumbup

I've always loved the 19" wheel style loads...well until they start corroding anyway! hehe