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 CS
earlier 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.