@@priscillasaldivar2537 "Simpler" has one of the worst transmission bmw ever made that likes to explode. Also the rod bearings will granade the engine before 100k and subframe will literally tear off 😂 E46 M3 is probably one of the worst M3 ever made.
@@DuBstep115 I prefer E46 chassis over E90/92/93. Tried both and still E46 is better more enjoyable and reliable. It has everything you need. if you need anything more than that you don't have to drive a car 😅.
I have an E90 328i and that is a joy to drive. That N/A inline-six is a doll of an engine, and I definitely wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much if it was turbocharged.
@@DuBstep115 I have to agree with you. Everything in the E90 is better, steering is 100x better, suspension is smoother, although my S54 sedan is faster than my 335i manual, the 335 just felt more refined.
The M2 CS is the real descendant of that glorious E46 CSL. The latter is one of the most beautiful car ever made. They got the proportions perfect for a 2 door coupe!
My challenge to you: find even one TH-cam review of a post-E90 M3 with someone so clearly loving everything about the car. Not the shallow "wow this is new, like 25 different settings, so much torque, and look at this 12 inch touch screen" stuff. The authentic joy of driving you see here. I've owned and daily driven two E46 M3s. If you haven't had the chance yet and you love cars, you owe to yourself to find a well-sorted example and drive it at least once on a good back road. Nothing quite like it in the 2000s (though several options with similar spirit), nothing even close to it now, and there likely never will be again.
The E46 is a masterpiece, inside and out, with a special mention for THAT wheel design. And it sounds fantastic. But... of course I would have the new one because it strikes the excitement/usability balance a lot better. CAR’s videos keep getting better, by the way
I think they have aged timeless. They can be released today with some modern interior and they will be perfectly fine and would sell like crazy. Everytime I see a clean E46 M/non-M they are beautiful cars.
Hard choice... one is an overweight awkwardly-designed depreciating liability, the other is a lightweight ageless fast-appreciating demonstration of what BMW M division were once capable of.
It really is a fun transmission. It has such an analog feel and takes some time to master. I’ve had both an smg and a manual and it’s honestly a tough call which one was more fun. the only downside of the smg is reliability, it’s very finicky and didnt like to be driven in traffic or hot weather.
CSL - just learn to drive the SMG - amazing looking car - absolutely timeless - driving these days is even more about the overall experience rather that just straight line grunt which is available in just about any grannie car - long live the e46 M3 CSL. And listen to that sound from 20:00 onwards :) Final edit - James, you chickened out at the end. Which would you buy with your hard earned gold ?
There is nothing like manually shifting a car that doesn't red line until 8-8400. It's worth the price of admission alone. And shifting is the best part of driving. In an automatic you are a passenger and the car is the driver. There is simply no comparison, the E46 M3 was made to be driven hard and revved high.
@@mstyles2667 smg is far from an automatic. It’s the closest thing you’ll get to a stick shift without the stick and it’s very fun to drive. The manuals in the e46 isn’t the greatest either, it’s very notchy and hates to be rushed where the smg just gets more lively the harder you drive.
@@ronniep9272 costs exactly the same to run as a normal smg e46 m3 which itself isn't even expensive after 2 permanent preventative maintenance jobs. You sir are absolutely clueless
I messaged Everything M3 3 months ago about a differential and some other questions. Email and phoned. Never got a response. I wouldn't mention them until they provide better or some type of service.
Superb comment Sir! You have 'won' the internet today with that astute comment! It perfectly sums up the fact that in aesthetic terms, BMW are regressing and have been doing so ever since the E46 M3/CSL.
Thank you for this great video, nice to see how much you like the CSL. At the end you say the CSL sounds a little better, I would say it sounds much better.....
The SMG gearbox is there for one reason, and one reason only in the CSL. It's there to enable you to Left Foot brake. If you don't left foot brake, then i'm not suprised you can't see the "point" of the gearbox. If you do left foot brake, then you understand EXACTLY why that gearbox was chosen..... :-)
This is in my opinion the best review of the E46 ///M3. The reviewer is excellent and provided me with information I never knew. Even after 16 years of ownership. I still crave driving this car. Now I need to go for a drive.
