M3 CSL to go into production

[hermunn123]

article on the CSL. translated from Chinese so it could have a few grammerical errors.

M3 CSL production confirmed
M3 CSL was first shown to public in last September as a prototype. Now BMW finally confirmed to make it into production early next year, though it will be in very limited numbers. Neither price nor technical details have been announced yet, but BMW confirmed the list of lightweight materials will be carried over from the prototype to production car unchanged. These include carbon fiber front bumper, roof, boot lid, doors and center console, bucket seats made of glass-fiber reinforced plastic, floorpan around the luggage compartment made of honeycomb sandwich structure, thinner rear glass window and the deletion of rear seats. As BMW used to claim the prototype weighs 1295kg in dry or 200kg lighter than the regular M3, you can assume the production CSL will also be that light.


The CSL has a higher tuned version of the M-power straight-6, estimated to generate 350hp (up 7hp). However, it is the lightweight that enhance its performance significantly. 0-60mph could be done in 4.5 seconds. In real world driving, like running on the demanding Nurburgring loop, the CSL is even more remarkable, thanks to the lightweight body, larger brakes (with 353mm diameter discs instead of 325/328mm currently used) and SMG sequential gearbox. BMW claims it can lap Nurburgring within 8 minutes or 30 seconds quicker than the regular M3. Not even a 911 Carrera can do that!

[ArtemisEntreriR34]

Whoa, huge weight loss on the CSL, Hopefully it won't cost to much more then a "regular" M3.

[Tony La Selva]

Thanks for the Info.
Any idea if this CSL will make it to NA?
And if so, any estimate how much this version will be.
If this car would make it to NA, and is not priced more than an M5, I'd cancel my order for the M3 that should be here in a few weeks, and wait for the CSL.
The specs on the CSL just sounds too good!

[hydrazine]

Well if you're really patient then it might be worth holding the M3 order .. and if you wanted to know more about the M3 CSL, you can check out the August edition of the UK-based BMW Car Magazine.

Apparently the magazine is the first in the media the testdrive this beast. They've given great compliments of the car (as expected), but the pictures taken are really interesting.

Two things I remember from the article are: the M3 CSL will come in standard SMG II with no manuals planned, and the stereo's slot is covered by a carbon fibre piece (music's monopolized by the engine notes you can punch).

And also, the car's still not production-ready yet. There are currently 5 M3 CSLs in the BMW garage .. one of the top guys in the division calls it the "110 percent car" .. pointing out it's got a 10% increase in power to weight ratio over the regular M3.

[s2kpunisher]

If the CSL is under $90k (very doubtful) it will be on my christmas list

[hermunn123]

Car magazine estimates the CSL to be approximately 55,000 pounds. so translated into dollars, it would probably over 100K dollars. i don't know the exact exchange rate though.

[crayzayjay]

The CSL is a significant improvement on the standard M3.. Needless to say this is gonna be an animal. Road tests have found it vastly superior to the standard M3 around the Nurburgring. I need no more proof... Well, maybe a ride in one would be moe convincing

[S Brake]

I heard that the CSL won't be finding its way to this side of the pond.

[crayzayjay]

Thats a shame for you guys. The CSL looks set to become a legend