Option 3: go forced induction. Aftermarket chips and other components may make the E30 M3 better on a track, but stock vehicles are often more desirable to collectors. While the S65 would cap out at 400whp with bolt-ons, the N54 was going on to break 450whp on bolt-ons and about $2,000 worth of parts. Cooling is another big thing to contend with on track. Notably, it is the last naturally aspirated inline-6 M3 engine. But there are still some things you should be aware of. We believe this 2004 330Ci is a perfect candidate for a Street Car Project and transformation. The F82 is as relentless as the T-800 when loosed on a racetrack,. FBO will run you a few thousand dollars. The Sport Evolution M3 was the last of the series, only 600 were made. not going to be sold in the United States. On the top of the list is the need for a proper high-sheer-strength oil. Wow. The stock brakes are fine for the factory horsepower levels he says but theyll need major revisions to rein in cars with more potent engines. Built primarily for the street, rather than a homologation special, the second-gen (E36) M3 sold in much higher numbers than its predecessor. Only 135 were built. The E36 interior isnt nearly as nice as what the brand put in the contemporary 5-series and 7-series. The GT came with lightweight door skins and a swath of green leather in the center of its microsuede seats. If you want to take it a step further, there's always the dedicated Miata Racing Cup as well. However, there is one potential failure that trips up most potential buyers: the crank hub issue. And since theyre all sedans, the more-exotic variations on the M3 themes are now M4s. While these cars were never imported, many are now old enough to be legally brought to the U.S. for road use. While this does occur once in a blue moon on highly modded cars, the issue is a bunch of BS, mostly drummed up by a company called TPG Tuning who made an upgraded crank hub that is actually worse than the OEM one. 3.0-liter BMW M TwinPower Turbo 473-hp inline 6-cylinder engine. A Camry will probably beat you to 60mph nowadays, but it certainly doesnt turn heads like this M3 will. Careful inspection of this component is necessary. The engine is gushing with power in both base and Competition trims, delivering a fat, meaty torque curve throughout the rev range. A few E46s had soft bottom-end bearings, although most have likely been replaced with a harder material by now. There are really only two potential issues to worry about with these engines: rod bearing failure and throttle actuators failure. The convertible never made it stateside. 750whp and 675wtq. Unfortunately, this six lacks the smoothness of the E36's engine.. Regardless, we are going to cover the pros and cons, reliability, and tuning potential for every M3 model ever manufactured. Americans had to wait until the 1995 model year for the E36 M3, and when it arrived, it had a less exotic engine than the rest of the world enjoyed. I track a Panoz GTS-WC, a Spec E36, a track-built 944 with a 968 engine swap, a 2016 Cayman S and, occasionally, my brothers 2022 C8 Z51. Always check the rear subframe for cracks, before purchasing. Built as a homologation special with bespoke fender flares. Its 2.3-liter inline-four was derived from the M1 supercar. Now a full-fledged appreciating collector's item. Road and Track, back in 2009, proclaimed . Seals on the solenoid that operate the system will wear and fail. That simplicity and reliability is partly thanks to the rear axle. Overall, its not going to turn any heads and its not beating many cars off the line either. Thats the weakest point.. Theyre fun, rewarding cars that are easy on consumables. That said, the only thing needed to reliably track the Cayman and the C8 Z51 was flushing with Motul RBF660 and the Cayman got a set of Ferrodo pads. However, price was an issue and the S50 Euro-spec engines were simply too expensive for BMW to sell in America. Comparing a E90 M3 with a N54 M3 while talking about horsepower only is a sin. Added to FeedBurner as well, Your email address will not be published. Your wife will just think its a good-looking sedan thats safe for the kids, More reliable than all of its predecessors, Potential rod bearing and throttle actuators issues, The N54 came out at the same time and can make way more power than the S65 for a lot less $$$, Cheapest horsepower out of all other models, 500whp for about $1,000, Perfect balance of 4-door practicality and performance, Torque is right where it should be after a soft output on the S65 M3s, It can get pricey with all of the packages and add-ons, Exhaust sound is fabricated and not quite the same as a naturally aspirated 400hp car. The E36-chassis M3 was released in Europe in 1992. Earlier models had a rod