These days, BMW's Individual program is better known than it used to be. With Individual interior options available for the higher-end cars and some high-profile cars with Individual paint colors, if you know BMW, you know Individual. But in the 2000s, getting an Individual color on your car wasn't such a simple task. You had to have a good relationship with your dealer and be prepared to wait extra long for your car to be delivered. In light of this, finding an Individual car from the E36 or E46 generation is the proverbial “needle in a haystack” and not to be passed up when one comes across our desk.

This 2004 BMW E46 M3 would be right up our street -even if it didn't have an Individual paint color. With just 32,700 original miles and a 6-speed manual, we would be sold almost regardless. But when we found out that the car is finished in Individual Japan Red? How could we say no? Although this color could be mistaken for Imola Red, a standard E46 M3 color, in reality, it is one of the richest, most saturated reds offered by BMW. On this car, the Japan Red paint is paired with a set of 18” wheels, which give the car a purposeful stance, and even though the ZCP wheels are known as the crowd favorite on the E46 M3, these wheels look better every year. As you would expect for a car with just over 32,000 miles, the overall condition is exceptional, and it is clear the car has been well-loved its entire life.

The interior is wrapped in black leather, which is paired with aluminum trim on the dash, doors and center console. Slide into the driver's seat and you are met by a multi-function 3-spoke steering wheel and behind it - one of the M3's most famous party pieces - the gauge cluster. With a 180 mph speedometer to the left, on the right sits a 9,000 RPM tachometer featuring a disappearing redline that starts at 4,000 RPM and gradually increases as the car's oil reaches temperature, ultimately reaching 8,500 RPM. As you would expect for a car like this, the interior is absolutely immaculate with hardly a crease or mark on the seats.

Sitting under the hood is one of BMW M's most beloved engines - the S54 inline-6. With a 3.2-liter displacement and six individual throttle bodies, the S54 is renowned for being one of the most powerful naturally aspirated engines per liter ever produced, boasting over 104 horsepower per liter. Maximum output is 333 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, which, although achieved at high RPM, thanks to dual VANOS variable valve timing on both cams, had plenty of power pretty much everywhere on the tach. This power is then sent via a 6-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential.

It's hard for us to pick a favorite generation of M3, each one has so many different things to recommended it. But as a package, the E46 is hard to beat. If you have always wanted to add a great E46 M3 to your garage, this example checks pretty much every box. From its low miles and 6-speed manual, to its Individual color and exceptional overall condition, this is not a car to miss.