Wednesday 25th October 2017

BMW M3 CS spied

Forget about the price for a second - this should be the best turbocharged M3 yet

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While the BMW M4 CS wasn't a spiritual successor to the much admired E46 M3 CS (the Competition Package versions having adopted that position), it did seem to finally realise the potential in the F82 M car. Gone were the occasionally wayward (and sometimes downright terrifying) sensibilities of the standard car, replaced by a sports coupe of great composure, confidence and poise. Just a shame it's £90K really...

Don't expect that price to suddenly drop for this, the new M3 version - though the promise of something that drives as well as the M4 CS in the better proportioned, broader and, let's face it, cooler four-door saloon is a hugely appealing prospect.

Caught lapping at you know where, this M3 CS appears to have carried over all the recognisable tweaks from the M4. See the wheels, most obviously, and then those parts camo'd up: bonnet, front and rear spoilers. If they're made from the same lightweight carbon fibre as the coupe, that ought to knock a few precious kilos from the stock model's kerbweight.

Expect the M3 CS to be mechanically identical to the M4, with a nominal 10hp gain from the 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight six and a standard DCT gearbox. A Nurburgring lap time in the region of the coupe's 7min 38sec would be good too...

Plenty to be keen on basically, a M3 (hopefully) made brilliant by the same tweaks already applied to the M4. Our sources and the advanced state of the development mule suggest a 2018 launch date - Geneva perhaps - so get pally with your dealer now. And set aside about £85K.

Search BMW M3s for sale on PistonHeads Classifieds

[Photos: SB Medien]

[robm3]

For some reason these new m3/4’s just leave me cold, perhaps because they stuffed the first versions up and charged more for the proper experience.
Ah well, maybe I’m getting old

[Agent XXX]

Makes no sense when the Guilia is more powerful, faster, better looking, cheaper (substantially) and not a feckin BM

[Dave Hedgehog]

Agent XXX said:

Makes no sense when the Guilia is more powerful, faster, better looking, cheaper (substantially) and not a feckin BM

the day BMW decided to start pumping fake engine noises through the speakers it was clear the accountants were in charge and the bottom line was everything, enthusiasts become an irrelevance

[Agent XXX]

Dave Hedgehog said:

the day BMW decided to start pumping fake engine noises through the speakers it was clear the accountants were in charge and the bottom line was everything, enthusiasts become an irrelevance

Quite. What IS that all about????

[mylesmcd]

robm3 said:

For some reason these new m3/4’s just leave me cold, perhaps because they stuffed the first versions up and charged more for the proper experience.
Ah well, maybe I’m getting old

They fall between a rock and a hard place for me. Special, but not special enough to warrant the price or additional drama they come with. (I mean heating up, parking, unwanted attention etc) The price would lead me to a 2 car scenario!

Still - it is still the bench mark in the sector.

[nickfrog]

Agent XXX said:

Makes no sense when the Guilia is more powerful, faster, better looking, cheaper (substantially) and not a feckin BM

Why the hatred for BMW ?

[_Superleggera_]

Agent XXX said:

Makes no sense when the Guilia is more powerful, faster, better looking, cheaper (substantially) and not a feckin BM

This all day long.

The Giulia Quadrifoglio is a budget Ferrari Saloon. It's sublime.

I've driven both the M3 and M4 and the Giulia really is in a different league.

[ghost83]

90k for a m3 lolol bmw clearly smoking something

[tgclowes]

mylesmcd said:

robm3 said:

For some reason these new m3/4’s just leave me cold, perhaps because they stuffed the first versions up and charged more for the proper experience.
Ah well, maybe I’m getting old

They fall between a rock and a hard place for me. Special, but not special enough to warrant the price or additional drama they come with. (I mean heating up, parking, unwanted attention etc) The price would lead me to a 2 car scenario!

Still - it is still the bench mark in the sector.

I'm with you both. I drove an M3 Comp pack earlier this year as a more practical and slightly more economical replacement to my C63 507. For the price point I expected more, it felt like a mapped 335i/340i but then I didn't get into much dynamic driving. I knew the engine was never going to match the 6.2 but it left me numb.