CSL every day of the week for me. They look stunning, sound incredible. Whilst the SMG isn’t the Bearkat it’s part of the experience. The G80 M3 is so blood fast these days, opportunities to extend it are limited on public roads. The CSL isn’t exactly slow but it’s a very different experience.
I completely agree. The E46 chassis in general has aged very well, and the S54 on the M3/CSL sounds so amazing, even with a stock exhaust. I will say though, after driving one with the SMG for a while now, the SMG really isn't as bad as many make it out to be. Although a manual would be perfect.
The CSL is a fantastic car with an epic engine though a shame about the SMG box. There are a few TH-cam videos of CSL's with manual conversions(including an excellent review from Harry Metcalf on his channel Harry's Garage) and the car is transformed.
I whole heartedly agree, that to enjoy an e46 m3 of any type, you need to drive it at 7k rpm. The problem is you'll be breaking every speed limit by the time you hit 3rd.
M3 geek coming out but the carbon roof is more about stiffness than lightness. It bonded in with adhesive and is massively stiffer than the steel roof.
I love that E46; however, for the price of a nice one in the US, you can purchase either a low-mileage 2020-2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce or a higher mileage 2017-2018 Quadrifoglio. You couldn't go wrong with either purchase if you love to drive.
I personally believe that BMW saw what happened with the N54 335i 135i's etc as well as their 1M from 2011 and thought "There's a lot of good things we can do with all that Turbo power as well as gas mileage. LOL. Then set out to make the new F series and G series etc. I own the E46 M3 and the 335i N54 and I can see what they might have been thinking IMHO.
Thanks for a really great review mate. We all know that the technical changes were inevitable, and I think are to be welcomed. But the new car's styling? Disregarding the grille, the rest of the car looks a) fussy, flaccid and over worked and b) side on almost like two different cars stuck together. That's NOT acceptable. Good design is good design no matter how old or new. Witness the classic Grecian urn; ancient but forever beautiful. The previous model (F80) was vastly better in this regard, looking purposeful, tight and hunkered down. The E46 CSL? I'm not even sure why we even bother to compare apples and oranges. If your skin doesn't prickle every time you see and hear a CSL, there's something fundamentally wrong with you. But I thought you nailed it in the conclusion when you surmise that everyone at BMW who has worked on the G80 project is almost certainly acutely aware of the expectations of the public because of cars like the E46 CSL. And M division just keep on trying. God bless them all.
Sorry bmw this G80 looks like m5 not for me & the price with options 85k but that csl hits every note every time you hit that throttle, its the way the car makes you feel everything just wish Bmw would go back in time great review tho 👍
@James Dennison - I liked where you were going with your closing thoughts… you’d think that BMW’s design teams would have posters and models of the E46 CSL and be using it as a reference point to ensure the BMW heritage is not just honoured but exploited… But do they!? If we think that the recipe for a BMW car is; bias in favour of driving enthusiasts, equal weight distribution, natural aspiration, rear wheel drive, understated but purposeful looks (exemplified by sports car rivalling performance based on the series model cars), manual gearboxes and the dismissal of non essential aids and luxuries… well today it looks like; more weight, more equipment, more ‘luxury’, torque converter automatics, four wheel drive, turbo charging, upsizing and loud garish shouty styling! I understand it’s what the market buys and they are contained by legislation but should we not be brave enough to admit now that they’ve moved away from the original receipt into something else entirely?
I think it’s a similar outcome, just a different recipe. No doubt the engineers were big fans of the E46 CSL, and what they’ve done is try and create a modern car that delivers within the remit of the BMW execs who are catering for a different kind of buyer. Granted, there’s elements we’ll never get back, but the G80 is still an M car to behold.
E46 M3/CSL vastly better looking machine than the new carbuncle. Regardless of any difference in performance, I'd far sooner possess a thing of beauty, than a bulky, brash looking beast- which is what the current offering is. E46 M3/CSL all day, everyday! If Steve McQueen was still alive and kicking, you just KNOW he would choose the E46 M3 CSL too- it's a no bullshit car, totally driver focused, with superb elegant aesthetics, and it's not the size of a small county either.
