
The new BMW M4 CSL has arrived in South Africa, promising endless excitement for the fortunate few who are lucky enough to own one.
Only 1,000 units of the new sportscar have been produced for the global market and 15 of these have been earmarked for South Africa – all of which have already been sold, said the automaker.
At the recent BMW M Fest, we got a rare opportunity to see the limited-edition model up close, where it gave quite the impression.
Ready for the track
Based on the M4 Competition, the two-seater’s CSL acronym stands for Competition, Sport, and Lightweight – the underlying keystones that went into the design of the new model.
The emphasis on weight-saving in particular has had a noticeable impact on the car’s visuals, as everything from the body panels to the lights, grille, and exhaust pipes has all been revised to cut down on needless bulk.
One such example is that the CSL has a carbon fibre roof, bonnet, boot, and centre console which save a combined 11kg, while a titanium rear silencer has removed another 4kg from the exhaust system.
The uprated M4 also sports new headlamps, a pair of taillights rocking a “laser” appearance, and carbon ceramic brakes with red calipers, adding to the overall athletic guise while still helping to reduce weight.
Further lightness has been achieved by removing the majority of the cabin’s sound insulation, playing into the track-oriented nature of this top-of-the-line model.
Of course, the M4’s crash diet has led to the removal of the rear bench and the addition of M Carbon front bucket seats, too, which save another 45kg.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to check out the interior in great detail as the unit on show at the event was one of the 15 South African models that already has an owner, and as such, the doors remained permanently closed.
In any case, peering through the window revealed sports seats coloured black and red, as well as the extensive application of carbon fibre covering major surface areas.
One notable deviation for the M4 from other recent BMWs, such as the new M2 or XM, is that it does not have a dual-screen curved display, and instead retains a separate 12.3-inch digital cockpit and 10.25-inch infotainment unit from the previous-generation design language.
Other features include a new automatic climate control unit weighing 4kg less than before and a thick Alcantara steering wheel.
Next-level power
Owners of BMW’s new limited-edition M4 have at their disposal a six-cylinder, 3.0-litre engine hooked up to two mono-scroll turbochargers.
The result is a total output of 405kW and 650Nm, 30kW more than the base M4, which means the CSL can rocket from 0-100km/h in just 3.7 seconds.
Taking it up to 200km/h, meanwhile, takes a little over 10 seconds, and the coupe will reach its maximum at 307km/h.
As a model bearing the M badge, the rear-wheel-drive CSL also comes with a number of sporty additions such as an eight-speed M Steptronic gearbox, adaptive suspension, three dynamic driving modes, a drift analyser, lap timer, and an M Traction Control system with 10 grip settings.
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