Patience is a virtue that usually doesn't come easily to car zealots. For us, it's all about getting things done, quickly, swiftly and efficiently. No waiting please!
This means that when the grapevine tells you the still-in-the-works E90 M3 will have a honking vee-eight, and, with competitive evolution being what it is in the car business these days, improved handling and performance, what's an impatient M3 nutter to do?
Well, the folks at BMW know your lack of patience only too well. Heck, they've built their whole business on it. So, to tide you over, may I present to you, arguably, the best driving E46 ever--the M3 Competition Package.
"Best driving E46 ever? Wouldn't that be the M3 CSL with its lightweight, carbon-fibre roof, stripped out interior, and balls-to-the-walls 360 horsepower straight-six?", say you, oh Bimmer addict.
Um, yes, you may have me there, mate. Its just BMW never sold that model here. What with the cost of certifying the high-power engine for North America, the expected limited sales, and the fact that the M3 CSL is priced about 50% on top of a cooking M3 coupe in Europe. It may have made sense to the enthusiastic few, but not to BMW's bottom line.
Full review here