New 550hp BMW M4 CS promises 'iconic M feeling'
The M3 CS is already very good - could the two-door be even better still?
There’s no such thing as a bad BMW CS - some are merely greater than others. All the way back to 2017 and the now old M4 CS, we’ve come to expect a modest uplift in power, a chunky price premium, and a better-sorted driving experience than the standard M Competition car. For models like the M2 CS, the improvement was welcome - if maybe hard to justify given the tens of thousands it cost over a normal one. For cars like the sensational M5 CS, the Comp would never feel quite as good ever again.
The current M3 CS is somewhere between those two extremes: tangibly more exciting to drive than a G80 Comp while not quite representing a night and day difference. But costing £30,000 more. Expect much the same from this, the new BMW M4 CS, a car that ‘celebrates racing passion with lightweight design elements for everyday driving comfort’. It uses the same 550hp version of the 3.0-litre, twin-turbo, S58 straight six as the saloon (and the CSL, in fact), with the turbos cranked up to 2.1 bar and engine management changes. Note however that the CS is now only 20hp stronger than the standard car, rather than 40hp as was the case for the M3, because of the recent facelift. Peak power is made at 6,250rpm, and a torque maximum of 479lb ft is offered from 2,750rpm-5,950rpm. The CS-specific exhaust with titanium rear silencer has made its way over from the M3, too, with the promise of ‘unmissable racing car undertones’ in the racier drive modes.
Rampant performance is a given, of course, as per any of this current M3/4 generation. Officially the CS reaches 62mph in 3.4 seconds thanks to the standard xDrive, with 124mph coming up in 11.1 - which isn’t far off supercar speed. The limiter calls time at 188mph. Officially, the M4 will nudge 28mpg on the WLTP combined cycle.
It’s the chassis changes that always have marked a CS out, however, and should continue to do so here. Over a Competition, the new model gets its own dampers, auxiliary springs, anti-roll bars and camber settings, with bespoke calibration for the steering, brakes and driver assists; the stability control has been ‘purposefully geared to the demands of circuit driving’. The M Dynamic Mode is even more lenient, too: ‘When the driver adopts a sporty driving style, the resultant wheel slip ensures even better power transmission and helps to propel the car down the road with extra assurance.’ Nice. Apparently, the oil supply for the xDrive has been ‘optimised’ as well, to keep all functioning as it should even during ‘ultra-intense’ circuit driving. So you’ve got to do a track day or 10, basically.
Especially as it’ll be faster than a lot of stuff there. Despite the size and weight, BMW has clocked a 7:22 (7:21.989) on the Nordschleife with a CS. Presumably that’ll be on the optional Cup 2 R tyre and definitely with the ceramics that are also extra, but it’s an impressive time nonetheless given it’s only 20kg lighter than a Competition (so 1,755kg DIN by our maths). Standard are M compound brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres in the same dimensions as a regular M4 (275/35 ZR 19 fronts, 285/30 ZR20 rears). The wheels are forged, and available in black or gold.
As with the M3, there will be no missing this M4 CS thanks to, in part, those wheels, but also the lashings of carbon fibre, the CSL-style front end and the unique colours. Here, mercifully, the Signal Green has been ditched, with the much more palatable Frozen Isle of Man Green offered instead. Additionally, CS buyers can get Riviera Blue, M Brooklyn Green or Sapphire Black. The Laserlights are standard fit.
Since its introduction, there’s been plenty of debate about BMW’s latest Curved Display and Operating System 8. Well, forget all that ancient history, because iDrive now uses Operating System 8.5, for ‘intuitive control of numerous vehicle functions and digital services.’ There’s still a strong emphasis on voice control, though interestingly ventilation gets particular mention also; it can now be adjusted by voice, of course, or by touch ‘using a special menu option in the lower area of the control display.’ Probably all new M3s and M4s will get that in time, with all the smart ‘CS’ highlights inside here kept for the really special ones. The M carbon bucket seats are standard fit.
Orders for the new M4 will open later in May, ahead of production kicking off at Dingolfing in July and deliveries in the autumn. The price is £117,100, the same £2k or so premium for a standard coupe over the saloon carried over to the special edition. Whether it’s worth that extra or not we’ll aim to answer in a few weeks.
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