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The BMW 3 Series is a line of cars manufactured by the German automaker BMW since 1975.

The E46 was sold in the following body styles: sedan, coupé, convertible, wagon (marketed as “Touring”), and hatchback (marketed as “3 Series Compact“).The E46 generation introduced various electronic features to the 3 Series, including satellite navigation, electronic brake-force distribution, rain-sensing wipers and LED tail-lights. -wheel drive, last available in the E30 3 Series, was reintroduced for the E46. It was available for the 325xi and 330xi sedan/wagon models. The E46 was the first 3 Series to be available with an engine using variable valve lift (“valvetronic”).

The M3 version of the E46 was powered by the S54 straight-six engine and was available in coupé and convertible body styles (other than that, it was powered with the M52 or M54 in non-M3 cars). The transmissions available were a 6-speed manual or the 6-speed “SMG-II” sequential manual gearbox. The F30/F31/F35 has been produced in the sedan, coupé, convertible, station wagon and 5-door hatchback (“Gran Turismo”) body styles. A long-wheelbase sedan is also available in China. For the F30/F31/F34 series, the coupe and convertible models were produced from the 2013 year until 2014 when they were split from the 3 Series, redesigned, and sold as the BMW 4 Series. A new body style was introduced into the 3 Series range: the 3 Series Gran Turismo, a long-wheelbase hatchback.

The F30/F31/F34 was the first time that the entire 3 Series range used turbocharged engines. In 2016, a plug-in hybrid drivetrain was first used in the 3 Series, in the 330e model. Also in 2016, a 3-cylinder engine was used for the first time in a 3 Series.The M3 version (designated F80, the first time an M3 has used a separate model designation) was released in 2014 and is powered by the S55 twin-turbo straight-6 engine.Production ended in 2019 with the end of F31 Touring production in June.

The BMW 3 Series (G20) was unveiled at the 2018 Paris Motor Show on October 2, 2018. The official images of the vehicle were revealed a day prior to its unveiling. The seventh generation of the 3 Series is also offered as a station wagon. The more powerful M3 and M3 Competition variants will be delivered globally starting in 2021. The G20 is the first 3 Series generation to bring an M3 Touring to market. Since 2022, it gained a battery-electric version exclusive to the Chinese market.

M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46, E90/E92/E93, and F30 (designated F80) 3 series, and are sold in coupe, sedan and convertible body styles. Upgrades over the “standard” 3 Series automobiles include more powerful and responsive engines, improved handling/suspension/braking systems, aerodynamic body enhancements, lightweight components, and interior/exterior accents with the tri-color “M” (Motorsport) emblem.

The E36 M3 is today the greatest achievement for BMW M Division.