E46 BMW - the most popular "Bavarian" of the late 90s

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

E46 BMW is a car that was born back in 1998. It became a replacement for the E36 model and, admittedly, the car turned out to be very successful. No wonder this “Bavarian” has become one of the best BMW cars.

History of Appearance

So let's start with the story. Model E46 BMW was developed under the guidance of a talented engineer named Chris Bangle. It was this person who followed the process and saw that all previously developed ideas were embodied in the image of the planned novelty. And of course, everything went well - in 1999, both the station wagon and the coupe of this long-awaited model entered the automotive market. Why was her premiere so noisy? Because this car came out with a new development of the Bavarian company - with a transmission, the name of which was given by Steptronic. That is, now the driver could independently shift gears, despite the fact that this is an automatic transmission. This innovation was available on absolutely all models.

A little later, in 2000, a convertible appeared (BMW M3 E46). It was followed by three-door hatchbacks. Compact, comfortable andstylish - many liked them. Definitely, the BMW E46 model became more and more popular. And that is why the manufacturer decided not to stop there, but to move on.

Further development

In 2001, the sedan was restyled. What did you buy the car? Improved engines - they have definitely become more powerful and stronger. You could also see new bumpers and headlights, which emphasized the image of the “Bavarian” much more favorably than previously installed.

In 2003, the fate of restyling also overtook the coupe version. Also, the developers decided to improve the BMW M3 E46 (convertible). Here, the changes were less significant than in the case of the sedan - the engineers changed only the bumpers with headlights, and also introduced new colors to the palette.

Finished production

In 2004, the Compact hatchback became available to motorists. But he did not last long. The fact is that next year BMW developed a new model (E90) and in connection with its appearance, interest in its predecessor began to fade. And it had to be taken out of production. Then they stopped producing station wagons. But the BMW E46 continued to be produced in convertible and coupe bodies.

It is worth noting that this was indeed a popular car in its time. In almost all countries, he enjoyed wild success. Almost all car manufacturers have focused on this model in their developments. Needless to say, if in 2002 more than 561 thousand of these models were sold all over the world. And for the entire time the sales figure was3.266.885 cars in all its modifications.

Variety of patterns

And now it's worth talking about which E46 BMW models existed and were popular. The very first is the 316i. It could be purchased for three years - from 1999 to 2001. Her engine was not very powerful - only 105 hp. with., however, the maximum speed is quite high - 200 kilometers per hour. By the way, this car accelerated to hundreds in a little more than 12 seconds. For that time, this is an excellent indicator. The 318i version was slightly more powerful. There, the power reached 118 "horses", but the maximum speed increased slightly - only 6 kilometers. But now it took 10 seconds to accelerate to hundreds.

And which model can be considered the most powerful? In terms of overclocking, it's the 330i. It only takes 6.5 seconds to reach 100. The same model has the most powerful engine (231 hp) and develops the highest speed (250 kilometers per hour). Almost identical to her other version - 330Xi. The difference here is small - 3 kilometers per hour less. "Average" options can be considered 323i and 320d. The power of their engines is 170 and 150 "horses", respectively, the speed is 221 and 231 km / h. Acceleration - 8-9 seconds. Indeed, the golden mean between the weakest models and the most powerful.

Engines

The topic of BMW E46 engines should also be touched upon. Diesel - that's what I would like to talk about first. Turbocharged engine 2 liters and 16valves is much more powerful than the 1.9-liter gasoline engine. It is distinguished by excellent traction "on the bottom", as well as a very confident movement at speed. This is important. Not all BMW E46 engines feel so confident in revs and tight turns. Such a car moves perfectly, both on a perfectly flat track and on a dirt road.

But do not think that petrol variations are bad. By no means - very good motors, characterized by smooth operation. It should also be noted that the reducing vibrations that were applied by the developers in the process of creating engines. In general, both diesel and gasoline models are good, and which option to choose is already an individual matter.

Sensors and accessories

Finally, something about such a topic as BMW E46 sensors. There are several nuances that I would like to talk about. After all, they make the car even more reliable. For example, a temperature sensor. Due to it, internal resistance is controlled and the balance of the intake air is maintained. Or a vacuum sensor - it regulates the pressure. We all know how important this is. It is also impossible not to note the speed sensor - due to it, an alternating voltage is created. The lambda probe is also an important detail, it is installed on the exhaust pipe and controls the temperature of the heater. There is also a knock sensor - it regulates the ignition timing. This is necessary to prevent a moment in which it can be produced prematurely.

In general, all these detailsare very important and, more importantly, well thought out. They provide safety and comfortable, convenient driving. Due to this, the driver feels good behind the wheel and gets a real pleasure from driving.