[Mani59]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

Meet the most hardcore BMW M3 you can buy - the all-new BMW M3 CS!

Limited to around 2,000 units, the M3 CS comes with a whole load of upgrades over the standard M3 Competition. The question is, should you pay the £116,000 starting price?

Well, let’s start by checking out the design. On the outside, the M3 CS is absolutely covered in carbon! Up front, you get a carbon fibre bonnet and a more aggressive, carbon fibre bumper. There’s also exclusive red piping around the grille. Along the side, you’ll find unique alloy wheel designs, while around the back there’s a huge carbon diffuser. The roof is also made of carbon, naturally…

Step inside and the carbon theme continues. You get carbon bucket seats as standard, along with a smattering of carbon across the centre console and dash. You also get an Alcantara-covered steering wheel, red stitching throughout the cabin and BMW’s all-new infotainment system.

Under the bonnet, you’ll find the same 3-litre twin-turbo straight-six as in the standard car. However, BMW has reworked the ECU, and as a result, the power output has increased from 510hp to 550hp. Torque remains the same, at 650Nm, and power is still sent to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic torque converter gearbox.

So what do you think - is it worth the extra £35,000? You’ll have to stick with Mat and see for yourself!

[Needsdecaf]

Matt looked like he phoned this one in. Definitely did not look very excited to be doing this review....

Odd that, given the fact that he liked the car. Maybe because he's driven them / lived with it before and it's not all that different? Or maybe he's just salty because his partner said he couldn't get an M3 touring because of the buckets....even though you don't need to buy it with buckets.

Definitely strange.

[NumberOneChukko]

It may have done too much “phaffing about” than he likes I do love Matt and Carwow though, great content

[GOLFFRR]

that interior is so sick. I finally saw one on the road yesterday. it was some group called fuel to Monterey or something along those lines, 100-200 high end cars all driving over HWY 154. there was a CS that went by and it def was a eye catcher!

[supershaft]

has anyone taken this M3CS to the track that can report how it was?

[Blue87]

I got the impression that Matt liked the car and maybe his biggest reservation was the price when you apply it to the average joe. Maybe he was just upset his "partner?" opposes him buying one.

On a side note, there is one available locally however it's all black (boring). For some reason, l haven't seen green available in my area unless it's a customer's special order. It seems to be equally as difficult to find one with all options.

[Custom Install]

Personally I’m sick to death hearing about ‘tweaks’ on the CS (and CSL)
So they got the G80/82 wrong first time round?
It’s a blatant cash grab, there is nothing of value added to these cars and ironically functional value items have been deleted. We’re all falling over ourselves thinking about CF hoods and things like the strut brace the base cars should have had.
Personally I hate the red accents, I mean is this the best M can do.
It’s no E46 CSL, that was truly special.
Since the launch of the 3.0 CSL I’ve seen something I can’t unsee.
It’s called marketing BS

[ScullyD]

Originally Posted by Custom Install

Personally I’m sick to death hearing about ‘tweaks’ on the CS (and CSL)
So they got the G80/82 wrong first time round?
It’s a blatant cash grab, there is nothing of value added to these cars and ironically functional value items have been deleted. We’re all falling over ourselves thinking about CF hoods and things like the strut brace the base cars should have had.
Personally I hate the red accents, I mean is this the best M can do.
It’s no E46 CSL, that was truly special.
Since the launch of the 3.0 CSL I’ve seen something I can’t unsee.
It’s called marketing BS

E46 CSL was panned on forums in the same way you are posting here when it was released. Had very few changes on the surface, just airbox, CF roof, some changes to the trunk, new seats, carbon tranmission tunnel. Similar tweaks to the CS here.

This is the cycle of recent BMW special editions. Not many surface changes, forum posters hate on them, they win car of the year, then become all-time classics (See M2 CS and M5 CS).

M3 CS going to be the same case (EVO review already called it "an all-time great").

