Video: BMW M3 test drive with ten cylinders under the hood

Many BMW enthusiasts will agree that the E46 M3 is the marque’s best M3 in history, and we are inclined to agree. Perfect handling, rear-wheel drive and a powerful naturally aspirated engine ensure plenty of driving enjoyment. This tuned example, however, outshines the original in several respects.

As good as the E46 M3 was at its time of launch, the passing of two decades turned it into just another performance sedan. Not that the stock inline-six engine rated at 343 PS (338 hp / 252 kW) and 365 Nm (269 lb-ft) of torque suddenly went obsolete, but there are decidedly more cars like this out there nowadays. Taking matters into his own hands, the owner of this car had its engine replaced with a 5.0-liter V10 borrowed from a BMW E60 M5.

The massive air-cooled engine barely fit inside the engine bay of the sedan, but started nonetheless and hit the wheels with 507 PS (500 hp / 373 kW) and 520 Nm (384 lb-ft) of torque. The six-speed SMG sequential transmission was ditched in favor of a seven-speed DCT of an unspecified origin. As you can clearly see in the video, the swap is a great success.