The BMW M3 Convertible (E46) offered a combination that enables open-top driving in the fresh air and dynamic handling. It was an ideal automobile for luxuriating in the exciting, authentic sound of the high-revving inline six-cylinder naturally aspirated engine (S54B32) with absolutely no compromises. Particularly in the convertible, the double-declutching bursts automatically applied when downshifting by the optionally available SMG II offered a particularly enjoyable experience. The M3 Convertible had a variable M differential lock, which continuously developed a locking effect of up to 100 percent depending on the specific driving situation. The majority of the 29,633 vehicles produced were exported to North America. The righthand drive versions were also very popular so that ultimately only 4,822 BMW M3 Convertibles were manufactured as lefthand-drive vehicles to satisfy demand in the rest of the world.