BMW has revealed the pricing of the ultimate version of its most famous M car – the new M3 CS.
The sports car has a starting price of R2,971,000, and the 20 units earmarked for South Africa have, unsurprisingly, all found owners already.
As a special-edition model, the CS boasts an exclusive design and an incredible power output that adds to the prestige of the highly-regarded M3.
Performance
Under the hood of the CS is the brand’s 3.0-litre, in-line six-cylinder, twin-turbo petrol engine, which has received a number of enhancements as seen on the likes of the automaker’s GT3 race cars.
These modifications include a forged lightweight crankshaft with higher torsional resistance for better power build-up, a closed deck crankcase that can handle higher combustion pressure, weight-saving cylinder bores with a sprayed iron coating for reduced friction, 3D-printed cylinder heads that allow for improved cooling duct arrangement, upgraded turbochargers that are able to boost up to 2.1 bar, and a new oil and cooling system “designed to handle the specific challenges of track use,” said the automaker.
The fruit of these efforts is that the power cap has been raised by 30kW, meaning the M3 is now capable of pushing out 405kW and 650Nm.
Power is transmitted to the tarmac via an xDrive all-wheel-drive system and eight-speed M Steptronic gearbox, which allows the sedan to blast from 0-100km/h in just 3.4 seconds.
Furthermore, it can reach 200km/h in 11.1 seconds and comes standard with the M Driver’s Package, which raises the top speed to an absurd 302km/h.
As for how it handles, the BMW has seen the addition of individually-tuned axle kinematics, bespoke wheel camber settings, dampers, auxiliary springs, and anti-roll bars – all of which serve the purpose of optimizing the steering and chassis response.
It also comes with electronically-controlled adaptive M suspension, traction control, and an M Dynamic driving mode – the latter of which is “purposefully geared towards the demands of high-speed circuit driving,” according to the Munich-based automaker.
The car can cycle between 2WD, 4WD, and 4WD Sport settings, too, and it uses an active differential to deliver power as needed to the rear wheels.
Features
Beyond the mechanical improvements, the few people lucky enough to own the new BMW will also gain access to a number of exclusive functional and aesthetic details.
For starters, the roof, hood, front splitter, air intakes, mirror caps, rear diffuser, and spoiler are made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic, which reduces the four-door’s total mass by 20kg to 1,840kg while also reinforcing rigidity.
There is also a new titanium exhaust system, a frameless kidney grille, black side skirts, yellow “Laserlight” headlamps, aggressive bonnet indents, exposed carbon fibre surfaces, CS badges, and red contour lines.
Additional equipment includes lightweight alloy rims in a model-exclusive V-spoke design that measures 19 inches at the front and 20 at the back, and peering through these reveals the M carbon ceramic brakes in matte gold and red behind them.
Inside, users are treated to electronically-adjustable and heated M Carbon bucket seats wrapped in Merino leather, and the entire cabin is decked out in a black-and-red theme with carbon fibre finishes.
The Alcantara steering wheel is fitted with paddle shifters, and the driver can utilize a 14.9-inch digital driver display and a 12.3-inch infotainment system, which are both housed inside a single extended curved glass screen.
Other equipment includes two-zone climate control, a Harman Kardon stereo, park distance control, front collision warnings, lane-departure warnings, speed limit recognition, a parking assistant, an M Drift Analyzer, an M Lap timer, and an M Drive Professional system with 10 levels of grip tuning.
BMW M3 CS
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