I don't know about that, but I do know that BMW's older inline-six engine sounded amazing. And this video of an E46-generation M3 race car doing hot laps around the Mugello track proves just that.

First of all we have a BMW E36 M3. The chassis and body look absolutely pristine and we have to praise its owner for the way he took care of his ride. Then comes an S54 engine.

Oh, the things we see on eBay. The commerce site has and will always have some interesting items up for sale or auction. That was no more evident to us than when we happened upon a restored 1988 ...

The basic engine of the third generation M3 was the famous S54 as the car became more sophisticated and digitally controlled.

The S54 engine is very robust and can be driven like it was meant to. The car just tends to be fun. If you want to go to anything but Autocross events with BMW clubs, better opt for the coup.

Smith Vehicle Engineering’s gorgeous Oletha Coupe from last year can now be ordered with a bespoke version of BMW’s beloved S54 six-cylinder engine. So far, the Oletha Coupe has been available ...

The BMW Z3 M and Z4 M might have come with the S54, but the most notable application of the S54 goes to the enthusiast-favorite E46 M3.

If you often lie awake at night wondering why BMW never made a wagon version of its legendary E30 M3 sports car, you wouldn't be alone. From the factory, the first generation M3 came only in coupe ...

Keep Your Overpriced E30 M3, This Modified S54-Powered BMW 3-Series Looks Way More Fun This E46 M3-engined 3-Series has 333 hp and will cost you a whole lot less than an E30 M3 ...

If a DIY engine swap is an enthusiast right of passage, this well executed ‘70s-era BMW CS could serve as the template for a successful operation.