Walt Heisenberg except the only real m3 the e30, motorsport homologation was the m3s purpose. period. e30 m3 was brilliant e30 m3 evolution was very brilliant e30 m3 evolution 2 was better still e30 m3 sport evolution was knocking on the door of perfect. the csl is the only m3 since the original to deserve the name. homologation cars having earnt their stripes on the battlefield that is motorsport have a bit more spice. rather have an integrale evo i reckon.
I would say there are one more car worth the m3 name and that's the e36 m3 GT, it had all the right bits an pieces to be a real m3 with it's chassi, shorter diff, alminium dorrs, adjustable front splitter and so on Even the dual oilpickup for racing I still remeber the first time I sat in one of those. The engine noise from that tuned 295hp 3l was amazing.
@@5times146 check the prices on used SMGs and on used manuals, and you will realize manuals are timeless, automatics get new versions every year and they date qucik.
Still my favorite looking BMW ever. No competition. That whole generation design-wise was pure bliss. And this is the best one. It's just so perfectly balanced. No surface is wasted on superficial design and frills. Every line fits so organically. It's like one of those mechanical parts you see being machined out of solid block of steel to absolute perfection. That's how it looks to me. What an absolute weapon this was. Too bad BMW don't do classy looking cars anymore. This car looked so menacing, yet so restrained.
@@Soulrollsdeep Im gonna have to agree with you here.. also the G20 with the M packet looked great before the facelift (I just dont like the G20 lci :D) Im now just waiting for prices of used G20/G30 to drop a bit further and one of them will probably replace (or add to the "collection) my current E39.
@@aaa84gt E28 was still pretty soft so I dont think its really a fair comparison :D E46, E39 are the best middle ground between driving capabilities, weight, engine power and reliability, ability to daily drive it. Still even the new ones hide their weight very well and have huge amounts of grip compared to these older cars.
not realy peak bmw. the M2's are still great and the M5 are more powerfull than ever. the m3/4 is kind of meh but thats mostly becaus the M3 started as a small track car and now is a huge touring car. the M2 is what the m3/4 is supose to be. allso you can't forget the 1M wich is still one of the best cars they have ever made
@@VRJSNGH all they do now is overstyle their cars. i wish we could go back to when all of their cars were factory sleepers, you didn’t know they were fast unless you *knew*
I had one for 8 years, put 90000 miles on it, terrific car .. No the boot floor is not made of cardboard, it is a honeycomb structure and I used to put my 30Kg toolbox in the boot no problem.. Mine did have a radio and Aircon, the only 2 options I had/needed .. Great on fuel considering, and comfy..
It was the first car i have ever was a bit affraid of to drive in late autumn in London ... with all those leafs on the road semi slicks awesomness in pure form ...
It will always remain as my all-time favorite I6 motor, and yes, this is including consideration of the 2JZ and the RB26/30.. these are my I6 all-time favs in that order lol even tho I love the R34 GT-R V Spec more than the MkIV Supra overall, I must admit the 2JZ is a stronger, more reliable design of I6 motor.. in fact, the 2JZ is also more study than the S54 IMO.. but the S54, IMO, is more high-strung than either the 2JZ and RB... think if, out of the factory, an option was made to have a turbo S54 spec... can you imagine the comparison then to either 2JZ or RB? Even closer of a matchup IMO! It's just crazy impressive for a 3.2L NA I6 to come with ITBs, 11.5:1 CR, and NO FI assistance making 343bhp stock! After my engine rebuild, my S54 NA 2004 will be making ~375-380bhp after tuning.. I want to supercharge next on low PSI to ~420-450bhp no intercooler!
