Tuesday 28th November 2023

Behold Vorsteiner's glorious 'V-CSL' E46 M3

Want your BMW M car hero to look like the Coupe Sport Lightweight legend? Right this way...

---

For a while now, the BMW M3 CSL has been worth an awful lot of money. As little as a decade ago, when the E46 was inaugurated into the PH Heroes hall of fame, they were available for less than £30k; now you’re going to need triple (!) that. During which time the standard M3 of the time has certainly enjoyed appreciation of its own, if not to quite such stratospheric levels (because they started much further down). 

It’s bad news for everyone apart from those selling an M3 CSL, really. Once upon a time it was feasible that an E46 owner might save up, keep their car nice, and upgrade to the holy grail in time. Now that just isn’t the case. Even an M3 CS is half the money of a CSL. Vorsteiner has a solution for those with CSL envy - an upgrade kit called V-CSL, which makes an E46 look like that gorgeous flagship. 

It’s a nice job, right? The parts are all carbon, and do exactly as intended to these eyes - the impression is of a CSL in a colour BMW never offered rather than a modified E46. (Better informed readers, point out what’s missing now.) The key parts are the front bumper with that now-famous cut-out for the intake, the beautifully upswept bootlid and rear diffuser.

It’s nothing outrageous, is the main point (because the CSL never was) and absolutely does the trick. A set of racy Vorsteiner wheels sets the V-CSL off very nicely; if you’re spending a lot already, what’s a bit more?

Because of the carbon fibre, and because Vorsteiner isn’t making many of these kits (just 103), there’s a price to pay. The bumper is $2,695, the bootlid is $2,395, and the rear diffuser is $1,495. So $6,585, or £5,200, in total. Before even thinking about shipping, or fitting, or getting the equally lovely carbon interior insert for another thousand bucks. The wheels on this especially sexy M3 look like Vorsteiner’s GTE-352, which are, um, $12k a set. Easy to see how it might all mount up.

The finished car will still be less than a genuine CSL, though. And you can have colours other than black or grey. And even a manual. Best move fast, however, with the E46’s considerable popularity and the very limited run. This silver manual coupe looks a great place to start - selling off the 18-inch wheels that everyone wants would surely raise most of the cash straightaway…

---

• Last combustion only M car vs. the very best one
• BMW M3 CRT (E90) | Spotted

[ChrisCh86]

No mechanical changes?

That's a shame. Looks great otherwise though. The E46, particularly the CSL is probably my favourite shape / size M3

[Dombilano]

I'll cut a circular hole in a bumper for £50

[ingenieur]

There must be a market for this sort of thing... if someone has gone to the trouble of making it available surely there must be some customers out there... but why on earth would you think it necessary to spend that much trying to make an M3 look like an M3 CSL.

[CKY]

ingenieur said:

There must be a market for this sort of thing... if someone has gone to the trouble of making it available surely there must be some customers out there... but why on earth would you think it necessary to spend that much trying to make an M3 look like an M3 CSL.

100%, I especially like the way the car they chose to demonstrate their 'CSL look-a-like' kit has a sunroof fitted, which is an immediate red flag to any BMW anorak that the car clearly isn't a CSL - be interesting what figure this lot would pull out of the air for a carbon fibre roof skin. Still, a fool and their money.....

[ingenieur]

CKY said:

ingenieur said:

There must be a market for this sort of thing... if someone has gone to the trouble of making it available surely there must be some customers out there... but why on earth would you think it necessary to spend that much trying to make an M3 look like an M3 CSL.

100%, I especially like the way the car they chose to demonstrate their 'CSL look-a-like' kit has a sunroof fitted, which is an immediate red flag to any BMW anorak that the car clearly isn't a CSL - be interesting what figure this lot would pull out of the air for a carbon fibre roof skin. Still, a fool and their money.....

True... only a car enthusiast who actually knows enough about that era of 3-series to remember that the CSL is the one with the carbon roof would get excited about seeing a CSL and would instantly realise it wasn't one if it had a sunroof.

[WPA]

Surely if what a E46 that looks like a CSL then you would just buy a CSL.

[ingenieur]

WPA said:

Surely if what a E46 that looks like a CSL then you would just buy a CSL.

It explained in the article why you might want to buy the kit instead of the real car.

[WPA]

ingenieur said:

WPA said:

Surely if what a E46 that looks like a CSL then you would just buy a CSL.

It explained in the article why you might want to buy the kit instead of the real car.

You can get a manual conversion for a CSL

[Bloxxcreative]

It's alot of wonga when compared to others/keeping it standard.

[DaveyBoyWonder]

WPA said:

Surely if what a E46 that looks like a CSL then you would just buy a CSL.

Did you read the bit about them costing £90k upwards?

[anonymous-user]

Well I think that looks flipping gorgeous. Makes me miss my E46 very much.

[C5_Steve]

I'm torn, because these are clearly very well-made parts and certainly worth the money, however, I don't agree with the whole making something look like something it's not approach. It's just extreme up-badging isn't it? That said, that demo car is gorgeous.

Perhaps taking the other parts and just leaving out the front bumper would be the smart way to go.

[florian]

That is a very pretty car. Just perfect! No silly wings or widebody kits required.
(Mine would have to be painted in Laguna Seca or Estoril blue though )

Interestingly, Vorsteiner and Guntherwerks seem to be connected as they share the CEO.
Also, the name "Vorsteiner" seems to be an invention. It's like a German company calling themselves "Forstoner"

[Slippydiff]

florian said:

That is a very pretty car. Just perfect! No silly wings or widebody kits required.
(Mine would have to be painted in Laguna Seca or Estoril blue though )

Interestingly, Vorsteiner and Guntherwerks seem to be connected as they share the CEO.
Also, the name "Vorsteiner" seems to be an invention. It's like a German company calling themselves "Forstoner"

Vorsteiner was started by Peter Nam, and he started Guntherwerks to produce the Porsche 993 based cars 5-6 years ago.
I think I’m right in saying that those “CSL” panels are nothing new, Vorsteiner produced them in limited quantities 10 years ago (probably when BMW no longer had stock of them and dealers/BMW HQ wouldn’t accept orders for CSL specific panels without a CSL chassis number) then BMW recommissioned the panels and Vorsteiner stopped producing them ...
The front bumper and its carbon flippers, along with the bootlid are all still available from BMW.
The only CSL panel part NLA is the carbon roof, but other manufacturers produce them.

[nismo48]

The link to the E46 M3 manual in silver, now that really does look like a great buy..

[1974foggy]

Pretty much what i have done with my black manual, apart from the wheels.
It wasnt about trying to fool anyone, I just love the CSL boot and rear diffuser. I wanted to keep the front fog lights so added the corner splitters in carbon to match the rear diffuser, then i had the steering wheel trimmed in alcantara, Basically just picked a few subtle parts I thought added to the standard E46 experience, but kept the comfy seats, armrest and so on! So I totally get this.

[MrGeoff]

nismo48 said:

The link to the E46 M3 manual in silver, now that really does look like a great buy..

It could all check out but you'd probably need to be brave buying an import with foreign history, especially when it comes to an M car.

[anonymous-user]

The E46 is still stunning all these years later......please bring it back BMW......you can even make it an EV ....and we probably wouldn't mind.....to much !

As for this....the uh sunroof .... = not CSL

i bet all the c20d owners will be doing this.....i wouldn't blame them still looks awesome ...

[broadspeed1]

Dombilano said:

I'll cut a circular hole in a bumper for £50

You'd have trouble since they already have a hole there.

[georgeyboy12345]

Pointless in my opinion.