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Significant months for withdrawal were May 2006, when the European and North American specification coupes were withdrawn from the new retail market. In August, the convertibles on both sides of the Atlantic were resultantly drawn, too.

At the end of the tenure of the E46 M3 which lasted over a decade, some of the defining features that made this car stand out were tweaked and modified in discreet ways, taking some of the more prominent elements of the car to perfection.

For instance, the Variable M Differential Lock was a genius spark from the BMW engineers in Munich. This lock, which was a far cry from the previous torque-sensing locks, was dynamic in its own right simply by its location, which allowed more traction even in challenging driving environments. This car in some ways was acknowledged as being one of the first rear-wheel drives that improved driving conditions on slippery surfaces.

Meanwhile, the S54 engine which was a key element of the much-loved E46 up until this final model was also making headlines. A development on from the previous engine seen in European models of the second-generation M3, the E36, there were numerous improvements made to the engine to accompany the new era of the M Series that set it apart from its previous incarnation.

The first changes that were made were in practicality. With aluminum head casting being used, it was clear to see that the engine was being made more efficient by the BMW engineers by being made lighter than the second-generation S54. With the compression being increased also to 11:5:1, the engine of the 2006 E46 M3 made driving a lot more feasible and pleasurable than in its predecessor of the E36.

Advancements in technology between generations also saw the introduction of much more sophisticated engine management control. BMW and Siemens formed fantastic new technology in the form of their digitised system which analysed the activity of the engine a lot more closely than previous systems.

The new double VANOS did a lot for the E46 M3, making it a leader when it came to output efficiency. The high pressure adjustment that VANOS gives results in optimum torque, engine capability and fuel usage simultaneously in the 2006 model of the car.

The E46 M3 was certainly a dynamic car and the vehicle went out with a bang and not a whimper off the car market. It still has a prominent presence when it comes to the used car market because of the high regard that was held for the car. There were so many units made of the model that there are simply loads to be had on the market. It was the driver’s car – built for comfort and for speed; plus, as time went on, for practicality.

After being successful in North America, the Competition Package made its way over to Europe in 2005, refined to European specification. The manufacture of the option began in September of the year. The used car market can contain many cars which contain this exclusive package, which cost a several thousand more than the standard model.

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The upgrade heralded significant differences between standard and competition. The competition package had a more tailored steering ratio, reduced to 14:5:1. Other options included the 19-inch forged alloy wheels seen from earlier models and the Interlagos shade of blue seen from the North American competition package. All of these were introduced in Europe.

Interestingly, most of the features which played an integral part in the appeal of the E46 M3 competition package were in a way transitioned over from the limited-edition make of the CSL. The adored car which was made for a limited period of time during 2003 was reincarnated as such for the 11-month period of its production.

The boosted power which the competition package boasted in both the Americas and Europe meant that the impressive brakes which were featured in the CSL model were undoubtedly required. A sameness is not hard to detect between the CSL and the competition package, although it is definitely clear that the CSL had much more of an emphasis on being lightweight than the more recent competition upgrade does. Another significant difference between the two is the price – with at least six figures dividing the two.

Like green, yellow was victim to the discontinued paint cause. In February 2005, the metallic paint shade Phoenix Yellow was removed from the production line of the E46 M3.

The 2005 revisions mainly played host to a series of discontinued lines when it came to the standard range of the E46 M3s. The impulse cloth and Nappa leather which had been a prominent option in the upholstery choices for nearly five years was discontinued as an option for an interior, with the 13 types of upholstery remaining still available as a choice in the 2005 range.

A year on from the 2005 changes, the third generation of the M Series, the E46, was discontinued altogether. Like the two previous generations, the car had been incredibly successful in the international driving market and impressively so. Just over 85,000 units were dispatched to customers in the 6 year period it was retailing, with at least 30,000 convertibles amongst them.

It is clear that there are many out there on the used car market and the variety is amazing, with the options for upholstery, interior trims, paint colours and additional features providing the option of finding a car as individual as the driver. The E46 M3 was a successful car for BMW and one that lived up to the expectations of the driving world, keeping  a consistent quality with the two previous ranges and taking the name of the M Series to new heights.

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BMW were in a way testing the waters in North America when it came to the production run for the 2004 model. This was because the introduction of the competition package was initially launched on the continent to see what the general perception was of the package. 2004 was in some ways a very unusual year for the company as their revisions of the E46 came rather late. Unveiled in December, such changes normally occurred in the first quarter of the year or towards the conclusion of the third quarter in October.

There were some changes made to the cosmetic line up of the coupe and convertible models of the E46 M3. It had been decided that the option to have the car green from 2004 was to be withdrawn. In December, the metallic paint Oxford Green was withdrawn from the production of the cars. Interestingly, a replacement colour was not offered afterwards which could have been seen as signs that the tenure of the third generation of the M Series was gracefully coming to a close.

