Compared to BMWs of today, which feel cramped, synthetic, overly electronic, and dark on the inside, the E46 has plenty of leg and elbow room, a low beltline allowing for plenty of visibility and an airy interior feel, plus quality materials that have withstood the test of time. Meanwhile, the interior remains a marvel. That makes the E46 the last 3 Series to stick with BMW's tried-and-true combination of silky-smooth straight-sixes and near 50:50 weight distribution. These days, BMW has lost track of the nimble dynamics that made earlier models so successful, instead going with beastly torque-monsters under the hood and overly complex features like adaptive sway bars, adding weight at the cost of the driver's connection to the road. And it's hard to say which was more enjoyable on the test drive: the long straights where the E46's refined luxury emerged or, more importantly, the tight curves where the ZHP package's upgrades truly shine?ĭriving a modern BMW provides a clue-the company began experimenting with twin-turbos (and later, twin-scroll turbos) for the E46's successor, the E92 generation, which also featured a V8 in the M3 for the first time (to many a Bimmer fan's dismay). I recently got the chance to get behind the wheel of a four-door, six-speed stick-shift 2004 BMW 330i with just over 151,000 miles on the odometer. While not as powerful or aggressive as the vaunted E46 M3, an E46 ZHP will nonetheless claim a slight premium on the used market these days, as enthusiasts have come to appreciate all that the ZHP has to offer.īut these are cars that range from 15 to 20 years old these days, so how has that package managed to keep up with the times? The ZHP options package was available on later model-year 3 Series cars from the E46 generation of the late-1990s and early-2000s. Among BMW aficionados, the letters ZHP remain somewhat legendary, representing what many believe could be the last affordable, analog product from Bavarian Motor Works.
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