Skip to content

Hood Vents - Side - E46 M3

Original price $144.00 - Original price $144.00
Original price
$144.00
$144.00 - $144.00
Current price $144.00

These E46 M3 hood vents effectively evacuate high-pressure air from under the hood, lowering front-end lift and boosting overall downforce. By optimizing airflow through the radiator and expelling heated air from the engine bay, they significantly improve cooling efficiency. Designed with both function and form in mind, these hood vents seamlessly complement the sleek lines of your E46 M3, making them a practical and stylish upgrade for any performance enthusiast.

Package Includes:

  • Full set of installation instructions

  • (2) E46 M3 hood side vents

  • (25) 1/8″ aluminum pop rivets in black

  • Cutting templates

  • 96 sq in per side

    Fitment: E46 M3




    E46 Hood Vents Bring Efficiency to Your Cooling System

    E46 Hood Vents Bring Efficiency to Your Cooling System

    Our E46 hood vents are designed to significantly enhance airflow through your engine bay, ensuring continuous expulsion of hot air and allowing cooler air to enter. This improvement reduces heat soak, maintains optimal engine temperatures, and lowers the risk of overheating during on-track driving. By evacuating high-pressure air from under the hood, these hood vents also reduce front-end lift, enhancing stability and overall vehicle performance on the track.

    In addition to improving cooling efficiency, our E46 hood vents contribute to engine reliability and increased longevity of engine accessories. The enhanced airflow helps maintain lower engine compartment temperatures, preventing heat-soak and extending the life of essential components like the alternator, wiring harnesses, and various plastic parts. Adding hood vents benefits on-track performance and allows quicker cool-down between sessions, ensuring your BMW E46 M3 is always ready for its next run.

    E46 Hood Vents: BMW Inspired Design

    E46 Hood Vents: BMW Inspired Design

    These hood vents not only reduce lift and improve airflow/cooling but also add a distinctive, race-ready aesthetic to your BMW. These hood vents replicate the iconic look and advanced cooling of the uber-rare E46 M3 GTR street car. The E46 M3 GTR's design is celebrated for its effectiveness on the race track, due partially to increased airflow and enhanced front-end stability, all elements that are affected when installing our E46 M3 hood vents for better on-track performance.

    For those looking to reduce lift further, we also offer fender vents and a center vent for even more cooling. Installing all of these vents together will further optimize airflow and cooling while maintaining a track-ready style inspired by the classic M3 GTR.

    How to Install Your E46 Hood Vents

    How to Install Your E46 Hood Vents

    Each package comes with a full set of installation instructions. For those interested, here is a simplified version of the installation instructions:

    1. Position Templates: Align templates on the hood, 5mm from the hood line and 300-400mm from the front edge. Tape down the templates.
    2. Prepare for Cutting: Place a sheet in the engine bay to catch debris. Remove hood sound deadening and prop up the hood.
    3. Cut the Hood: Cut the marked area with a rotary tool, creating tabs to hide cut edges. Test fit the vent and clean up edges with a file.
    4. Drill & Paint: Drill mounting holes, then paint the cut edges to prevent rust.
    5. Install the Vents: Secure the vents with pop rivets, ensuring proper fit and alignment. Repeat on the other side.

    Disclaimer: You may need to adjust vent angle for best performance. For cars with adjustable rear wings, it may be necessary to add more angle to compensate for the additional front downforce for optimal balance. Vents ship flat and in bare unfinished aluminum and can be bent by hand to the desired angle. They can be mounted above or below the hood.