Would never sell my E46 M3 for any of the newer M cars they’ve lost their way and lost the true essence of what an M car is. Plus you don’t even know what the engine is in the CSL …..3.2 not 3.0….🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
All. Body shells were taken from the line,so, fitting a manual wouldn’t be that difficult, it’s only the gearbox and the cars brain that need fettling.
Yet another person that doesn’t understand how inflation works, it’s 2x the nominal value of the e46 yes, but compare it to wages and avg cost of life and it balances out.
I found it interesting that in all the reviews of the CSL only the Japanese who drove it in a comparison test on a race track found it to be precariously unstable at speeds over 200kph which is similar to my experience driving my 02 M3 Cabrio at 130mph!
E46 CSL or G80 Competition? What gets your vote?
CSL
M3 CSL by far
G80, by far.
Wouldn't complain about owning either but CSL gets my vote
CSL everyday
E46 still looks better...
And is lighter simpler better and with the same power prob twice as faster
No shit
@@priscillasaldivar2537 "Simpler" has one of the worst transmission bmw ever made that likes to explode. Also the rod bearings will granade the engine before 100k and subframe will literally tear off 😂 E46 M3 is probably one of the worst M3 ever made.
Even a Pontiac Aztec looks better...
Yall some 🤡🤡🤡
E46 M3 is legendary car. Even 330 is fun to drive
Not e46 330, e92 335i is fun non M car
@@DuBstep115 I prefer E46 chassis over E90/92/93. Tried both and still E46 is better more enjoyable and reliable. It has everything you need. if you need anything more than that you don't have to drive a car 😅.
I have an E90 328i and that is a joy to drive. That N/A inline-six is a doll of an engine, and I definitely wouldn't enjoy it nearly as much if it was turbocharged.
@@Gshekela Fiat panda has everything you need, what kinda weak ass argument is that? E92 is far superior car in every way compared to e46.
@@DuBstep115 I have to agree with you. Everything in the E90 is better, steering is 100x better, suspension is smoother, although my S54 sedan is faster than my 335i manual, the 335 just felt more refined.
The M2 CS is the real descendant of that glorious E46 CSL. The latter is one of the most beautiful car ever made. They got the proportions perfect for a 2 door coupe!
Size and weight is perfect. In this modern day where vehicles are more on the road and are bigger that is why traffic jams happen.
100%
My challenge to you: find even one TH-cam review of a post-E90 M3 with someone so clearly loving everything about the car. Not the shallow "wow this is new, like 25 different settings, so much torque, and look at this 12 inch touch screen" stuff. The authentic joy of driving you see here. I've owned and daily driven two E46 M3s. If you haven't had the chance yet and you love cars, you owe to yourself to find a well-sorted example and drive it at least once on a good back road. Nothing quite like it in the 2000s (though several options with similar spirit), nothing even close to it now, and there likely never will be again.
The E46 is a masterpiece, inside and out, with a special mention for THAT wheel design. And it sounds fantastic. But... of course I would have the new one because it strikes the excitement/usability balance a lot better. CAR’s videos keep getting better, by the way
Strange, E46 M3 CSL doesn't look aged, in and out. But that, of course, is in the eyes of the beholder.
No EVERYONE is with you mate
@@ottobong But many are.
I think they have aged timeless. They can be released today with some modern interior and they will be perfectly fine and would sell like crazy. Everytime I see a clean E46 M/non-M they are beautiful cars.
Hard choice... one is an overweight awkwardly-designed depreciating liability, the other is a lightweight ageless fast-appreciating demonstration of what BMW M division were once capable of.
Just skip to 9:31..for csl..skip the beaver madness..
The CSL with the SMG has to be driven like a manual because, in effect, it's really a manual without the clutch pedal.
It really is a fun transmission. It has such an analog feel and takes some time to master. I’ve had both an smg and a manual and it’s honestly a tough call which one was more fun. the only downside of the smg is reliability, it’s very finicky and didnt like to be driven in traffic or hot weather.
No contest... the E46 M3 CSL is a timeless car.
One's going to be worth about 10 times more than the other in a few years time. This isn't even a "competition."
I can't never leave my e46 M3. When you are driving at the power band it is a whole world different!! Sadly the new m3 are leaving the tradition.
