up the wick

springs, designed to optimise steering precision Increased body rigidity, thanks to cast-aluminium strut braces in the engine bay, should also help to improve the saloon’s precision and response.

M compound brakes are fitted as standard, while carbon-ceramic items are an optional extra The standard set-up features 19-inch wheels at the front and 20-inch rims at the rear, all shod in track-ready rubber developed especially for this CS model

Backing up this extra track focus is the extensive use of lightweight materials throughout the M3 CS This includes a carbon-fibre roof, with the same material used for the bonnet, front splitter and air intakes, door mirrors, rear spoiler and the large rear diffuser element

Inside, the centre console, shift paddles and interior trim strips are all made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic, too. The use of M carbon-fibre bucket seats also helps to further reduce weight, with the combined

total reduction standing at 20kg compared with the standard M3 Competition in fourwheel-drive M xDrive specification

Many of the lightweight elements also give the M3 CS its aggressive look, with Frozen Solid White (exclusive to the M3 CS) contrasting with the carbon-fibre parts Signal Green (pictured), Brooklyn Grey and Sapphire Black are also available. The CS features a lightweight frameless kidney grille with red details and CS badging Laser headlights are fitted as standard, and they illuminate in yellow, as per the M4 CSL There are more bespoke CS parts inside, where the car features BMW’s curved displays as part of its latest-generation Operating System 8 infotainment set-up

A 12 3-inch digital dash and a 14 9-inch display sit beneath a continuous, curved glass panel, while the CS also comes with BMW’s M Drive Professional system, which is controlled through the infotainment

It includes the firm’s M Drift Analyser and Laptimer tech, and there’s also an M Traction Control package with 10 distinct settings

The M3 CS is priced from £115,900, which is a £33,235 increase over a regular M xDrive-equipped M3 Competition model. The new car goes on sale in March, with deliveries set to start soon after