Okay, you’re done looking around it and in it. Time to fire it up. What will actually make the CS special, in the ways drivers care about? The M3 CS borrows its engine straight from the M3 CSL. That’s to say power is up to 550PS (405kW) while torque is up to a maximum of 650Nm (679lb ft), thanks to the turbos getting a higher-pressure tune. As a result, this will be the fastest M3 you can get, with the most power in combination with xDrive yielding a 0-62mph time of 3.4 seconds.
Even minus the ‘Licht’ in its name, the CS does shed a few kilograms, with measures among the carbon bonnet and titanium silencer adding up to a 20kg saving. Nothing spectacular when the standard car tips the scales at a hefty 1,780kg but noteworthy enough.
Happily, the CS boasts some chassis enhancements too and to the delight of some disappointed journalists, these won’t be a direct carryover from the M4 CSL. The M3 CS gets its own tuned suspension settings with bespoke camber as well as its own adaptive M suspension setup, spring and damper response. The steering also gets its own calibration.