Let’s talk BMW M3. What comes to mind when you think of post-2010 BMW M3s? Chances are, you don’t have much feelings nor opinions about them.

You know they are brilliant machines, but are they as evocative as the older M3s? 

Which begs the question: has BMW reached, and grew past its peak? I, for one, certainly think so. 

To many, the E30 M3 is perhaps the most iconic of them all, but I would argue that it is mainly due to its heritage.

When it comes to performance, sure, it’s great - but it’s the car that, in this day and age, you would drive just for the sheer enjoyment of it, instead of chasing numbers. And that’s not wrong at all.

The E36, well, is it as memorable as the E30? Unlikely. It’s more evolutionary than revolutionary. It is about as raw as the E30 M3, but with a lot more power. 

Enter the E46 M3. Gone were the boxy looks of the past M3s. While it doesn’t scream boy racer (and it doesn’t need to), it’s subtle enough to set it apart from the normal E46.  

The E46 M3 is civilised enough for everyday driving. But when you’re in the mood for it, the car can, and will, launch itself into the atmosphere—and it does so with absolute panache.

And let’s not forget about the glorious noise it makes. The S54 engine with its six individual throttle just sings as you climb to that sweet, 8,500rpm crescendo at every gear. 

The E46 M3 responds to your input with great flair and so much drama, while still maintaining surgical precision. I would describe the feeling of driving one as explosive.

With each generation, subsequent M3 models have since slowly lost that raw, evocative feeling that was best portrayed by the E46 M3.

Don’t get me wrong, they are all brilliant nonetheless. But in the pursuit of numbers and lap times, and burdened by compliance from all angles, they have forgone the very trait that made them essentially M3. 

The BMW E46 M3 is arguably the peak M3. It strikes the perfect harmony between rawness and refinement. It’s the car that gets supercars on their toes without having to shout about it.

It's a car that, after experiencing it, will haunt you for years to come.