When it first hit the streets in 2000, the E46 M3 was the finest performance coupe BMW had ever produced.

It also had some technology that was usually reserved for Ferraris and Aston Martins, a six-speed electrohydraulic manual transmission, which BMW called the SMG, or sequential manual gearbox, a clutchless manual transmission that offers manual and automatic shift modes.

Models that appeared in North America had 333 ponies – European M3s had slightly more – to go along with its tuned 3.2-liter inline-6, and tore up the pavement, running 0-60 in less than five seconds on models equipped with the SMG.

You can try the E46 M3 out in SHIFT – in fact, you may even prefer it, you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for insurance.

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