Toyota GR Yaris Takes On BMW M3 E46, the Time Gap Is Huge in More Ways Than One

Obviously, most of those who think that are the 30+ year-olds who grew up with the E46 and now have nostalgic feelings about that era; others are simply reacting to the not-so-great E90 that came after it, bringing a questionable design and a big V8 engine; finally, some might simply be looking at the current M3 thinking "hell no!", then heading back into the model's history for a more suitable recipient of their affection.

Either way, the E46 M3 is quickly garnering iconic status despite not being that particularly old (it was launched in 2000). To be fair, it has plenty going for it. It sits in that sweet spot where it's old enough to feel like a classic while still providing the bare necessities we expect from a modern car that allow it to be used as a daily driver (AC, power steering, decent safety features).

However, the only part of the M3 that will count in this drag race against the wonderful Toyota GR Yaris with the Circuit Pack is its powertrain. So, we're looking at a 3.2-liter straight-six engine spitting out 343 PS (338 hp) and 269 lb-ft (365 Nm) of torque that went through a six-speed manual toward the rear wheels. It had a hefty weight for a sporty car of that era, though, tilting the scales at 3,240 lbs (1,470 kg).

Though more modern, its opponent is still lighter because it belongs to a segment that's two tiers lower. Apart from that, though, all of its specs are inferior, even if not by much. The 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine makes much less power—261 hp—but a similar amount of torque thanks to the blower—266 lb-ft (360 Nm). It also requires manual shifting through a six-speed transmission. However, and it's a big one, it sends the power to all four wheels, and even with an unlikely dry track on the day, it should still help the Japanese hot hatch off the line.

Indeed, the standing quarter-mile race is no contest as the Yaris comfortably wins both bouts, albeit with Mat jumping the start a little for the second one. The gap doesn't look very flattering for the M3 visually, and the 0.7 seconds clocked between the two cars confirm it.

The 30 mph (48 kph) rolling race starts similarly with the Yaris pulling away, but as the two cars reach higher speeds, the Toyota's lower plateau shows, and the BMW comes flying by. Well, slowly dredging by, but it'll take the win. It's the same story in the 50 mph (80 kph) race, only a little closer.

Finally, it's time for the 70 mph (112 kph) brake test, and the M3 knows it has no chance. In the end, the 20-odd year gap between the two cars is more than mirrored by the performance on the track. And that's against a small hot hatch. It's almost terrifying to imagine how badly the E46 would do against a modern M3 with the M xDrive AWD system. Luckily for it, though, it'll be a classic soon, and nobody will judge it by its performance anymore.