Fiat Lux in multiple car websites, I’ve seen that the S54 is either 1st, 2nd or 3rd best engine of all time in basically all of the websites. For the other i6 engines you’ve named, sure they’d be monsters once tuned and probably have a higher tuning capacity, but the S54 is more responsive than all of them (mainly because it’s NA) and red-lines over 8,000rpm. And even on the Nürburgring, the E46 is faster than an R34 and a Supra, which like you said, can you imagine how much faster it’d be if it came turbocharged. But I’d take E46 over the JDM’s any day because of how raw of an experience it is, the balance, the chassis, the engine, the responsiveness. Simply an engineering masterpiece
@@bmf5420 you are absolutely correct. I couldn't have said it better myself, you speak my mind!! I'm glad to have met yet another soul that is JUST as passionate about this motor.. my girlfriend thinks I'm insane sometimes, some nights spent are more in the garage than with her! Lmao ;) duty calls, S54 requires lots of attention but goddamnit is it so worth it! Best decision of my life, really cant think of another car that I'd want in relative comparison even with modern standards! 👍
Fiat Lux Likewise brother, nice to meet another guy who’s also crazy about cars and has the knowledge as well. Me and my brother have full blown arguments about cars sometimes, even my parents are like “wtf how can you argue about cars”😂😂 and EXACTLY bro, I’m so close to buying a E46 with 70k miles that’s been well looked after. Even by today’s standards there are VERY few sports cars, let alone cars that are as special as an E46, once in a lifetime model and the pinnacle of BMW’s. Even from this video when Jeremy says, “it’s BMW, at it’s absolute best” I get genuine goosebumps 😂😂
@@bmf5420 jesus mate.. wish I was a brother to your household just to get in on those arguments! We are alike you and i.. I re watch this video just to hear Jeremy say what you've quoted & "if you even look at that engine, it'll kill you..." wahahahah makes me so happy inside! Get her ASAP son! They are disappearing FAST!!
@Juden Arier Because SMG is boring and you are NOT driving the car. End of story. How can you take turns and downshift and bounce with an automatic? You can't. SMG is like the soul being removed from the car. Most of us here are drivers, we want a 3rd peddle, we want to DRIVE.
@@alexanderaddaiboateng169 yeh they’ve gone really rare cause only a few were made and on each of them there’s a little plaque with date and the number car it was
The best m3 ever made, I had one, my brother had one but it was csl, this car was absolutely insane, engine was naturally aspirated 3.2 litre straight 6, BMW today have now started putting shitty turbos on their cars, they don't make m3 like this now, oh and the launch control button was an amazing party trick
amen.. the M3 line has been absolutely destroyed by new BMW, I hate them. I'll forever love the E46 M3, it was BMW's finest. The S54 and S65 motors will go down in history for me as the best motors BMW ever brought to production; the spirit of both of them is exactly what I expect from a true ///M car!
I love my 2004 it’s the fastest car I’ve ever driven and it looks beautiful with the black exterior and red interior and that smog transmission is the thing of the future
@@HEXAN-SC LMAO. The new ZF8spd in a base 320i is MILES better than your SMG. In literally every way, especially in response time. As in the time it takes to shift from when you touch the paddle. It is a decently quick car, my friend has one with a HorsePower Freaks kit on it that makes 800whp!!! Or around 920hp at the crank which is how everyone measures HP.
The E46 and E39 are the pinnacle of car design, perfect size, enough power (3.0 and above engines obviously) comfy, great handling, lovely, well made and ergonomically interior, perfect amount of technology, timeless design - polish one up and Keep it nice and will still look very modern.
That CSL was originally owned by my late grandfather, it was actually red at the time. I'm so glad that someone uploaded this footage. As a kid I used to just stare at this car in the garage, it rarely left the bloody garage.
Okay it’s 3/18/2020 rn. BMW please make naturally aspirated M engines again. I know turbos are the only way you can make the hp to liter ratio impressive but man a naturally aspirated engine is like dancing with a naked girl. It’s just harmony
This is the best looking M3 ever.
Walt Heisenberg except the only real m3 the e30, motorsport homologation was the m3s purpose. period.
e30 m3 was brilliant
e30 m3 evolution was very brilliant
e30 m3 evolution 2 was better still
e30 m3 sport evolution was knocking on the door of perfect.
the csl is the only m3 since the original to deserve the name.
homologation cars having earnt their stripes on the battlefield that is motorsport have a bit more spice.
rather have an integrale evo i reckon.
I would say there are one more car worth the m3 name and that's the e36 m3 GT, it had all the right bits an pieces to be a real m3 with it's chassi, shorter diff, alminium dorrs, adjustable front splitter and so on
Even the dual oilpickup for racing
I still remeber the first time I sat in one of those. The engine noise from that tuned 295hp 3l was amazing.
