This V8-Engined BMW 330i Has Been Given An Injection Of 'Murica With An LS3 Transplant
Ignoring the bonkers and extremely rare GTR, the 3.2-litre straight-six powered M3 and its CSL sibling are as fast and exciting as the E46 ever got. Well, that’s as far as proper production version go; look to the aftermarket, and there’s all sorts of madness going on. Case in point? The 2003 330i you see here.
Looks unassuming enough from the outside, but as you’ll see from the image above, it’s packing a ruddy great GM LS3 under the bonnet. Yep, 6.2 litres of pure ‘Murica, pinched from a Cadillac Escalade and putting out a healthy 453bhp.
Fortunately, the modifications go further than just the socking great engine dumped into the engine bay. There’s an E46 M3 limited-slip differential plus M3 half shafts, new dampers and beefier brakes amongst many other uprated bits and pieces.
The best part? It’s up for sale, yours for $27,000. That’s a lot of money for something that still looks like a boggo E46, but the potential for massive amounts of fun - and the prospect of surprising a few people at the traffic lights - makes this thing jolly tempting.
Source: Craigslist via Bring A Trailer
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Does anyone know the model of those BBS wheels?
Those are not BBS M8, they’re Apex ARC 8, and the dimensions are 18 X 9.5 (According to the ad). Hope this helps you, cheers.
Now it just needs a Rocket Bunny kit and It’ll be a Forza Horizon 3 exclusive car.
But but but sleeper V8!!!
“All gauges work with the exception of the MPG gauge”
Well, that’s actually a good thing.
As a BMW owner, I can only agree with this POV.
Other than flared arches… this is the perfect sleeper to ruin peoples’ day. And make the drivers’ better.
Can i have some bleach plz
Another great inline-6 sacrificed for an LS, why…
It’s only a M54 in a E46, nothing special really. And this comes from a Bimmer fanatic.
Lol still not welcomed at the M3 meet
lol ls3 is used in holdens. Makes dat car Australian
I wanted to do this to my E46 before it got totaled :( I’m surprised he was able to keep the stock shifter. Looks like quality work and well worth the price.