Thanks for the review shermanator
CSL - just learn to drive the SMG - amazing looking car - absolutely timeless - driving these days is even more about the overall experience rather that just straight line grunt which is available in just about any grannie car - long live the e46 M3 CSL. And listen to that sound from 20:00 onwards :) Final edit - James, you chickened out at the end. Which would you buy with your hard earned gold ?
There is nothing like manually shifting a car that doesn't red line until 8-8400. It's worth the price of admission alone. And shifting is the best part of driving. In an automatic you are a passenger and the car is the driver. There is simply no comparison, the E46 M3 was made to be driven hard and revved high.
E46 - JD ;)
@@mstyles2667 smg is far from an automatic. It’s the closest thing you’ll get to a stick shift without the stick and it’s very fun to drive. The manuals in the e46 isn’t the greatest either, it’s very notchy and hates to be rushed where the smg just gets more lively the harder you drive.
@@mstyles2667 That's why they gave it SMG 😎 people at BMW understand what's good.
Nothing wrong with SMG, learn it, you'll love it..
Wouldn’t trade my e46 m3 csl for many cars anytime I go to a euro event it gets plenty of attention
Just nice to hear the e46 CSL again
m3 CSL with manual does exists. There's a company who make aftermarket upgrage. It must be delightful.
Everything m3's in Banbury do the conversions buddy
SMG use the same gearbox as the manual, computer operates the clutch instead of your left foot
Let's see in 10 years from now which one will be worth more, E46 M3 keeps appreciating in value every year
The annual maintenance costs mean that you will always be losing money.
@@ronniep9272 costs exactly the same to run as a normal smg e46 m3 which itself isn't even expensive after 2 permanent preventative maintenance jobs. You sir are absolutely clueless
CSL every time! You should mention that Everything M3 offer a 6 speed manual conversion.
I messaged Everything M3 3 months ago about a differential and some other questions. Email and phoned. Never got a response. I wouldn't mention them until they provide better or some type of service.
E46 looking at its great great grandson and wondering why it has a massive face tattoo
Superb comment Sir! You have 'won' the internet today with that astute comment! It perfectly sums up the fact that in aesthetic terms, BMW are regressing and have been doing so ever since the E46 M3/CSL.
Thank you for this great video, nice to see how much you like the CSL.
At the end you say the CSL sounds a little better, I would say it sounds much better.....
How beautiful that E46 body has aged
The SMG gearbox is there for one reason, and one reason only in the CSL. It's there to enable you to Left Foot brake. If you don't left foot brake, then i'm not suprised you can't see the "point" of the gearbox. If you do left foot brake, then you understand EXACTLY why that gearbox was chosen..... :-)
you can left foot brake in a manual too
Another great review from this guy love his reviews on the channel
Thanks Richard!
I adore my E46 330CD, would love the CSL, but actually for me the Alpina B3s is the one E46 I want more than any other.
E46 all the way
This is in my opinion the best review of the E46 ///M3. The reviewer is excellent and provided me with information I never knew. Even after 16 years of ownership. I still crave driving this car. Now I need to go for a drive.
Thanks Adam, glad you enjoyed. Definitely go for a drive!
Still can’t get over the fake engine noise. Seems so fitting for a product that’s made in 2021 with how society has developed.
It is very fitting lol
Nicely put, exactly. So much is fake. Hardly anyhting 'real' anymore. Darn woke leftists
really entertaining and thoughtful comparison review. Excellent job!
Thanks Rick!
the difference in expression says it all... e46 all the way
Please can you start mentioning KW and NM for the power figures?
E46 is a 3.2L not a 3L
As I know SMG 2 has a controll how fast you want to change the gears.
SCD did a CSL review next to Stradale and GT3 RS 996… says enough right?🦄 Good review!
Was out in my 997 C4S today. Average speed 34.8
If someone tried to give me that car, I'd call a lawyer and fight that transaction.
Older BMW FTW
omg dying i can't.....lolololololololol
I want that M3 E46
I'm here for the CSL. Can't even look at the other car.
CSL every day of the week for me. They look stunning, sound incredible. Whilst the SMG isn’t the Bearkat it’s part of the experience.
The G80 M3 is so blood fast these days, opportunities to extend it are limited on public roads. The CSL isn’t exactly slow but it’s a very different experience.
