The chassis code for the BMW 3 Series produced from 1998 to 2005 is E46. It identifies the fourth generation of BMW’s compact executive car, following the E36 and preceding the E90 sedan generation.
The E46 sedan was unveiled in 1997 and reached customers in 1998. BMW expanded the generation into several body styles, including sedan, Touring wagon, coupé, convertible and the three-door 3 Series Compact. Although the sedan was phased out as the E90 arrived, other E46 versions continued in production later, which is why references may list the overall generation through 2006.
The most common confusion is mixing generation codes with model names. “330i,” “320d” and “M3” describe particular versions or engines, while E46 identifies the underlying generation. E30 and E36 are earlier 3 Series generations; E90 is chiefly associated with the next-generation sedan, introduced during the E46’s transition out of the market.