Life’s not so bad when you’ve got an E46 M3 racecar at your disposal. However thrilling it is to drive by your lonesome, it’s just as good as seeing an inexperienced friend grimace, wince, and drop their jaw at the outrageous performance your steed possesses. Throw in some rain for good measure, and the experience is a laugh-riot.

As seen recently, Setra Motorsport’s M3-R is likely one of the most impressive machines one man has made with a stock road car and a considerable budget. The parts are well-chosen, the overall performance of the car balanced, the power usable and the progression from grip to slip decipherable. It’s not a car that rewards the amateur, nor is it a deathtrap – but a very competent, well-balanced racing machine that can be driven hard and consistently as it has few vices.

In the rain, this benign behavior is worth so much, and it shows here. On a sodden Rudskogen circuit – Norway’s oldest asphalt racetrack – that blown S54 engine is capable of lighting up the tires effortlessly. However, the careful, measured driving of Inge Hansesætre keep things from getting out of hand. With dabs of opposite lock here and there, Inge puts in a series of quick laps as his trusting friend sits flabbergasted in the passenger’s seat. Whether’s he’s shutting his eyes, praying, or smiling ecstatically, it’s obvious that the surge of emotions he’s feeling is something new and exciting. That unique mixture of fear and elation cannot be found anywhere else, and it’s always a pleasure to see someone else experiencing that divine concoction.