Still a great looking car. E46 design was timeless.
E30 👍
unfortunately, it still is. ironic
BMW E46 M3 CSL - the best M3 they ever built.
BMWM POWER maybe the e30 but it's up here
Maybe if it had a manual gearbox, and not this outdated SMG.
Except for the M3 GTR E46 =))
@@BlitzkriegRap It's not the 80s sod manual
@@5times146 check the prices on used SMGs and on used manuals, and you will realize manuals are timeless, automatics get new versions every year and they date qucik.
Still my favorite looking BMW ever. No competition. That whole generation design-wise was pure bliss. And this is the best one. It's just so perfectly balanced. No surface is wasted on superficial design and frills. Every line fits so organically. It's like one of those mechanical parts you see being machined out of solid block of steel to absolute perfection. That's how it looks to me. What an absolute weapon this was. Too bad BMW don't do classy looking cars anymore. This car looked so menacing, yet so restrained.
Somehow you expressed my thoughts so precisely in this, better than I could have myself :)
@@espanto101 haha so true, I love this comment and I agree in every single point.
The asymmetric air intake just finishes it off perfectly.
Disagree, I think the G30 5 Series is a beautifully balanced looking car and packs a punch in various engine guises
@@Soulrollsdeep Im gonna have to agree with you here.. also the G20 with the M packet looked great before the facelift (I just dont like the G20 lci :D) Im now just waiting for prices of used G20/G30 to drop a bit further and one of them will probably replace (or add to the "collection) my current E39.
One of Top gear finest review, one of greatest automotive review in history
The white one is my Dad's old CSL. Top Gear invited us over back in 2003 to film this, I was standing just out of shot haha!
Nick Lynch does your dad still have the car?
Talking shit for
If your dad really sold the car he’s an idiot considering these cars are selling for around 150k
@@ivanmartinez632 No they aren't.
ivan martinez You can't really call someone an idiot for not knowing the future, or for needing space/money for something.
come on, who needs a radio, when your car sounds like this😄
CZCommander PES exactlyyyyyy hahah
7:31 whoa!
BMW M3 CSL and the BMW M3 GTR
Super legends!
Juden Arier heard there 3 gtr think bmw bought some of the gtr back from customers
@@ivanmartinez632 how do you know that?
I miss this version of the BMW Group so very much
I have had many BMWs. E28s to F36. BMW is unfortunately dead as we knew it.
2 years later it became even worse.
@@aaa84gt E28 was still pretty soft so I dont think its really a fair comparison :D E46, E39 are the best middle ground between driving capabilities, weight, engine power and reliability, ability to daily drive it. Still even the new ones hide their weight very well and have huge amounts of grip compared to these older cars.
i love you for sharing this with the world ... we must never forget non turbo M3's with man like induction noise
This is hands down one of the best top gear reviews ever! Not just the car, the editing and how well it was everything was put together!
It’s brilliant, hard to believe this was made in 2003/4, top gear was way ahead of its time for production and editing.
I remember watching this on a Sunday night with my dad as a kid. It sparked my passion for cars and engines and best of all good old top gear
this is peak Top Gear and peak BMW!
not realy peak bmw. the M2's are still great and the M5 are more powerfull than ever. the m3/4 is kind of meh but thats mostly becaus the M3 started as a small track car and now is a huge touring car. the M2 is what the m3/4 is supose to be. allso you can't forget the 1M wich is still one of the best cars they have ever made
One of the greatest cars ever made! This is why I worship BMW!
...this is also why you are probably a knob. 😉
@@RtB68 takes one to know one
@@jasonherah1563 Ha! Well, you'd know more about that than me, plainly. Knob.
One of the most badass bmws off all time
It's 2019 and this car is probably still more hardcore than any other production BMW ever made!
No doubt
e39 m5 not bad too!!!!!!!!
e46 and e39 last great bmw´s
@@davidullrich9905 E60 V10 too
Wrong. The original e30 m3 was that lol
Ahhh 240p we meet again old friend..
filmed in 2003, shut the fuck up
The sound of this car is one of the best I've heard
i'd do anything to get this era of bmw back
This was their prime in my opinion. Birth of the E53, beastly E46, hammering V10’s from E60’s and Luxuriously equipped E38’s.