bearing recall, so make sure this was fixed if you are looking at an early model E46. However, BMW CCA relentlessly sent letters to BMW until they agreed to produce the cars for the US market. And thats 5 years out of only 6 years of it being produced. Also be aware of any faults from the two throttle actuators that can trigger the main ECUs limp-home mode. What is the best BMW M3 of all times? The E9X drinks more fuel, uses more oil, eats more tires, shreds more brakes. Porsche has offered track-ready versions of its venerable 911 for decadespretty much since the beginning of time. While the original E30 M3 didnt quite satisfy the, Read More BMW M3 vs M5 G80 vs F90 ComparisonContinue, BMWs S54 engine debuted in the 2000 E46 M3 and remained in production through 2008, powering only the E85 Z4 M Roadster in the later years. Actually, and certainly for anyone shopping on a budget, the best M3 is the one on the middle, the E46, made from 2000-2006. A total of 17,970 first-gen M3s were built17,184 two door coupes and 786 cabriolet convertibles. flyinmiata.com The S55 engine in the F80, in early 2019, is still too new to truly know how reliable it is. Manual M3s command a premium over the five-speed automatic. Despite a carbon-fiber roof panel on models without a sunroof, the coupe coupe weighed about 200 pounds more than before. It all started with the E28 M5, released over 35 years ago, which set the benchmark for four-door, high horsepower, track-capable saloon cars well into the future. Just not as fun as it would be with 320hp. So for the time being, I am going to crown the S65 as the most reliable M3 engine that has been made to date. Reasonable power . While the first M3 debuted at the Frankfurt auto show in 1985, it didn't arrive in the U.S. until 1987 for the 1988 model year. If this were an M3 vs 335i article we would have covered the fact that theres a lot more to it than just engines and power. The stout inline-6 S54 managed an impressive 102.5hp per liter in the 333hp US models. A lightly tuned 335i can't compete with the M3 on the track. As this is written, these are recent machines. You can get something like the PB kit for around 1300, or the AP CP5555 kit for 2.6k - all the way up to the likes of your Schirmer AP Racing/PF kit which are very, very expensive. (970) 464-5600. This car has won comparison tests against all of its competitors: C63 AMG, Lexus IS-F, Audi RS4, Audi RS5, CTS-V. "E36 BMW non-M3 - cheap, simple strong motor, plentiful. Its power was extremely toned back, it was built to be more luxurious and featured softer suspension. Questionable front end design. All rights reserved. Based on the 3-series, M3s receive unique and more-powerful engines, different suspension parts, larger brakes, and subtly re-skinned bodies. Exhaust Now that you're becoming familiar with your car, you can start upgrading power. Forced induction is really the only way to make serious power with the S52, but be ready to open up your wallet. The cheap plastics crack and fade, glovebox doors sag, the center vents pull away from the instrument panel, and the LEDs in the radio and HVAC displays often fail. An intake will give an additional 8-12hp. A 5000-mile interval is cheap insurance. elementtuning.com What we don't like is the car's overall heft. 5-speed manual transmission is extremely smooth with great steering, Easy to handle due to lighter weight and smaller size compared to later model M3s, Limited slip differential from the factory makes for great traction and good handling, Made more for luxury and less for the track softer suspension, Vanos, shock mounts, and water pump usually have problems over 100k miles, Tons of forum information for DIYs and performance upgrades, Inexpensive nowadays, looks great, and provides ample performance for a 15-year-old car, Great daily driver if you are looking for decent reliability and a fun amount of power, SMG transmission had issues and was less reliable than manual versions, Valve adjustments are ocassionally necessary, similar to the E30, V8 with one of the best sounding factory exhausts, ever, Dual clutch transmission is extremely smooth and fast shifting, 400whp is easy with a few simple bolt-ons, Extremely practical drives like a luxury car at normal speeds but really opens up under throttle. Most marque specialists believe a healthy M3 is easier to source than a period 325i in similar condition. $15k. A thorough inspection of the subframe requires it to be removed. Practically built by hand, the GTS came with a titanium exhaust system and a stripped-down interior that included a standard roll bar and omitted the rear seat, it weighed about 100-pounds less than other M3 coupes. In a world of 700-horsepower pony cars and twin-turbocharged whatevers, the Subaru BRZ and