I completely agree. The E46 chassis in general has aged very well, and the S54 on the M3/CSL sounds so amazing, even with a stock exhaust. I will say though, after driving one with the SMG for a while now, the SMG really isn't as bad as many make it out to be. Although a manual would be perfect.
@@hotchkess846 I hear a clunk noice on my manual some people call it the “M clunk” any idea what the fix could be
E46 M3… car heaven 😍
Great job by author explaining each cars unique qualities
This dude while sleeping..
"Properly.. properly.."
pretty cringe tbh, that over the top british vocabulary, "that is propah...propahhh rapid, my dear old chap". I mean c'mon...
I have an e46m3 and I still prefer my car over the new m3
No other car can be more renowned and legendary like the M3, forever m3! The M3 CSL sounding is almost as good as the LFA for a faction of the cost.
Rather have an E46 M all day long
what exterior color is that one?
The CSL is a fantastic car with an epic engine though a shame about the SMG box. There are a few TH-cam videos of CSL's with manual conversions(including an excellent review from Harry Metcalf on his channel Harry's Garage) and the car is transformed.
A great review by a great reviewer. E46 M3 is the timeless classic.
Thanks!
I whole heartedly agree, that to enjoy an e46 m3 of any type, you need to drive it at 7k rpm.
The problem is you'll be breaking every speed limit by the time you hit 3rd.
M3 geek coming out but the carbon roof is more about stiffness than lightness. It bonded in with adhesive and is massively stiffer than the steel roof.
Good shout, Mike. So many lovely details on the CSL it’s hard to remember them all exactly! 😂
Great review however, I would disagree they are desirable in equal measure.
Ditto. The CSL was BMW M3 at an apex in the line of M3s, this is a very poor relation on a multiple level.
Glad you enjoyed!
@@Fioravanti.80 I wonder what the cost of CSL would be including inflation in 2021. I have a guess that the new car is far cheaper.
One of these is a proper drivers car built for driving enthusiasts. The other is more of a grand tourer.
THIS.
feels like original top gear. subscribed
Thanks Samuel!
What an awesome review!!!
I love that E46; however, for the price of a nice one in the US, you can purchase either a low-mileage 2020-2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce or a higher mileage 2017-2018 Quadrifoglio. You couldn't go wrong with either purchase if you love to drive.
I literally skipped straight to the E46 M3 CSL, say no more.
Great job as usual, James!
Thanks Vijay!
Out with the new. In with the old.
I personally believe that BMW saw what happened with the N54 335i 135i's etc as well as their 1M from 2011 and thought "There's a lot of good things we can do with all that Turbo power as well as gas mileage. LOL. Then set out to make the new F series and G series etc. I own the E46 M3 and the 335i N54 and I can see what they might have been thinking IMHO.
Thanks for a really great review mate. We all know that the technical changes were inevitable, and I think are to be welcomed. But the new car's styling? Disregarding the grille, the rest of the car looks a) fussy, flaccid and over worked and b) side on almost like two different cars stuck together. That's NOT acceptable. Good design is good design no matter how old or new. Witness the classic Grecian urn; ancient but forever beautiful. The previous model (F80) was vastly better in this regard, looking purposeful, tight and hunkered down. The E46 CSL? I'm not even sure why we even bother to compare apples and oranges. If your skin doesn't prickle every time you see and hear a CSL, there's something fundamentally wrong with you. But I thought you nailed it in the conclusion when you surmise that everyone at BMW who has worked on the G80 project is almost certainly acutely aware of the expectations of the public because of cars like the E46 CSL. And M division just keep on trying. God bless them all.
Cheers Pete! Glad you enjoyed.
Sorry bmw this G80 looks like m5 not for me & the price with options 85k but that csl hits every note every time you hit that throttle, its the way the car makes you feel everything just wish Bmw would go back in time great review tho 👍
They make a similar car as the E46, its called the M2
...and the CSL was $102k+ adjusted for inflation. If you could get once since they were a limited run. The G80 is a total bargain, comparatively.
Comparing a 4 door to a coupe despite talking about your opinion of the M3 vs M4 at the beginning.
Great video!
Thanks!