@@VRJSNGH and unfortunately i doubt they’re ever gonna go back to that
@@slow.elantra427 I know. The think I hate about modern BMWs are the oversized Kidney grills
@@VRJSNGH all they do now is overstyle their cars. i wish we could go back to when all of their cars were factory sleepers, you didn’t know they were fast unless you *knew*
@@slow.elantra427 exactly
thank you random russian man for uploading this I enjoyed
What a great car, what a great host Jeremy is. They go hand and hand.
Other people dream of owning Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Nissan GTRs.... I dream of owning one of these. Pure automotive perfection in my eyes.
Exactly. There’s just something about it. An aura..
I had one for 8 years, put 90000 miles on it, terrific car ..
No the boot floor is not made of cardboard, it is a honeycomb structure and I used to put my 30Kg toolbox in the boot no problem..
Mine did have a radio and Aircon, the only 2 options I had/needed ..
Great on fuel considering, and comfy..
honestly great spec, i can't do without ac/rad lol
It was the first car i have ever was a bit affraid of to drive in late autumn in London ... with all those leafs on the road semi slicks awesomness in pure form ...
classic rep car
Mentions that CSL did not have a radio in the test drive, yet stig is listening to music during the lap?
Rocket Steve929 it was an opitinal extra
Most of the time on top gear they play it over the lap as a joke.
@@connorbrooks1102 Thank U kaptain obvious, now i get it
Peepee poopoo
S54 is top 3 greatest (performance) engines EVER made, absolutely no debate.
It will always remain as my all-time favorite I6 motor, and yes, this is including consideration of the 2JZ and the RB26/30.. these are my I6 all-time favs in that order lol even tho I love the R34 GT-R V Spec more than the MkIV Supra overall, I must admit the 2JZ is a stronger, more reliable design of I6 motor.. in fact, the 2JZ is also more study than the S54 IMO.. but the S54, IMO, is more high-strung than either the 2JZ and RB... think if, out of the factory, an option was made to have a turbo S54 spec... can you imagine the comparison then to either 2JZ or RB? Even closer of a matchup IMO! It's just crazy impressive for a 3.2L NA I6 to come with ITBs, 11.5:1 CR, and NO FI assistance making 343bhp stock! After my engine rebuild, my S54 NA 2004 will be making ~375-380bhp after tuning.. I want to supercharge next on low PSI to ~420-450bhp no intercooler!
Fiat Lux in multiple car websites, I’ve seen that the S54 is either 1st, 2nd or 3rd best engine of all time in basically all of the websites. For the other i6 engines you’ve named, sure they’d be monsters once tuned and probably have a higher tuning capacity, but the S54 is more responsive than all of them (mainly because it’s NA) and red-lines over 8,000rpm. And even on the Nürburgring, the E46 is faster than an R34 and a Supra, which like you said, can you imagine how much faster it’d be if it came turbocharged. But I’d take E46 over the JDM’s any day because of how raw of an experience it is, the balance, the chassis, the engine, the responsiveness. Simply an engineering masterpiece
@@bmf5420 you are absolutely correct. I couldn't have said it better myself, you speak my mind!! I'm glad to have met yet another soul that is JUST as passionate about this motor.. my girlfriend thinks I'm insane sometimes, some nights spent are more in the garage than with her! Lmao ;) duty calls, S54 requires lots of attention but goddamnit is it so worth it! Best decision of my life, really cant think of another car that I'd want in relative comparison even with modern standards! 👍
Fiat Lux Likewise brother, nice to meet another guy who’s also crazy about cars and has the knowledge as well. Me and my brother have full blown arguments about cars sometimes, even my parents are like “wtf how can you argue about cars”😂😂 and EXACTLY bro, I’m so close to buying a E46 with 70k miles that’s been well looked after. Even by today’s standards there are VERY few sports cars, let alone cars that are as special as an E46, once in a lifetime model and the pinnacle of BMW’s. Even from this video when Jeremy says, “it’s BMW, at it’s absolute best” I get genuine goosebumps 😂😂
@@bmf5420 jesus mate.. wish I was a brother to your household just to get in on those arguments! We are alike you and i.. I re watch this video just to hear Jeremy say what you've quoted & "if you even look at that engine, it'll kill you..." wahahahah makes me so happy inside! Get her ASAP son! They are disappearing FAST!!
