Wednesday 8th November 2017

BMW M3 CS announced

We've seen how the Club Sport coupe stacks up, now it's the saloon's turn...

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We've known it's been coming for a little while now, but BMW has finally announced the arrival of the M3 CS. Having driven the M4 CSearlier this year, we concluded that while it may have been the all-around best M4 to date, it was still too expensive for what it was. Now we have the M3 CS which, at £86,380, is nearly £30,000 more expensive than even the Competition Pack equipped standard car. Will it be able to make a more compelling case for its premium though?

As you might expect, the M3 CS takes advantage of many of the same performance pieces as the M4 CS before it. Namely a bonnet hewn from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (saving 25 per cent versus standard), a CFRP roof (6kg lighter than the previous steel one), a CFRP spoiler and the rear diffuser from the M4 GTS, constructed from the same material. There's also a carbon fibre front splitter, all of which contributes to a kerb weight 50kg lighter than that of the standard M3.

Powering the M3 CS from 0-62 in 3.9 seconds - and on to a top speed of 174mph - is a 460hp turbo-charged straight-six, putting out 443lb ft of torque. That's 10hp and 37lb ft more than the Competition Package for those of you playing at home. While underneath you'll find a "motorsport influenced" Active-M suspension set-up - complete with double-wishbones at the rear and a Competition Package setting for the springs and dampers - and a specially tuned M Sport exhaust system.

Ten-spoke forged alloy wheels, based on those of the M4 DTM cars, are standard. These come wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres and house BMW M compound brakes, with carbon-ceramic items optional.

Following the motorsport theme, the M3 CS comes equipped with a weight-optimised magnesium oil pan which, "keeps the surge of the lubricant even" at forces of up to 1.5g - make your own jokes here - and an individual oil cooler, allowing the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to withstand "even the hardest driving conditions".

Inside you'll find a smattering of Alcantara and the lightweight seats from the Competition Package. But, despite its reductionist nature, the M3 CS still boasts amenities such as climate control and a Harman Kardon Surround Sound System.

Production is limited to just 1,200 units in the UK, which will be available to order from January 2018 onwards, with the first cars due to be built in March. With its flared arches and purposeful stance, the Club Sport additions ought to make the fast foor-door even more of a looker, we'll have to wait to find out whether it'll have the substance to match the style, and the price tag.

Inspired? Buy a BMW CS here

[MegaCat]

It seems to be a ‘carbon’ copy (apologies) of the Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio but costs at least £20k more and is 17mph slower at vmax. Nice effort, but happy with my Alfa ; )

[CaptainRAVE]

It looks fantastic, both inside and out.

[anonymous-user]

Not sure I see the value in the additional cost over the comp pack cars, especially considering this 3 series will be an out of date model next year.

[Wills2]

janesmith1950 said:

Not sure I see the value in the additional cost over the comp pack cars, especially considering this 3 series will be an out of date model next year.

You won't see the new m3 until 2020.

[as7920]

It's a winner for me.

Shame about the £££££££. Crazy difference over the Competition Package.

However they are all doing it, new Audi RS5 for £89k and Merc C63S for £85k.

Edited by as7920 on Wednesday 8th November 08:07

[MrBarry123]

As with the M4 CS, I love the car but not the price.

[Monty Python]

I think I'd prefer an E46 M3 CSL.

[Ares]

Looks great, but a missed trick having a near £30k premium without bringing anything like £30k of benefit for what amounts to a run-out model. 10bhp extra (but still well done on C63 let alone C63S & Alfa). A few extra CF pieces (but only matching the Alfa QV (and isn't the roof Carbon Fibre on the standard M3 anyway?)...but costing nearly 50% more), and a trick stereo. Even Carbon Brakes aren't included?

[Ruskins]

Does make the Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio look like very good value.

[Ares]

Monty Python said:

I think I'd prefer an E46 M3 CSL.

I wouldn't. You couldn't use or own a 15yr old CSL anything like in the same was as a brand new M3. But I'd rather have a M3 CP and a Caterham. Even moreso, I'd rather have an Alfa QV and a Caterham!

[Audemars]

Another car that looks like a £5k car to non petrolheads.

Good option if you like sleepers.

[Ares]

Audemars said:

Another car that looks like a £5k car to non petrolheads.

Good option if you like sleepers.

True. But a £30k standard M3 looks even more sleepy

[Plate spinner]

We are talking list price of £85k and £30k premium etc...

I'll bet my mortgage that most of these cars new will be sold on a monthly payment basis - is this not a more relevant purchasing metric?

[Ares]

Plate spinner said:

We are talking list price of £85k and £30k premium etc...

I'll bet my mortgage that most of these cars new will be sold on a monthly payment basis - is this not a more relevant purchasing metric?

Still relative.

Local dealer tried to flog me a 30 Jahre M3 earlier this year when I was looking at normal M3 CPs. List was 30% higher. Monthly figures were 40% higher. There were minimal discounts on the normal M3, but absolute zero on the 30 Jahre, despite being a 2016 car, still new.

[arkenphel]

This looks nice, but I agree the £30k premium is a killer. If I coulda, I woulda.

I don't remember the changes being as extensive on the M4CS, which I thought was purely a software exercise performance wise. This individual oil cooler etc at least goes some small way to justify the price premium. not enough, to be fair.

[Maldini35]

Crazy list prices just reflect how people are buying cars now I.e. on the never never.

It’s an easy way to increase profits without killing the market.

Until interest rates start to rise that is....

[Ares]

Maldini35 said:

Crazy list prices just reflect how people are buying cars now I.e. on the never never.

It’s an easy way to increase profits without killing the market.

Until interest rates start to rise that is....

Not really on the never never. Just an easier, cheaper lower risk way to buy a car.

[Jonno02]

Alfa is gonna mop up at this price for the performance.

[culpz]

It looks epic and clearly goes epic too. 3.9 seconds to 60 just sounds bonkers to me. I'm just not convinced it's as epic for the premium it commands over the CP version. In fact, just a standard M3/M4 would do me, at an even lower cost.

[chedixon]

Makes the standard M3/M4 look like a bargain!