[M3PGH]

the touring obsession from some gets old . Companies are reluctant to make them because they are not popular and don't sell well ...... not because they are harder to make

[KevinGS]

Originally Posted by Custom Install

Personally I’m sick to death hearing about ‘tweaks’ on the CS (and CSL)
So they got the G80/82 wrong first time round?
It’s a blatant cash grab, there is nothing of value added to these cars and ironically functional value items have been deleted. We’re all falling over ourselves thinking about CF hoods and things like the strut brace the base cars should have had.
Personally I hate the red accents, I mean is this the best M can do.
It’s no E46 CSL, that was truly special.
Since the launch of the 3.0 CSL I’ve seen something I can’t unsee.
It’s called marketing BS

Well, I see that someone got up on the wrong side of the bed today.

No, they didn't get the CS/CSL wrong the first time around. The CS and CSL are just better than a standard G8X. Just like a "regular" 911 is a really good sports car, but a GT3 or 911 Turbo are simply better.

My base car does not need the CSL the strut brace or the carbon fiber hood to be considered a solid engineering achievement. Just like a 911 GTS does not need the double wishbone suspension or two large turbos and rear steering to be considered engineering marvels.

It's all a matter of perspective.

And yes, BMW is in the business of making money, and so are all other manufacturers. Thus, in many ways, a base G8X is a blatant cash grab, and BMW knows it.

Value is in the eye of the beholder for those who want what they want, for reasons that won't always make sense to others. Hence why certain 911s cost twice the cost of a G8X and 3 times the cost of a new Corvette Z06, but they're certainly not twice or three times the car....yet there's a waiting list for most of those 911s. Go figure.

And is a G8X twice the sports car value of a Supra or a Camaro SS 1LE? Nope.

We don't care.

[r0wr]

Originally Posted by KevinGS

Well, I see that someone got up on the wrong side of the bed today.

No, they didn't get the CS/CSL wrong the first time around. The CS and CSL are just better than a standard G8X. Just like a "regular" 911 is a really good sports car, but a GT3 or 911 Turbo are simply better.

Did you really just compare M3 -> M3 CS to a Base 911 -> 911 Turbo/GT3? Really bad comparison. They aren't even close to being the same thing.

[BmwFanBoy94]

I don’t think he’s comparing them.

He’s just saying Porsche do the exact same thing. But to the point that one car does not protrude the other, or make one car (in this case base 911 and m3 comp) basically pointless because there’s just a better version about.

I don’t think he was comparing the driving dynamics of each vehicle at all.

[KevinGS]

Originally Posted by BmwFanBoy94

I don’t think he’s comparing them.

He’s just saying Porsche do the exact same thing. But to the point that one car does not protrude the other, or make one car (in this case base 911 and m3 comp) basically pointless because there’s just a better version about.

I don’t think he was comparing the driving dynamics of each vehicle at all.

Exactly.

Just because a GT3 RS is better than a GT3, does that mean the GT3 is a "bad" car no longer worthy of owning?

And you damn sure better believe that a GT3 RS is a wholly unnecessary money grab for Porsche, though an engineering marvel nonetheless.

[r0wr]

They're not the same thing though. Base 911 to GT3 are completely different products - MAJOR changes engine and suspension. M3 to M3 CS is more or less a a parts bin upgrade with software tuning. I think that's the point Custom Install was trying to make.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by Custom Install

Personally I’m sick to death hearing about ‘tweaks’ on the CS (and CSL)
So they got the G80/82 wrong first time round?
It’s a blatant cash grab, there is nothing of value added to these cars and ironically functional value items have been deleted. We’re all falling over ourselves thinking about CF hoods and things like the strut brace the base cars should have had.
Personally I hate the red accents, I mean is this the best M can do.
It’s no E46 CSL, that was truly special.
Since the launch of the 3.0 CSL I’ve seen something I can’t unsee.
It’s called marketing BS

They didn't get the G80/2 "wrong" but they do want the opportunity for another cash grab, so some things were saved for the CS. The F80 CS was a big improvement over the base F80 and F80 Competition, but there was more to "solve" in that car, and more time to solve it. I found my F80 M3 CS better on the track, personally.

