BMW M3 CS Sheds Weight And Oozes 453 Horsepower To Dominate The Street And Track

BMW has unveiled the most hardcore of its M3 variants for the U.S. and the car is called the BMW M3 CS. The M3 CS is a limited-edition model, of which only 1,200 units available globally (only 550 of them will be coming to the States). The car is notable for being 110 pounds lighter than other M3 models with copious amounts of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) used to help the M3 CS shed that weight.

The entire roof of the M3 CS is made from CFRP and it alone accounts for 13 pounds of weight lost. The goal behind reducing the weight of the roof is to effectively lower the vehicle center of gravity and improve handling. Other than the roof, CFRP is also used in the front splitter, "Gurney Flap" and rear diffuser. That Gurney Flap exposed the natural carbon fiber weave.

The M3 CS also gets a special suspension setup with unique spring and damper settings. To go along with the lower weight and revised suspension, the M3 CS gets a bump in power from the M TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder engine. In M3 CS guise, that engine makes 453hp at 6250 rpm, a gain of 28hp. Peak torque numbers are 443 lb-ft, which is a gain of 37 lb-ft from the normal M3.

BMW wrote, "The inline 6-cylinder engine has a long tradition at BMW, and in the first-ever BMW M3 CS it is once again responsible for delivering top performance. Compared to the standard M3, maximum output has been increased by 28 horsepower to 453 hp, which is on tap at 6,250 rpm. Peak torque of 443 lb-ft is around 10 percent higher (M3, 406 lb-ft) and can be summoned over a wide rev range – from 4,000 rpm up to 5,380 rpm. The result, 0 to 60 mph sprint takes just 3.7 seconds, while the top speed of the BMW M3 CS, which comes with the M Driver’s Package as standard, is electronically limited to 174 mph."

BMW also uses a special M sports exhaust system that is specially tuned just for the CS with four stainless-steel tailpipes sticking out of the rear diffuser. BMW wrote, "The first-ever M3 CS features a dual-branch sports exhaust with the characteristic four tailpipes at the back neatly incorporated into the styling of the rear diffuser. The exhaust back-pressure is as low as possible, helping to enhance power, and it is governed by a system of flaps. Positioned directly upstream from the rear silencers, the flaps are controlled electrically and are designed to provide optimum feedback on the engine’s load state throughout the rev range as well as generate that unmistakable, sporty M sound. The driver can alter the way the system of flaps works by preselecting a driving mode. The tailpipes are made from stainless steel and bear the M logo."

Power from that inline six will go to the rear wheels via a 7-speed M double clutch transmission with Drivelogic and a dedicated oil cooler. The car also includes special M brakes, wheels, and tires. Orders for the 2018 BMW M3 CS will start in May of 2018. BMW is playing mum on pricing right now, but there is no such thing as a cheap M3. The standard M3 starts at $64,000.