Steve Roth's E46 M3: Beautifully Balanced
Taking up tracking in an E46 325i wagon taught Steve Roth exactly how the weight of a car could be used to help it steer. Being very soft and approachable, it was the right machine to begin in, but its underpowered motor meant that it took a long time to finish the straighter parts of the track. Therefore, the added power that came with its successor was definitely appreciated.
Steve getting comfortable trail-braking at Laguna’s Turn 2 with some coaching from yours truly.
At first glance, a look-at-me Laguna Seca Blue E46 M3 seems like a bad fit for someone as relaxed and understated as Steve. However, the price was right and, for a guy who started tracking in an E46 wagon, this one appeared to be the logical next step. Besides, Steve’s Mr. Hyde comes out when he’s got some adrenaline flowing through his veins, so maybe that shade of blue speaks more to his inner madman than it does his willingness to compromise for a good deal.
It’s got presence and the right sort of attributes to get a careless driver into trouble, but it’s far from an unbalanced car—unbalanced in the sense that it has much more of one performance attribute than another. Moderate power, good grip, a reasonable size, not too much weight, and the right amount of urgency for a car that wears license plates—it really really does check most boxes.
Because of that well-rounded character, Steve was comfortable with the car off the bat. The power was impressive, but, since he once owned an S50-swapped E30, it was nothing new to him. What did startle him was just how well the M3 could dance on a set of MCS coilovers and 18X10” Enkei NT03s. Realizing that this willingness to change direction was its strong point, he started picking out a collection of top-shelf suspension parts—and planning for the damage it would do to his bank account.
That’s because Steve has a penchant for the finer things in life, and as a guy who works on his own cars, he sees the sense in doing something right the first time. In fact, he happily ditched the MCS coilovers for a set of JRZ RS two-ways after he experienced their potential in a friend’s E36.
The change in coilovers marked the end of the M3 as a truly usable street car. With the JRZs in place, the increased spring rate condemned this car to a life of track abuse, and thus the snowballing began. When he stopped caring about comfort, he figured he might as well throw an entire suspension catalog at the car:
Turner monoball bushings for the front control arms
Synchro Design rear trailing arm bushings
PowerFlex rear camber arms,
Vorshlag rear strut tops
Group N motor mounts
AKG 75D rear subframe bushings and transmission mounts
The subframe and strut top reinforcements a thoroughly tracked E46 needs
Recaro Pole Position seats are far from uncomfortable, despite what the state of spartan interior might suggest.
The choice in parts and final execution of the interior and exterior convey that this is very much a Clubsport-style M3. Looking at the cabin without ever driving the car still suggests it’s something sharply focused; the half cage and foot-tall RTD shifter and Battle Craft shift knob take the eye first. True, there’s a little civility lost with all the concessions to stiffness, but the door cards are still there, and so is the carpet.
That tasteful appearance conveys a respect for the car and its status not as a toy or a driving tool, but as a beautiful object that one has to behold. Perhaps that’s why it’s so dear to Steve. For him, the financial investment is only justified if he can feel truly excited about the car in all aspects—not just in its ability to provide an adrenaline rush. It must also be the object which forces you to turn and savor its image once more as you walk back to open your apartment door.