[GroundEffect]

Agent XXX said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

the day BMW decided to start pumping fake engine noises through the speakers it was clear the accountants were in charge and the bottom line was everything, enthusiasts become an irrelevance

Quite. What IS that all about????

You'll find many cars have this option these days. With drive-by noise regulations as they are, it's getting more and more difficult to get engine noise and still pass the tests AND maintain decent overall NVH.

[Quickmoose]

GroundEffect said:

Agent XXX said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

the day BMW decided to start pumping fake engine noises through the speakers it was clear the accountants were in charge and the bottom line was everything, enthusiasts become an irrelevance

Quite. What IS that all about????

You'll find many cars have this option these days. With drive-by noise regulations as they are, it's getting more and more difficult to get engine noise and still pass the tests AND maintain decent overall NVH.

All the 'mainstream' supercar guys don't seem to have play by these legislations?? Lambos, Jaguars, Ferraris, Astons and Mercedes all managing to make some rather lovely modern noises
I think it's a by-product of characterless engines.
When 21st century NSX needs to funnel (non fake) engine noises into the cabin to make it self heard you know there is an issue that is not down to noise legislation

[mylesmcd]

tgclowes said:

mylesmcd said:

robm3 said:

For some reason these new m3/4’s just leave me cold, perhaps because they stuffed the first versions up and charged more for the proper experience.
Ah well, maybe I’m getting old

They fall between a rock and a hard place for me. Special, but not special enough to warrant the price or additional drama they come with. (I mean heating up, parking, unwanted attention etc) The price would lead me to a 2 car scenario!

Still - it is still the bench mark in the sector.

I'm with you both. I drove an M3 Comp pack earlier this year as a more practical and slightly more economical replacement to my C63 507. For the price point I expected more, it felt like a mapped 335i/340i but then I didn't get into much dynamic driving. I knew the engine was never going to match the 6.2 but it left me numb.

At least the Merc has the engine......I would take an M240 as an everyday, much nicer car all round.

[Ares]

Sounds fabulous, and given how good the M3 CP is, this should be a tweak further up the desirability stakes....

.....until you see that it costs £85k. Never mind Brexit putting the best cars out of financial reach of the masses, BMW seem to be doing that job by themselves. Overpriced by c£20k.



And on the speaker-piped sound. Why does anyone really give a st? Does it really matter? Or is it that you want the world to hear your engine noisier, not just you?

[Quickmoose]

For me the 'piping' thing is not such an issue.
Fake speaker generated vroom vroom noises are.

[Olivera]

_Superleggera_ said:

This all day long.

The Giulia Quadrifoglio is a budget Ferrari Saloon. It's sublime.

I've driven both the M3 and M4 and the Giulia really is in a different league.

The M3 Competition Pack has been timed in a few tests as quicker than the Giulia Quadrifoglio, and also judged better by some. To say the Giulia is in a different league is nonsense.

[urquattroGus]

Only blinkered BMW fanboys need apply?

Or at least order a standard M3 and make a few subtle tweaks, save the money etc.

[Ares]

Olivera said:

_Superleggera_ said:

This all day long.

The Giulia Quadrifoglio is a budget Ferrari Saloon. It's sublime.

I've driven both the M3 and M4 and the Giulia really is in a different league.

The M3 Competition Pack has been timed in a few tests as quicker than the Giulia Quadrifoglio, and also judged better by some. To say the Giulia is in a different league is nonsense.

Go and drive them. It is. Both fabulous cars though.

The balance of tests leans in the QV's favour. Not bad for a first attempt

[coljoh148]

Only 90k aye....

[aaron_2000]

Agent XXX said:

Makes no sense when the Guilia is more powerful, faster, better looking, cheaper (substantially) and not a feckin BM

Other than your uneducated hate of BMW, I do actually agree with you which is weird. I don't like the pretentiousness of that speaker exhaust system, if they want it loud they should make it loud. If I wanted to hear car noise coming through speakers, I'd get a CD of the Lexus LFA.

Edit: I would also go for the Guilia over the M3 given as you can get them for well specced 530d money.

Edited by aaron_2000 on Wednesday 25th October 14:13

[Quickmoose]

I find myself perturbed.
I don't hate BMW at all, they've always had a good many cars in their line up which are constant standard bearers.
I just have a huge dislike of ubiquity.