Six months ago, the Bavarians vigorously celebrated the half-century anniversary of their sports division. One of the main gifts to the fans was the rear-wheel drive M4 CSL coupe, which broke the Nürburgring record among production BMWs by almost 12 seconds. And now the M3 CS sedan is presented – and something is clearly missing in its abbreviation.
After all, “L” stands for Leichtbau, a lightweight construction. Indeed, if the M4 CSL weighed just 175 kg less than the M4 Competition, then the new CS sedan is only 20 kg lighter than the original M3 Competition xDrive.
The double-vented hood, front air intakes and aerodynamic elements, exterior mirror housings and rear wing of the track version of the M3 are made of carbon fiber, and the exhaust system is titanium, like the CSL. But the curb weight is still an impressive 1765 kg.
When viewed from the front, it is not easy to distinguish CS from CSL. The cars have the same front bumper with a developed diffuser and radiator “nostrils” with large horizontal rods, and laser headlights (by the way, they are included in the basic package) also shine yellow. It remains to peer at the nameplate.
The 3.0-liter engine with a forged crankshaft and boost pressure increased to 2.1 bar is taken from the M4 CSL: peak power is 550 hp. with., torque – 650 Nm. The Germans did not abandon the eight-speed automatic and xDrive all-wheel drive with an active rear differential and the ability to turn off the front axle, so the M3 CS accelerates to “hundreds” faster than the rear-wheel drive M4 CSL: 3.4 s versus 3.7 s. But the lighter “two-door” picks up 200 km / h earlier: 10.7 s versus 11.3 s. The maximum 302 km / h (5 km / h less than the CSL), according to BMW, is electronically limited.
The CS has different camber settings and reinforced engine mounts, as well as sportier damper springs and anti-roll bars. But for an aluminum brace under the hood, you will have to pay 1100 euros, and for carbon-ceramic brakes – 8800 euros. Alloy wheels (275/35 R19 front and 285/30 R20 rear; in gold or black) are shod with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 track tires by default, but can be upgraded for free with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, which are better suited to the road use.
In the cabin, of course, the rear sofa is retained, but for the driver and front passenger, carbon-fiber “ladles” are standardly provided (however, with a full set of electrical adjustments). Scraping noise insulation for the sake of reducing weight in BMW this time was considered unnecessary, limiting itself to decorative carbon fiber inserts. A Harman Kardon audio system with surround sound, satellite navigation and a wide range of electronic assistants are also included in the basic equipment. The stability control system has ten modes, from vigilant to laissez-faire.
The interior of the M3 CS is done in black and red, and the steering wheel is upholstered in suede-like fiber. If the M4 CSL still has the old layout of the dashboard displays and multimedia system, then the new M3 CS already has a dual screen panel that appeared on all restyled 3 Series. Of course, with M Drive Professional track modes, but for the head-up display (available as part of the BMW Live Cockpit Professional option) you have to pay another 1150 euros.
Despite the relatively modest amount of improvements, the CS sedan turned out to be expensive: the price starts at 146,000 euros. This is a lot: for such a sum in Germany you can buy a well-equipped M5 Competition or a 634-horsepower Alpina B5 GT. Of course, the M4 CSL cost even 165 thousand euros, but there are much more differences from the original model, not to mention two lures for collectors at once – the Nordschleife record and exactly a thousand cars produced.
The circulation of the M3 CS will also be limited, with production at the Munich plant starting in March. The main markets for the 550-horsepower sedan, BMW marketers call the US, Germany, the UK and Japan. M5 CS, we recall, was produced for only one year, but this time the Germans do not specify the timing of the cessation of production.
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