E46 M3 is peak M3 . Stop asking what M3 is better . All BMW fans know that .
G80 will be forgotten in 5 years.
CSL will be remembered forever.
the n/a sound of the s54 is intoxicating to drive
looks like he had way more fun with the 46
@James Dennison - I liked where you were going with your closing thoughts… you’d think that BMW’s design teams would have posters and models of the E46 CSL and be using it as a reference point to ensure the BMW heritage is not just honoured but exploited… But do they!?
If we think that the recipe for a BMW car is; bias in favour of driving enthusiasts, equal weight distribution, natural aspiration, rear wheel drive, understated but purposeful looks (exemplified by sports car rivalling performance based on the series model cars), manual gearboxes and the dismissal of non essential aids and luxuries… well today it looks like; more weight, more equipment, more ‘luxury’, torque converter automatics, four wheel drive, turbo charging, upsizing and loud garish shouty styling! I understand it’s what the market buys and they are contained by legislation but should we not be brave enough to admit now that they’ve moved away from the original receipt into something else entirely?
I think it’s a similar outcome, just a different recipe. No doubt the engineers were big fans of the E46 CSL, and what they’ve done is try and create a modern car that delivers within the remit of the BMW execs who are catering for a different kind of buyer. Granted, there’s elements we’ll never get back, but the G80 is still an M car to behold.
I would not get a new M3/M4 over a CSL ever. Unfortunately the CSL didn’t make it to America 🇺🇸
E46 😘😍
E46 M3/CSL vastly better looking machine than the new carbuncle. Regardless of any difference in performance, I'd far sooner possess a thing of beauty, than a bulky, brash looking beast- which is what the current offering is. E46 M3/CSL all day, everyday! If Steve McQueen was still alive and kicking, you just KNOW he would choose the E46 M3 CSL too- it's a no bullshit car, totally driver focused, with superb elegant aesthetics, and it's not the size of a small county either.
You can't compare the standard new M3 with a csl version....
looks like a alpha romeo from the 1990´s m3 csl all day every day.
If they made the csl manual only, it would be the 100% 10/10…
E46 m3 best m car ever❤️🔥
I don't like the M3's after the E46 honestly.
The best M3 E46 😘👍!!M3 2021 🤮👎
lololololol
ITB and that carbon air box
Would never sell my E46 M3 for any of the newer M cars they’ve lost their way and lost the true essence of what an M car is.
Plus you don’t even know what the engine is in the CSL …..3.2 not 3.0….🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
Of course, G80. CSL can be a good weekend car. But I'd never buy it as my only car...
All. Body shells were taken from the line,so, fitting a manual wouldn’t be that difficult, it’s only the gearbox and the cars brain that need fettling.
How are saloons cooler than a coupe? I’d get it if we were talking the estate version as being as cool 😎
Still waiting for E46 remastered. Brand new E46. But never happened now like Toyota GR Yaris
CSL every day of the week, and twice for the weekend. it is absolutely a peak M. G80 is just crap
G80 M3 - BMW shaved a dog's ass and taught it to walk backwards
E46 CSL please
"Cost almost twice as an E46 M3" - That's cause the British pound has tanked since those days lol
M3 E46 forever.
You could buy a second hand m5 competition for the price of a new m3, that’s what I’d do.
Would not swap my CSL for 2 G80's
The best legal high you can have.
Don't care if its newer and 'faster' .. I'll take the E46 M3 any day over a brand new M3.
I still take the brand new M3, and then sell it to buy e46 M3 and use the extra money for other stuff
the subframe issue was a big one on the e46 im guessing cooling was a big one on this car (big ugly grills BUG)
It's almost as though the journalist wasn't allowed to actually say anything negative about the G80...
Yet another person that doesn’t understand how inflation works, it’s 2x the nominal value of the e46 yes, but compare it to wages and avg cost of life and it balances out.
"With M3 you get saloon body which is more practical" Yeah but with porsche you get a porsche and end of story.
I found it interesting that in all the reviews of the CSL only the Japanese who drove it in a comparison test on a race track found it to be precariously unstable at speeds over 200kph which is similar to my experience driving my 02 M3 Cabrio at 130mph!
Beauty is beautiful.
Old way better🙌
E46 m3 csl best car ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!