Performance M3 CS turns

co uk

FOLLOWING in the wheeltracks of last year’s M4 CSL coupé, BMW has unveiled a more extreme version of its M3 saloon Called the M3 CS, the new car boasts an uprated engine with more power compared with the regular M3 Competition on which it’s based, as well as alterations to the chassis and lightweight parts that, collectively, aim to improve handling

The M3 CS’s engine output highlights its positioning, with the 3 0-litre turbocharged straight-six unit producing 542bhp (39bhp more than the M3 Competition and identical to the M4 CSL) and 650Nm of torque.

Where the CS and CSL differ, however, is that whereas the CSL is rear-drive only, this hottest version of the M3 saloon comes with BMW’s M xDrive all-wheel drive system. Combined with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and launch control, it delivers a claimed 0-62mph time of 3 4 seconds and a top speed that is limited to 188mph.

The extra power has been liberated thanks to a boost in turbo pressure and model-specific tweaks to the engine management system. There are also new, stiffer engine mounts for the CS “to create an extremely rigid connection between the power unit and the vehicle’s structure”

The engine breathes through a dualbranch exhaust set-up with a titanium silencer, saving 4kg compared with the standard car’s arrangement

BMW says the CS also features a modelspecific tune for its ESC settings, including the M Dynamic mode, while the car’s suspension has been honed with new, bespoke settings for the adaptive suspension dampers and anti-roll bar, as well as new rates for the auxiliary

Official

INTERIOR Carbon-fibre seats and trim continue the track-ready theme, with the CS getting two digital panels in the dash

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