In the early 2000s, BMW decided to enter the American Le Mans Series. The regulations stipulate that the model competing in this discipline must be a racing version of a production model. The German manufacturer rushed to launch a street version of its BMW E46 GTR. This “Strassenversion” was produced in less than a dozen examples for the American market. It was a race car with a road interior and a flange. The large spoiler is also removed for a more discreet version. This very special E46 is powered by a very large V8 developing 460 hp! The good news is that the BMW M team is rewarded for its efforts with a podium finish in its first race, the 12 Hours of Sebring, in March 2001.