Pristine and fiery is this hot red executive saloon.
The BMW 3-Series E46 generation sits on a pedestial within the ranks of the E36 and E30 generation, being classified as a trio as being the sweet spot in old-time BMW engineering that birthed legends and underdogs - from top-spec M3s to cooking 316is, all three generations worked as a family runabout, hooligan dream come true, drift missile, and many more use requirements that makes the three so popular.
Production for these came as a surprise to me by how modern these were, being built from 1997 to 2005. As a mainstream product, the E46 was available in several body styles, with different options for one to choose (in Singapore's case, whatever that was necessary to be Singapore-spec). From the humble 4-cylinder motors to six-cylinders to extreme cases like Alpina models with a V8 or personalized choices like the Individual options and colors, there was much to go with the 3-Series specification and specialization for the car.
This is a more common and humdrum 318iA. The 318i trim is a 1.9-litre (M43B19) four-cylinder for 1998-2001 model years, whilst the same model trim beyond used a 2.0-litre (N42B20) four-cylinder. Assuming my eyesight and very poor knowledge is correct, this would be a early model that uses the 1.9-litre, especially taking into account the pre-facelift bumpers and lights.
The "A" in the trim name is a slightly unofficial designation for the transmission. "A" stands for automatic, which was a sure 5-speed upgrade over the 4-speed found in the E36. Manual transmissions were also available for this trim.
The 318i and 320i for the E46 is the most common surviving trim levels in Singapore due to their initial commonality on the road and also lower road tax amongst other trim levels. I don't have a number for the remaining E46 on the road, but there is likely only one 330i sedan (and possibly coupe) left in the country.
I could have sworn that I have seen this car before, which it was silver then. This new-looking paintjob does freshen the car up super well and the whole exterior looks superbly well kept.
While the wheels on these actually do fit with the simple shape and design of the E46, they are surprisingly from a much newer BMW. The wheels are Style 654 that would have been an option fit on a BMW 1-series, specifically the F20 model code.
Comparing with the humble Mercedes-Benz W124, numbers for the E46 is not as big as them but they are plentiful enough that I'd wager there are at least 20+ of these still in Singapore - around NA MX-5 numbers give or take. Do take your time to appreciate them when one passes you.
~Efini
Gallery:
Read more: SG Archives: Toyota Sera
No comments:
Post a Comment