BMW plugs gap to mighty CSL

M3 CS borrows brakes and styling from M3 CSL

By PH Staff / Tuesday, 26 April 2005 / Loading comments

BMW M3 CS

BMW has announced an end-of-life special edition of the M3 Coupé, and announced the price of the forthcoming M6, due out in November.

The M3 CS will cost £2,400 more than the standard M3 and borrows items from the lightweight CSL. With a tag of £43,555 takes the CSL's 18-inch disc brakes, a more direct steering rack (14.5 ratio rather than the 15.4 of the M3) and M Track Mode, the steering wheel activated system that increases DSC thresholds.

Styling tweaks include, ‘M3 CSL Design’ 19-inch light alloy wheels, steering wheel, hand brake lever and the optional SMG gearstick clothed in Alcantara, ‘Alu Tec’ interior trim, and Interlagos Blue paintwork, although all M3 exterior colours remain available.

All other technical and equipment specifications are as per the standard M3; the M3 CS is not a limited edition.

M6 price

BMW M6

For the 507bhp M6, BMW has announced an on-the-road price of £79,760, which puts it into AMV8 Vantage and top-end 911 territory; a 997 Carrera S Cabriolet costs £72,230 before options.

BMW also touts the M6 as making "a strong case against Italian supercars, with performance to challenge, for example, the 575M Maranello and 612 Scaglietti from Ferrari at considerably less expense."