Before the production process seen in 2004, there were two different shades of blue metallic paint to choose from: Laguna Seca Blue, which had been introduced to the market at the launch of the E46 M3 and Mystic Blue which replaced the Topaz Blue which had been discontinued after three years from 2000 to 2003. In December of 2004, Laguna Seca was replaced by a new shade of blue called Interlagos Blue. This colour was only available on the competition package version of the E46 which was available in North America only at the time.

The principle difference between Laguna Seca and Interlagos blue came in the shades. Whereas Laguna Seca was seen to be more of teal and turquoise colour, Interlagos was considered to be darker – closer to the well-known shades of Navy and Royal blue.

BMW made some mechanical refinements in the Winter of 2004 to the standard models of the E46 M3. The main reason for this was because there had been complaints in the previous four years of the manufacture of the range that understeer was a key problem when it came to driving the car. Engineers believed this to be due to the suspension and so made efforts to revise how the suspension worked in the cars to ensure that understeer was no longer a problem in the range.

2004 proved to be the early warning signs of the sun beginning to set on yet another successful era of the M Series. The car was excellent and was consistently getting better with every annual revision. However, it was soon to be time for things to change in Munich as the dawn of the fourth generation began to go from concept to reality, with the process getting closer and closer as time went on.

This special interpretation of the E46 was referred to as the E46 M3 CSL, with CSL standing for “Coupe Sport Lightweight”. This was a term which had been used before by BMW, the last time being in 1971.

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In a way, the CSL was more about the drive than the experience. By default, the car was manufactured without an audio system and climate control, too. This was keeping in touch with the lightweight and efficient model that the car was meant to portray. Of course, there were some cars which will have the audio built-in, as it was available at no extra cost to the buyer.

Weighing in at a tenth less than the usual E46 model, the BMW engineers made many significant changes to the materials used in the car: the glass used for the rear windows is noted to be extra thin; the roof, which is made of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic; the rear bumper supports, also comprising of GFP.

Drivelogic was further utilised in the CSL model. There was exclusivity which was seen in this model of the car in the form of SMG II transmission. The technology aimed to increase acceleration by shifting gear at the most appropriate and optimum moment. This model and interpretation of the E46 range meant business.

Cosmetically, there were some limits which were made. The colours of the car were constrained to silver and black. The CSL was an extremely exclusive car. Between June and September, exclusive and European models were made – 1,300 to be approximate. 800 of these were left-hand drive, with the remaining 500 or so right-hand drive.

In the standard E46 models of the coupe and convertible, it was all change, too. With new shades of blue and grey replacing the old metallic paints, there was a lot of difference which set the 2003 model apart from previous years. LED adaptive taillights became a feature, too and North America played host to the introduction of BMW Assist.

There was more. The automatic climate control panels which had been seen in previous years had been revised further. Plus, with the boost in hands-free technology, BMW was sure to jump on the bandwagon with the introduction of hands-free phone control. At the time, BMW was at the tipping point of technology by introducing wirelessly-integrated technology through the medium of Bluetooth, which was emerging at the time as a dynamic and new option which was being seen on many new handsets and models of mobile phones.

2003: a big model for the E46 M3. With revisions in both March and September for the standard model comprising the coupe and the convertible and a limited-edition production phase of the E46 M3 CSL to the specification of the European market, it isn’t hard to see why this can be classed as one of the more defining years of the third-generation of the M Series to come from Munich.

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One of the principal changes came at the beginning of 2002, in March, to be exact. The BMW engineers introduced a strut brace for the E46 model. Now, strut braces were not something that had not been seen before in the M series, as there was a strut brace which was added to the front shock tower of the E36 during the second-generation era. There is a significant difference which should be noted between the strut brace seen in the second generation and the one seen in the third: the fact that the E46 strut brace is adjustable.

When most people think of strut braces, they think of race cars. In a way, BMW went to some extent to dispel these rumours when they offered braces with the E46 M3. This was because it they were trying to push it to the cars which were more likely to be driven on the streets.

There are benefits to be had to using a strut brace. These include a consistent amount of suspension which will not be compromised by any potholes or fluctuations that are seen on the driving surface. Over time, it can be found that there can be expensive damage to the car which could have been prevented should a strut brace have been used.

Looking for a 2002 model with a strut brace is likely to be an investment – the car is likely to be more expensive than others as some strut braces cost hundreds of dollars. However, the condition of the car mechanically and aesthetically is going to be better. What’s more, from a cosmetic perspective, strut braces can look pretty cool.

BMW became a fan of making additional features an option to the cars. The E46 M3 had many of these, most notably in North America. March 2002 also saw 19-inch forged alloy wheels as an option when purchased. It may be worth having a look out for those when on the used cars trail.

