[Ezra168]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Yes, it is a MASSIVE difference.

Hey man, would you help me understand the change that will happen. I mean does the CS/CSL not have different steering parts all together? So this is just a program/digital change, what is it actually doing? I’m strongly considering but have a manual so I’d only be getting the steering so didn’t know if just that is enough to notice a difference? Thanks for your help!

[G30M]

Originally Posted by Vic55

i don't suppose they made the steering wheel of the CS less chunky and less stiff? i couldn't stand the steering wheel in the G20 both in terms of how chunky it was and how stiff it was (though I eventually got used to it)

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by Ezra168

Hey man, would you help me understand the change that will happen. I mean does the CS/CSL not have different steering parts all together? So this is just a program/digital change, what is it actually doing? I’m strongly considering but have a manual so I’d only be getting the steering so didn’t know if just that is enough to notice a difference? Thanks for your help!

Sorry, missed this.

The CS absolutely has different hardware. Most importantly, it has different hubs which allow more camber. It also has different springs and sway bars.

So the steering. You know how the standard car is a bit reluctant to return to center. Feels a little "gloopy" like the rack doesn't quite move freely? Doesn't have much "weight" when you load the car into a corner? The CS software gets rid of all of that. It feels SO much more natural. It's still not fizzing with feel, but you definitely get more and it weights up much more naturally. I literally felt the difference before I got to the end of my street.

I'm planning on adding monoballs soon and can't wait to see THAT difference.

[yaymitch]

Just traded my 2023 M3 CX for 2024 M3CS. Only driven it a few miles but this is much closer to other M cars I’ve owned as far as being connected to the road and feel. Haven’t pushed it yet so not sure about power delivery yet but it does feel more responsive even in low rpm’s. I came from an F87 M2CS manual to the G80 CX and while I love the power of the G80 it was not as fun to drive and found myself looking to lots of mods to dial it in. Then just said eff it and bought something that is the way I want it from the factory. The M3CS may not be worth the extra money to some and it is definitely not as luxurious or as comfortable as the regular G80. But I track my cars and am all about pure driving enjoyment and choose not to afford a Porsche. To me the M3CS is a noticeably more responsive and better handling car than the M3CX. Not saying it’s better overall, just different.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by yaymitch

Just traded my 2023 M3 CX for 2024 M3CS. Only driven it a few miles but this is much closer to other M cars I’ve owned as far as being connected to the road and feel. Haven’t pushed it yet so not sure about power delivery yet but it does feel more responsive even in low rpm’s. I came from an F87 M2CS manual to the G80 CX and while I love the power of the G80 it was not as fun to drive and found myself looking to lots of mods to dial it in. Then just said eff it and bought something that is the way I want it from the factory. The M3CS may not be worth the extra money to some and it is definitely not as luxurious or as comfortable as the regular G80. But I track my cars and am all about pure driving enjoyment and choose not to afford a Porsche. To me the M3CS is a noticeably more responsive and better handling car than the M3CX. Not saying it’s better overall, just different.

great thanks, that's very good to know, very similar to other replies

i'm just not sure i can justify it in my country as they are asking Porsche money for this one! priced at 50% more than the M3Comp! with a roof that can't be replaced!

[fl1by]

Originally Posted by Vic55

Sorry I didnt see the tag or it didnt populate but here I am.

Its really early on as I just got the CS and was out of town last week so only have very limited miles on it but here are my early on thoughts and Ill try to be as relative as possible since all of this is still subjective.

On the same roads vs my 2022 X Drive (X drive had a Racechip piggy and was lowered on MSS) but my 22 was stock for maybe 2 days LOL

The CS feels faster than the X with the RC. The throttle response is so immediate and the CS transmission tune makes a very noticeable difference. The S58 already begs to be raped but damn this car feels faster than my tuned X and equally as fast as my RC modded M8.

The car just moves immediately and the snap up shifts really give me a recollection of my PDK in my current 992 GTS and my departed GT3. Its very aggressive and creates that kind of gear shift transition that exudes a more race like feel.

TQ delivery feels similar but again my X was piggy tuned right away so it wasnt stock but this CS seems just a bit more able to move in and out of turns and quick expressway lane jumps. Maybe BMW under rated the hp like they do on their normal M's. I took the CS into my canyon roads yesterday where Ive taken all my cars and boy its so flat and enduring of the undulations but also has a better steering feel and point/shoot process than the X. And the X and even my 21 G80 RWD Comp were no slouches.

The CS might not be worthy to all as some will just want to mod their X's and get to similar performance functions but to me I wanted the actual model variant and thus far am very very impressed with it (14 M's in). I know some may think its my purchase justification but as I type this Im trying to remember how great the X drive was over the RWD comp and I just cant see it reaching this level of improvement.

