A consumer level e46 will never be a drag racer or straight liner. Best case with the ess blower and full ethanol I've seen 500 at the very top. Won't keep up with any modern 'fast' cars street racing.

Sure there are some 46s that can with fully built motors and turbo, but really not relevant or doable for the vast majority.


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I agree. With the kind of improvement OP is talking about to be competitive (he needs to more than double the hp and torque of a e46 m3 to match even a camaro ZL1 not to mention a GT500 Mk VI), he needs $50,000 not $5,000. Even with the best ESS blower kit, the car needs forged pistons and internals, bigger fuel injectors, big intercooler, better clutch and flywheel for the power, better oil cooler, dry sump, better tires and coilovers and suspension bits, and upgraded differential. THat adds weight and as OP said the vert is a bit of a pig, so you'd want to lose some weight elsewhere (carbon roof, strip interior, racing seat, lighter titanium exhaust, plastic windows) to stay weight neutral if not lose some.

The e46 M3 is a great 15-20 year old sporty car but just nowhere near in the same league as the modern sports/muscle cars. That said, I think an extra 90 hp from a 'Stage 1' upgrade would probably feel amazing on a tossable car like an e46 m3 if you don't expect too much.

Your 0-60 time prolly gets to high 4s and this gets you respectable high 12's in the quarter mile.

 

It will make a difference

But you won't be dragging any 5.0 Mustangs.

1. You'll need a 4.11 or at least 3.91 locking rear diff. At least the Mustang is RWD. You have NO hope against an AWD Audi or BMW.

2. A supercharger, bigger injectors, new/reflashed ECU will make a significant difference. Even with the S54 11:1 or whatever compression, it will make a difference.

3. Basic E46 M3 is already undercooled oil-wise and probably radiator-wise for the road track but short drag not so much an issue. Intercooler needs to be more capacity, you'll have trans cooling issues (maybe not so much for street drags), and same for rear axle although again not so much for street drags as long as you use a good (AMSOIL for instance, will drop rear diff temps significantly even during normal..heh heh...80-90mph highway driving).

Everyone 'knows someone' who had a supercharger and loved it, beat vipers, etc., etc.,; in my case my landscaper had a BMW Z coupe with a supercharged (AWE I believe) and tuned S54 engine. 6MT. Awesome car, but traction limited with the open rear dif...it just overwhelmed traction control.

 

I've driven it all during my time at EAS. The fastest E46s, fastest E92s, and plenty of F8xs making 700-800+. An E46 can't hang. I'm happy with my 470whp from my non M but it is what it is. You'd be better off getting a somewhat rundown 335 to make easy high power with a much higher theoretical limit


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That's great- you were at EAS.

I saw a M4 your boys tuned somewhere prolly a car show.

The Setra team modified is the fastest example of a supercharged e46 m3 I am aware of, running the Ring as fast as the current Camaro ZL1 7:29 ish:

https://vortechsuperchargers.com/bl...s-ess-tuning-vortech-supercharged-e46-m3-passes-50-cars-in-two-laps-nurburgring

335 foundation is a good idea.

I'm resisting the urge to add FI to my 330Ci vert because I weekend drive a '17 z06/z07 7-speed manual - puts down about 600 rwhp and torque melting Michelins and Toyos. They're both great drivers cars for completely different reasons. If I didn't have the Vette, i would definitely upgrade through the bmw platform. I'd think the M3 CSL would fun.

470rwhp is a Sh*t ton on a non M e46. Hp is not everything. Both my Z and a ZL1 share the same Chevy supercharged 6.2l v8 but my car will walk the ZL1 on the track because of handling and braking differences.