Transitioning into the Fall, there was more choice when it came to the interior of the BMW, with a new Aluminum interior trim becoming available. 2002 saw the choice of interior trims for buyers of the E46 M3 when it came to the interior of their car a lot more elevated, with the type of interior available increasing to four. Having a brushed effect, the new aluminum design would go on to be available right through to the product being discontinued.

The previous year had seen an in-dash CD player introduced into the standard E46 model. A DVD-based navigation system was soon to become standard in the car. The in-dash CD player which was seen in the previous model of the E46 last year became incorporated into this navigation system.

2002 was a significant year for the E46 M3 from BMW.

There was skepticism in the September of 2000 that the second generation of the M Series from Munich, the E36, could be toppled. It is imaginable that there was similar doubt that the 2001 model of the E46 could further boost the significant improvements seen in the third generation. However, the engineers of BMW were not to be doubted, as the already excellent car was taken to new elevated standards.

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One of the principle changes seen in the 2001 model was the gearbox. Formerly a Getrad Type D manual gearbox, the launch of the 2001 model saw a transition to the SMG II gearboxes which played a key part in the M Series for some time afterwards. This new gearbox was even accompanied by software, which was known as Drivelogic. In total, the gearbox had 11 gears to choose from – with six should the driver choose to change gear manually and five if the gear changes were computer-controlled. An automatic operation of the clutch was also thrown into the system for good measure.

2001 brought more choice when it came to the headlights of the car. Now, in the used 2001 E46 M3 market, there are cars with two types of headlights in the streets. This is because BMW offered Bi-Xenon as well as Xenon headlights in the market. The difference that sets Bi-Xenon apart from Xenon is the fact that the lights are adaptive, with beam pattern changing with the speed of travel.

An optional modification in the 2001 model was a spruced-up navigation system. The larger screen that housed the navigation and the audio unit was an appealing update, with an increased size to 6.5 inches. The audio unit had an added practicality in the sense that radio presets could be remembered in addition to other memorized data.

For those who did not pursue the option of a navigation and audio system, there still was some benefit to be had. For all North American models, a built-in CD player was introduced as standard. The system was integrated into the dashboard in this model.

Much more of an emphasis on automation was included in the 2001 model. With a sensor detecting rain and headlight control no longer being manual, it seems that the 2001 model added much more practicality to the beauty of the first model of the E46.

Aesthetically, BMW were taking no prisoners. It took but a year for an upholstery option to be discontinued. The Black high-gloss interior which was available at launch was discontinued with the introduction of the 2001 model. All other interior options continued to be produced for the new model, along with a new interior named Titan Shadow. This popular option was to remain right through until the end of production of the third generation of the M Series.

BMW were having a great time enjoying the popularity of the E46 M3, which like previous generations of the M Series, was a respected and market-leading car. They wanted to be sure that the glory continued by making modifications to their cars which kept the quality consistent in line with their competitors.

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The 2000 model was a glorious car – with a mere 4.8 seconds to get from 0-60mph. With max speeds at 185mph, this was a generation of car that had so much more power than its two predecessors and seen as an idyllic competition car.

The E46 can manage 24 miles to the gallon if you are on the motorway, with 16 miles to each gallon when driving in the city. Given the performance provided by the car, it certainly is efficient.

The new engine seen in the first model in the third generation of the M series was a challenge to the BMW team in Munich. Having to comply with a long list of legal regulations to do with environmental impact, engineers still managed to formulate an engine that had a lower weight and extra torque.

Interestingly, wherever you are, the specification for the engine of the E46 M3 remained the same. For the first time, the engine was made to the specifications of all countries where the car retailed, whilst still increasing the output of the car compared with previous models by nearly 7%.

Mechanically though, there are some differences with international models which are to be noted. However, the continental variations which are seen are known to be minor and in some cases insignificant. First and foremost, the catalysts which are in North American models of the E46 are slightly closer to the engine block of the car.

The 2000 BMW m3 model introduced a new diagnostic system which was more capable at processing. With power of 25m MIPS, notifications for service and maintenance and ability to time certain utilities like the ignition were just a few of the elements which the new engine control system covered at a higher cycle frequency than seen before.

You don’t have to be an expert to know that with engine power, more brake power is a necessary accompaniment. The braking system seen in the E36 M3 is consistently powerful and has a remarkably short stopping distance of 35m when travelling at 60mph.

Aesthetically, the 2000 model E46 M3 set the pace for the paint colours available in the series. Colours at launch included Alpine white, red, Jet and Carbon black, Titanium silver, Steel grey, Topaz blue, green and yellow.

Nappa leather was the upholstery of choice which was seen in the 2000 model of the E46 and most successive models. Black, grey, red and blue and kiwi were the options of leather shades to choose from, with an extended Nappa leather cover optional for each respective colour.

The third generation of the M series from BMW did not disappoint. The award-winning car’s 2000 model began what was to be a very successful run over a six-year period.