1999 BMW 3 Series Coupe (E46) 323Ci 5AT RWD (170 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Like on the third generation of the 3 Series, the E36, BMW kept its customers waiting on their toes before launching the coupe version of the fourth generation of this nameplate, which it unveiled in late 1998.

The introduction of the E46, which was the car’s factory codename, in November 1997 for the 1998 model year quickly made the brand’s fans ask BMW when it would unveil the coupe. The answer came a year later, in December 1998, for the 1999 model year. Like in the previous generation, the automaker didn’t just cut two doors and made the front ones longer and called it a day. Besides the aesthetic look, the new version had significant upgrades in the suspension department and interior. Furthermore, this version was available with turbodiesel engines and all-wheel drive for the first time in the model’s history. Nevertheless, the AWD versions, known as xDrive in the carmaker’s language, became very popular among those who didn’t want a Bimmer due to its rear-wheel drive platform.

Unlike the sedan, which was penned by Chris Bangle and Wolfgang Reitzle, the coupe was the creation of Erik Goplen. He took the front fascia of the sedan and then squashed it a little to make it look narrower, but it had to use the same headlights to cut production costs. Like its four-door brother, it sported the famous BMW kidney grille integrated into the front side of the hood, not as a separate part. Lower, on the bumper, the 3 Series coupe had a new styling for the apron, sporting a broader air intake and with an available M-look packet that made it look aggressive.

While the sedan was the darling of the families, the coupe addressed customers who didn’t need rear seats, and the look mattered a lot to them. As a result, the low-slung coupe featured a long hood followed by a raked windshield tilted even more than on the sedan. In addition, the lower roof was short and curved and ended in a sloped-down rear window. The automaker installed a short, flat rear deck in the back. As a result, the car’s profile looked dynamic even when standing still. Those who opted for higher grades received the 3 Series coupe with 16-inch alloy wheels, while the base versions were available with 15-inch ones.

Inside, the driver-oriented dashboard was a known BMW design theme, although, on the E46, the center stack was integrated even better than in the previous generation of the car. However, the layout concept was still preserved, with the stereo mounted on the upper area and the HVAC buttons placed lower. Unlike its predecessor, the 3 Series coupe didn’t have the onboard computer display placed there but integrated into the instrument panel. Starting with the E46 coupe, BMW introduced a new standard feature for this bodywork version. The seatbelts featured an automatic mechanism integrated into the B-post that “served” the front occupants with these safety devices when they sat in the car. Thanks to the longer wheelbase, compared to the E36, there was enough legroom in the back on the bench seat and even enough headroom for adult-sized passengers.

Under the hood, BMW installed a wide choice of diesel and gasoline engines with four or six cylinders. These were paired with five- or six-speed manual transmission, while a five-speed automatic was on the options list. Besides the x-labeled versions, which featured an all-wheel drive system, all the others were rear-wheel drive.