BMW adds a few cubic centimetres

To be first seen in Australia at the Sydney International Motor Show in November, 2001, the third evolution of BMW's M3 is one impressive chunk of German engineering.

Codenamed the E46, it's a car that many would love to have simply because BMW devotes an entire team to its research and development. And the fact that it's also one of the fastest Beemers money can buy kind of helps, too!

The all-new M3 doesn't look drastically different to its precursor, but that's because many of the changes BMW made aren't entirely visible from the outset.

Hailing from BMW's famous M performance workshops, the new car now has a slightly increased engine displacement. The last model had a capacity of exactly 3201cc but BMW sat down and decided more power could be derived from the powerplant if they increase bore by 0.6mm.

This seemingly trivial change puts the new car's engine at 3246cc, which also helps explain the increase of 22bhp.

The straight 6-cylinder engine churns out 252kW (343bhp) at an amazing 7,900rpm. Redline is at 8,000rpm, which is fairly remarkable for a 3.2-litre engine.

A peak torque reading of 365Nm is achieved at a slightly less manic 4,900rpm. This new engine is one of the most potent naturally aspirated (i.e. no turbo/super charger) engines of today, with an aggressive power-per-litre ratio of 106hp/litre.

These rather tasty figures translate to a real-world 0-100km/h time (from standstill) of just 5.2 seconds. Unfortunately, the car has been electronically limited to 250km/h, but we reckon it's capable of close to 300km/h. To call it a very quick coupe is a gross understatement...

BMW also saw fit to include its double VANOS system, which is essentially variable CAM timing. Six individual throttle 'butterflies', created using techniques similar to F1 car production, are located within the airbox and are on call to provide instantaneous response the instant the you clomp down hard on the throttle.

The engine is a state-of-the-art mill created not just for acceleration, but also for daily commuting and everyday journeys. It is designed to be reliable in all extremes.

As a result, BMW pushed the car across literally millions of kilometres of testing - in all conditions - to ensure that all cars meet the stringent requirements penned out by performance M team.

The look of the new car is decidedly BMW, but the revised front apron, complete with spotlights and more agressive air-intakes indicate this car is not your typical Beemer. With massive 18-inch alloy wheels filling out the guards and large 325mm disc brakes, the car's footwear is up to the high standard set by the rest of the vehicle.

Together with two sets of twin pipes (barely visible in the photo, however), side skirts, rear apron and an overall lowering of the chassis, the new M3 is indeed a sight to behold.

Designing the interior of the new M3 was just as important to the M team as was creating a thrilling and emotional ride. Decked out with premium leather, the coupe is as sexy inside as it is out. Hand-brushed aluminium trim adds to the up-market feel of the interior and hi-tech sports seats created with high g-forces in mind and even variable width will make any drive memorable.

There you have it, the new M3. More refined than ever, more reliable than ever and, more importantly, faster than ever! The new M3 fetches a shade under $137,000, and should be available before the year's end.