The G80 CS seems like it was announced almost immediately after the G80/2 was released, at least in a relatively short time compared to the F80 CS. Same for the the M5 CS, so the cash grab seems more blatant. That doesn't mean that the improvements aren't real, however.

Personally, I'm waiting for the rumored M4 CS, as the CSL is just out of my sanity price range for that car.

E46 CSL was not viewed favorably when it came out either. SMG? No one liked that.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by KevinGS

Exactly.

Just because a GT3 RS is better than a GT3, does that mean the GT3 is a "bad" car no longer worthy of owning?

And you damn sure better believe that a GT3 RS is a wholly unnecessary money grab for Porsche, though an engineering marvel nonetheless.

I think it's more like comparing the Carrera to the Carrera S or the Carrera GTS.

[r0wr]

Originally Posted by jmg

I think it's more like comparing the Carrera to the Carrera S or the Carrera GTS.

Exactly my point. I think the frustration is that the CS is touted as some "rare" and super special model when in reality, it's upgrades are akin to a 911 Base -> 911 GTS upgrade. Which for everyone else, is just the norm. The F82 GTS was at least differentiated with adjustable suspension and water injection. But despite people asking for a more "raw" car, it was never well-received.

[JWG29Z4m40i]

Originally Posted by Custom Install

Personally I’m sick to death hearing about ‘tweaks’ on the CS (and CSL)
So they got the G80/82 wrong first time round?
It’s a blatant cash grab, there is nothing of value added to these cars and ironically functional value items have been deleted. We’re all falling over ourselves thinking about CF hoods and things like the strut brace the base cars should have had.
Personally I hate the red accents, I mean is this the best M can do.
It’s no E46 CSL, that was truly special.
Since the launch of the 3.0 CSL I’ve seen something I can’t unsee.
It’s called marketing BS

This is why I buy mine pretty much bone stock with a manual transmission.

[G30M]

i've watched this guy a few times - everything he drives is the best xxx ever

[thebigcheese]

Since you guys hate it so much - go start your own car company and offer the best of the best

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by r0wr

They're not the same thing though. Base 911 to GT3 are completely different products - MAJOR changes engine and suspension. M3 to M3 CS is more or less a a parts bin upgrade with software tuning. I think that's the point Custom Install was trying to make.

Agreed, the better comparison would be a Carrera S to a GTS. In a way that one is better, because the price delta isn't as great, and you can actually option a Carrera S almost the same as a GTS. In the old days you could option it EXACTLY the same (997 and 991.1 years) and then they started making hardware changes you couldn't get like the turbos (991.2) and now the 992 GTS has the Turbo's suspension and brakes.

Carrera - GT3 / Turbo S is a jump too far.

[KevinGS]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Agreed, the better comparison would be a Carrera S to a GTS. In a way that one is better, because the price delta isn't as great, and you can actually option a Carrera S almost the same as a GTS. In the old days you could option it EXACTLY the same (997 and 991.1 years) and then they started making hardware changes you couldn't get like the turbos (991.2) and now the 992 GTS has the Turbo's suspension and brakes.

Carrera - GT3 / Turbo S is a jump too far.

OK, but I think you guys get the overall point I was trying to make.

And as for a G8X vs. G8X CS or G8X CSL, can you option a "standard" G8X and get a CS or CSL, like you can a Carrera S to a GTS?

You can't just option a GT3 and get a GT3 RS.

And you can't just option a 911 GTS and get a 911 Turbo or a GT3.

So my point is that the CS or CSL platform is simply better because of tuning and an assortment of parts, the same way a GT3 RS is better than a GT3, and it doesn't make a GT3 itself any less compelling.

Hec, can you option an M340i and get a G8X? Just because a manufacturer produces something better doesn't mean the lower-model car isn't worth celebrating and enjoying.