This in a manual would be the stuff of dreams :)
Juden Arier i don’t personally have any problem with the SMG. Just would be nice to have both options.
@Juden Arier SMG II will be awesome for track but i'd prefer the manual version to feel and enjoy more
As a driver's car, it should have a manual
@Juden Arier Because SMG is boring and you are NOT driving the car. End of story. How can you take turns and downshift and bounce with an automatic? You can't. SMG is like the soul being removed from the car. Most of us here are drivers, we want a 3rd peddle, we want to DRIVE.
@@mstyles2667 smg isnt an automatic you can revmatch and everything
E46 most beautiful BMW ever !!!
One of my favourite M cars ever!!😊😊
I've watched this about 500 times and everytime it feels like I've never watched before.
engines will never sound like that again....
This guy is a master in reviews. Miss u lots
One of my favourite M cars ever!!♥️♥️😍😍🔥🔥
One of my favorite parts of this video is the music selection, as crazy as that is considering it's my favorite CSL video.
The e46 has something special, no one more M3 has that personality and inmortal desing
Couple of Legends 😜👍🏻
Such a great car. Cars of today reallt aren’t the same
Well it costs 180.000 now 😂
Whaaat?
@@alexanderaddaiboateng169 yeh they’ve gone really rare cause only a few were made and on each of them there’s a little plaque with date and the number car it was
@@VRJSNGH warm up the time machine. We're going back to buy everyone of the E46's
The best m3 ever made, I had one, my brother had one but it was csl, this car was absolutely insane, engine was naturally aspirated 3.2 litre straight 6, BMW today have now started putting shitty turbos on their cars, they don't make m3 like this now, oh and the launch control button was an amazing party trick
amen.. the M3 line has been absolutely destroyed by new BMW, I hate them. I'll forever love the E46 M3, it was BMW's finest. The S54 and S65 motors will go down in history for me as the best motors BMW ever brought to production; the spirit of both of them is exactly what I expect from a true ///M car!
I always thought the M3 CSL has the best sounding inline 6 ever.
"The most hardcore BMW ever made" - Sir Jeremy Clarkson. :)
I love the car so much I have owned two of them. This one is a keeper
Some say, the stig was born with a radio/cd player incorporated.
And when he gets sick an engine check lights up in his helmet.🤣😂🤣😂
Somewhere in that engine noise I can hear a little bit of e92 v8
Any details of that car?
*SUSPECT IS DRIVING A SILVER BMW*
My dream right there 😍
future classic for sure
future? more like current
What an incredible car. Too bad we didn't get it in the states!!
I love this car
No radio kn this car.
Of course, for what you need it.
This car play the music
lol seems like jeremy doesn't like SMG... a shame; I love my 2004 E46 M3 SMG Coupe. Nonetheless, once you go ///M, you can never go back!!
twiceasfastasyourass must be nice having a 2004. My m3 is a 2001 and soon im sure im gunna need to repair the subframe 😩
SMG clunker
I love my 2004 it’s the fastest car I’ve ever driven and it looks beautiful with the black exterior and red interior and that smog transmission is the thing of the future
Very true i have a 2006 m6. Love her to death. But the e46 m3 has always been a dream to ride
@@HEXAN-SC LMAO. The new ZF8spd in a base 320i is MILES better than your SMG. In literally every way, especially in response time. As in the time it takes to shift from when you touch the paddle. It is a decently quick car, my friend has one with a HorsePower Freaks kit on it that makes 800whp!!! Or around 920hp at the crank which is how everyone measures HP.
This van Gogh painting of an M3 is beautiful
The greatest intake noise!
why have a traction control button?? err because people would love to have a csl and not die on there normal journey to work
I do not agree because the CSL is a track oriented car so...you won't use traction control. If you want a daily just get an M3.
@@niclebowski9214 people buy what ever the fuck they want for a daily driving car
If you buy a CSL you surely don't want to use it as a daily. Calm down btw.