its badge-engineered cousins sold via Toyota and Scion dealerships are a bit of a throwback: rear-wheel drive and only 200 horsepower. I wouldnt have been too happy as the M3 owner. Motor Trend Magazine said the E90/E92 M3 is an unquestionable contender as the worlds single greatest car. Some may think that they are race cars for the street and in some ways they are. The faster steering ratio feels great on track. These kits plus install range from $10k-$15k. will run you about $2k if you can DIY it, and about $5-6k to have a shop do it. BMW BMW BMW At around 500 pounds. Power and handling upgrades were readily available, too How driving a Miata with no power steering and no A/C made me love driving again, Make the most of the Ford Fiesta ST | Expert tips, How to create a livery using die-cut stickers, First-generation Mazda RX-7 | Buyers Guide. While its possible to convert the SMG to be a manual, youre better off starting with the manual version. While E30 models are known to be robust, the M3s solid lifters demand periodic valve adjustments. While it does come with a six-figure price tag, what you get for your money is pretty good, Tecce says. BMW claims a 4.3 second dash to 100km/h, but independent testing suggests it . However, maintenance costs will be somewhat higher than an equivalent built e36 M3. Weve said a million times across this website that the M3 is the full package; the 335i is not. Expect to replace most of the cooling system at about 60,000 miles. If you arent interested in FI, then the best E36 M3 mods are a lightweight flywheel, upgraded clutch kit, coilovers, and a chassis x-brace. While the E36 M3 still looks contemporary, the youngest ones are now a quarter century old. G1GPcV5loY5mi0zUnfKLZ7CqEFsfLb1rTqBJyaaV59hViPPpL8pxMG0mYTs4Qcnd. It's really a budget decision. F80 M3 Engine: S55 3.0L Twin-Turbocharged I6Horsepower/Torque: 425hp / 406lb-ft0-60mph: 3.8 seconds DCT, 4.1 seconds manual1/4 Mile:11.66 seconds at 119.24mphTop Speed: 174mph (limited to 155mph), but probably faster (no conclusive data)Curb Weight: 3,590 lbs.Production: 34,677 globally, 16,057 US. Compared to the E36, the S54 was a significantly stronger built engine, but it certainly had more issues. The first turbocharged M3. Car and Driver called the M3 the worlds all-around best car for the money, the finest car on the market, period. People are seeing 280-plus-Fahrenheit oil temps naturally aspirated. A lot of SMG owners have opted to do a manual conversion to improve reliability and save on potential repair costs from SMG failure. European models with the close-ratio five-speed gearbox have a dog leg shifter with first gear located down and to the left. In the U.S., a naturally-aspirated 2.3-liter, DOHC, 16-valve four-cylinder engine with 192 horsepower powered all of them and theyre all manuals. If you do experience crank hub failure, the total cost with parts and labor to fix it is only about $2k. In my opinion, the E36 M3 falls to the bottom of the M3 list. Hes also the proud owner of a 600whp N54 with upgraded twin turbos and an E30 325i drift car and has a particular affinity for the S58 engine. And what a V-8. (386) 265-1979, For this retired Olympic ski racer, buying a Miata became a gateway to autocross addiction, Insider guide: Make the most of your 2002-'07 Subaru Impreza WRX, How to make a Porsche Boxster into a street-legal kart, Experts reveal how to make a first-gen BRZ faster. Then add a 911 Carrera S engineand subtract the 911 price premium. The 2011 BMW M3 came equipped with a 4.0-liter V8 that produced 414hp at 8300rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 3900rpm. European models are now old enough to be imported into the United States under rules that allow cars more the 25 years old to come in, but some states (like California) require emission compliance to register the car. Out of the box, the car satisfies the simple requirement that most car companies vehicles do not, explains John Tecce, director of BGB Motorsports. The M3's high-revving 2.3-liter four-cylinder S14 engine used a block similar to a four-cylinder 3-Series, but the M3 received its own dual-overhead-cam, 16-valve cylinder head. Since most of the E30 M3s for sale nowadays have very high, 150,000+ mileage, a potential cost to consider is an engine rebuilt. The S55 crank hub is the same one used by the N54 and N55. The M340i is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six capable of sending 285kW and 500Nm to all four Michelins. The S55 is built off of the N54 platform, which certainly had its fair share of common problems. I ran 700/800 on my E46 track car, and it was considerably lighter, and had big turner sway bars. When Mustang would release a new GT, the question became, well how does it compare to the M3?.