Wednesday 5th June 2013

BMW M3 CSL: PH Blog

Why a 10-year wait to have a go with a CSL was well worth it for PH's man on the CSL anniversary tour

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They say you should never meet your heroes, but for me the CSL is the exception to the rule. You see, when I was a tantalisingly close to being able to drive in 2003, I was lucky enough (or unlucky, depending on how you see it...) to have a CSL in the family. But I never got to drive it.

'Sean's' CSL hangs out with the others on the trip

So, after 10 years of waiting it was fitting to get the call to point BMW's finest example of the breed down to Munich for its special birthday bash.

To finally experience the sensory overload from behind the wheel - the pared-back carbon fibre clad cabin, the feedback from the chassis and the figure-hugging one-piece seat and Alcantara surfaces - was bracing and brought back memories etched into my mind.

I mentioned some reservations with the car in my CSL 10th anniversary diary and how today you have to view it as something of a classic, but setting my rose-tinted spectacles to one side, the CSL was still sublime; everything I'd hoped it would be.

In Sport mode the throttle response is so good it's as if the pedal's an extension of your right foot. And the engine's mapping is so smooth and of such high resolution that it never hesitates or stutters when you ask for the gas - even at low revs and in a high gear. Prodding the Sport button opens up a flap in the airbox to give you the full hit of noise, too. Apart from adding around 10hp from the ram air effect, it goes all Spinal Tap on you, turning everything up to 11. It's the defining characteristic of the car.

Stereo's rubbish, induction noise immense

It starts out as a raucous, rude hammering from under the bonnet and morphs into a sound that buzzes around your brain like a swarm of kamikaze wasps. It begs for more, and more. And more. It's relentless.

I could feel the CSL itching to devour some corners on the autobahn on the way down - even if the straight-line blasts were good fun and better to listen to than the shockingly tinny stereo...

I had to wait a few days, but it duly delivered when the roads presented the opportunity. The steering feels so direct - it's quicker than the standard E46 M3's and combines with a beautifully balanced chassis that means you feel confident in pushing the car hard early on.

It's rewarding when you do, too. Grip is abundant, but not so strong that it'll ruin any fun. Stiffer and more focused than any normal M3, the point at which the CSL let's you know you're taking liberties is strongly defined, but it does warn you when you're getting close.

A 10-year wait for a drive but worth every second

From every point of contact it bristles with information. The connection to the chassis is so strong through the wheel, the seat and the throttle that driving hard becomes the default mode and ridiculously intuitive.

I'm glad I met my hero.

Sean

Additional photography: John Brookes

 

[Gavlar83]

the only car that deserves 'the ultimate driving machine' status

[Mermaid]

Awesome car- bags of character.

[cuda]

Gavlar83 said:

the only car that deserves 'the ultimate driving machine' status

Was just about to write that too...

Lovin' mine.

[monthefish]

Funny how, like so many 'great's, the reception to the car at the time of its launch was lukewarm, but its desirability was increased greatly in the years since.

[s m]

monthefish said:

Funny how, like so many 'great's, the reception to the car at the time of its launch was lukewarm, but its desirability was increased greatly in the years since.

very true

[itz_baseline]

I have never driven one but would love to. Are they really worth the £15k premium over a standard M3? I guess if you factor in little depreciation they kind of make sense?

[S3_Graham]

so much want. just a shame that values are going nuts and i'll likely never be able to afford one.

[Mermaid]

itz_baseline said:

I have never driven one but would love to. Are they really worth the £15k premium over a standard M3?

Drive one and you will answer your question.

[dave stew]

monthefish said:

Funny how, like so many 'great's, the reception to the car at the time of its launch was lukewarm, but its desirability was increased greatly in the years since.

964 RS springs to mind...

[CSLmarson]

it was allways my hero to,

its so much more than the standard M3 the difference is night and day bacicaly they just look similar,

mark my words, they will never make a car with that kind of noise and that kind of presence for that kind of money ever again.

thats why i took the plunge and never looked back,

its such an occasion to drive it just listening to the orchestra of sounds it produces.

it shouldnt be legal.

[scotty_917]

dave stew said:

monthefish said:

Funny how, like so many 'great's, the reception to the car at the time of its launch was lukewarm, but its desirability was increased greatly in the years since.

964 RS springs to mind...

You beat me to it!!!

[Devil2575]

Gavlar83 said:

the only car that deserves 'the ultimate driving machine' status

Original E30 M3?

[cuda]

Devil2575 said:

Original E30 M3?

No... Had one - never liked it.

[Leins]

itz_baseline said:

I have never driven one but would love to. Are they really worth the £15k premium over a standard M3? I guess if you factor in little depreciation they kind of make sense?

Worth it for the noise alone

[s m]

cuda said:

Devil2575 said:

Original E30 M3?

No... Had one - never liked it.

Interesting, EVO picked that above even the CSL in this old test

http://www.m3post.com/goodiesforyou/evo.pdf

[fastgerman]

Lovely car but values aren't going north any time soon. Low mileage ones have been £30k for the last 5 years and there is a 55k miler for sale for £26k on this site.

Still time if you're looking for an investment. £20k for a 60k miler is still possible from a 'motivated seller'. Not so many people around with money to spend.

They'll never be 964 RS money. E30 M3 Evo maybe but this isn't the original, which is where the real money goes.

996 GT3 is more likely to go up in value in my opinion.

[shim]

Pirces are rising now after being level for 4 years.

A typical 20k miler now is around £38k compared with £33-34k in the past. I see it slowly rising especially lower mileage cars

[Inverted]

So pleased I decided not to sell mine recently. Nearly 3 years into ownership and it gets better and better. Just need to find the time to drive it....its been 8 months

[Amirhussain]

Leins said:

itz_baseline said:

I have never driven one but would love to. Are they really worth the £15k premium over a standard M3? I guess if you factor in little depreciation they kind of make sense?

Worth it for the noise alone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJY6ah5pC-o

[jay27]

Glad to see the later CSL get the atention it deserves, but I think the heading picture came from SMMT day 2013, where the car was also available.

Why am I being a smart arse? Because it was a bit of a shock to see I exist. Never mind that it is me driving my favourite 10 year old BMW, a vehicle that works as harder than virtually any other in the Bracknell collection.

BTW: in the current BMW Car Club mag--Straight Six--Munich Legends and their cover picture make a persuasive case for buying E46 M3 now, as CSL so expensive and many thrashed to walking wounded.

Interested to hear what others think...