If you want a daily get a 330. Don’t have to deal w regular valve adjustments and blowing rod bearings
The s54 will forever be the greatest sounding 6 cylinder ever
I thought clarkson said there was no radio.. how is the stig listening to music??
*x files theme starts playing*
I once had the joyful opportunity of test driving a normal one. This here must have been a total killer.
I always wondered what time it would of done on a dry day ? That time was with it sliding about all over the place , nice one The Stig !
I think Stig got an air stereo there
Œskblad was an optional extra
True legend.
What episode is this? I wanna see in prime video if posible?
The E46 and E39 are the pinnacle of car design, perfect size, enough power (3.0 and above engines obviously) comfy, great handling, lovely, well made and ergonomically interior, perfect amount of technology, timeless design - polish one up and Keep it nice and will still look very modern.
Best M3 still love this car
This car is still around £60k held it's value superbly well!
The best Sports coupe ever made period #CSL
Nah, Nissan gtr
That M3 is great car. Very similar to the #78 Peniston Oils racecar that ran in the Britcar 24 hour race at Silverstone a few years ago.
That CSL was originally owned by my late grandfather, it was actually red at the time. I'm so glad that someone uploaded this footage. As a kid I used to just stare at this car in the garage, it rarely left the bloody garage.
Song at the start is "Radian" by Air for those interested
The car has no radio but Stig listens classical music in it.
Anyone knows the name of the song in the beginning of the video?
The sound is Divine
E46 M3 best car ever made
5min16sec did they leave the stereo for display
I'm in love 😍 BMW M3 CSL I hope to own one one day 🤪🥺
the one and only non symetrical front bumper in the car industry
*It is THE M3 to end all M3s.*
This car is to die for ,
How old is this vid?
Sounds so good... 🤤🤤
E46 is so pretty
Jezaaaaa!!!!
It's the best car.....in the world.
Now in 2021 that car has almost doubled in value. The intake alone is now 9k.
M cars didn't look silly back then. I want M cars that look much like regular sedan counterparts.
You don't like the new M3 CS?
@Juden Arier "regular 6cyl with bigger turbo and a better chip" this just shows how uninformed you are about the M3.
@@Arman-nl6mg read what he said again
Excelente carro insuperable.
To the people complaining that the cls is not manual; the gtr, which was the other e46 m3 is manual. And its even more powerful.
Okay it’s 3/18/2020 rn. BMW please make naturally aspirated M engines again. I know turbos are the only way you can make the hp to liter ratio impressive but man a naturally aspirated engine is like dancing with a naked girl. It’s just harmony
everything about this posting is legit - the content - the presenter - the message....
How was the Stig listening to music during the lap if the car has no stereo?🤔
Legendary car, if you can afford one do it now, they'll only increase in value.
what are they worth these days?
@@danielzychniewicz2633 Depends on your country, the condition they're in, or if they're even for sale. Where I live, for around 80.000 euro.
@@Dennell_Mount_and_Blade pretty crazy prices. theyre rare af i dont even think there any in canada. i may never see one in person.
How is the Stig able to listen to music? Jeremy told earlier in the video that there is no radio, due to reducing weight…
This is gorgeous and all... but.. E36 M3 looks so much more beautiful
And an e39 looks better again what's your point
LOL
How an E36 can compete with an E30 or E46? I mean it's a great car, but between these two legends...
Just in 3 generations engine noises like this will be forgotten...
the E46 m3 and CSL variant are easily in the top 5 engine sounds of all time
At 5:15 in the video it is visible that the car has radio and automatic climate control ! :-)))
4:45😍
My dream car
This is a great engine!!! Slap of them into a modern M3 and add a couple of turbo's
E46 M3 and E39 M5 are the two best M cars of all time!
....and the E60 V10 M5 😂😂😂 oooh my!
Not the “bbc movie” I came for but the cars kinda cool
It needs a manual gearbox, but it's tremendous.
Did they not rectify the SMG gearbox in the CSL compared to the standard M3's?
I have a normal manual m3 in the same colour with csl wheels and tailgate, looks 99% the same, need that airbox though.
Rab Mc you also need the carbon interior and seats.
I’m aware of the differences between the two thanks, I don’t want a replica by any means I just will take the subtle stuff that I like.
I love my e46