It sure sits high though

Coming from yourself that looks ready for mud bogging.... gezzz Vic

[Vic55]

Originally Posted by fl1by

Coming from yourself that looks ready for mud bogging.... gezzz Vic

I have remedied the situation

[rafaeldelrey]

I got my M3 CS this weekend. Still in the break-in period, but one thing I could clearly notice: it shifts faster (or maybe louder) than my wife's M4 xDrive Convertible. It's addictive.

I ll keep taking the M4 to trackdaya, then I ll track the M3 CS, with the same tires (PS4). I hope to get a good understanding of their differences.

[Itson451]

Why couldn't BMW made the g80 like this straight out of the box? That's the whole reason we buy these cars

[Berzerker]

Originally Posted by rafaeldelrey

I got my M3 CS this weekend. Still in the break-in period, but one thing I could clearly notice: it shifts faster (or maybe louder) than my wife's M4 xDrive Convertible. It's addictive.

I ll keep taking the M4 to trackdaya, then I ll track the M3 CS, with the same tires (PS4). I hope to get a good understanding of their differences.

That's completely software. You can get the transmission, differential, suspension, and a couple other things coded/flashed onto the regular M3/M4 and it'll behave exactly like the CS.

I had it done and it's 100% worth it.

[yaymitch]

Originally Posted by Berzerker

That's completely software. You can get the transmission, differential, suspension, and a couple other things coded/flashed onto the regular M3/M4 and it'll behave exactly like the CS.

I had it done and it's 100% worth it.

lol, only thing that is completely software is the the transmission tune. I had my G80 coded for steering and transmission and it’s nothing close to the feel of the CS that I now have. Suspension is not all software and neither is the steering feel after suspension upgrades that the CS features.

[Humdizzle]

like on the f80... the coding will only get you so far. the CS has a number of suspension related hardware changes. the engine tune is also different, companies can try to replicate it but it will never be a 1:1 copy of the original CS tune.

you could mod an X to be faster, sure. but now your car is out of warranty, you paid a bunch for mods, and still depreciating like the other xdrive comps. While the CS has warranty and value retention being a limited run car.

[Berzerker]

Originally Posted by Humdizzle

like on the f80... the coding will only get you so far. the CS has a number of suspension related hardware changes. the engine tune is also different, companies can try to replicate it but it will never be a 1:1 copy of the original CS tune.

you could mod an X to be faster, sure. but now your car is out of warranty, you paid a bunch for mods, and still depreciating like the other xdrive comps. While the CS has warranty and value retention being a limited run car.

Originally Posted by yaymitch

lol, only thing that is completely software is the the transmission tune. I had my G80 coded for steering and transmission and it’s nothing close to the feel of the CS that I now have. Suspension is not all software and neither is the steering feel after suspension upgrades that the CS features.

Sure, there are hardware differences, but there's a lot of software involved. "Nothing close" is definitely a bit far though. I'm glad you like your CSs, but you definitely can get pretty close with coding.

[yaymitch]

Originally Posted by Berzerker

Sure, there are hardware differences, but there's a lot of software involved. "Nothing close" is definitely a bit far though. I'm glad you like your CSs, but you definitely can get pretty close with coding.

You’re right, ‘nothing close’ is an overstatement. Having driven both, the difference is very noticeable.

[SwankPeRFection]

Originally Posted by Humdizzle

like on the f80... the coding will only get you so far. the CS has a number of suspension related hardware changes. the engine tune is also different, companies can try to replicate it but it will never be a 1:1 copy of the original CS tune.

you could mod an X to be faster, sure. but now your car is out of warranty, you paid a bunch for mods, and still depreciating like the other xdrive comps. While the CS has warranty and value retention being a limited run car.

BM3’s CSL stock flash is a dump of the CSL factory calibration. It does require the FEMTO unlock, but it is the factory tune that’s used to revert a CSL back to factory tune and relock if needed. There is nothing stopping someone from running that map for the engine if they wanted to.

Recently Evolve made some videos with their “wannabe” CS type setups on their M2 and M3 wagon which unfortunately is actually tarnishing the whole CS/CSL factory calibration and ability aspects of the platform because the engine tune is not the BMW one and is actually Evolve’s “warranty-able” Stage 1 flash which, while making more power than a stock CSL, just doesn’t seem like it has the same drivability and eagerness in it. Their suspension setups is also some bs aftermarket suspension stuff they sell, which also softens things up a bit too. In addition, for some reason and I don’t know why, but while they’ve stated they did code the cars with CSL factory calibrations, the acceleration and gear change eagerness isn’t like the CSL, which leads me to wonder if perhaps they didn’t flash the trans properly. I dunno, but it doesn’t look right in any of the videos they or Mischa have put out with the test drives. Something is “just off” and it will just lead to questionable efficacy of these mods for anyone wanting to get them.