Effectively right here it’s. Just like the four-door M3 CS earlier than it, we knew the M4 CS would arrive. Because the Brits say, this CS does precisely what’s on the tin. Meaning sandwiching between the top-line CSL and the Competitors badge only a rung beneath.
Our hero coupe rings up at $124,675. It is spendier than the Competitors trim, after all. It’s additionally barely extra highly effective, lighter, and sooner total. The inverse can also be true; The CS undercuts CSL on worth, however can’t match the hard-edged focus of BMW’s limited-production halo automobile.
To nail its Goldilocks mix, the CS borrows from every of its brothers. It takes CSL odds and ends to lower weight and improve visible punch. Take for instance the beautiful carbon-fiber middle console, a carbon-composite hood, and titanium exhaust resonator. All are used to chop kilos and blend some CSL taste into the CS (plus amortize the prices of these swanky CSL elements). All stated, the CS weighs 77 kilos lower than the xDrive Competitors.
Twin-Turbo 3.0-Liter Six-Cylinder
Output 543 Horsepower / 479 Pound-Toes Weight 3,850 Kilos 0-60 MPH 3.4 Seconds Base Worth $124,675
From the M4 xDrive Competitors, the CS borrows its rear-biased all-wheel drive system (known as xDrive), setting the CS other than the rear-drive CSL. We’ve lengthy thought-about the xDrive Competitors the usual bearer of the M3/M4 lineup. It stays the very best worth, as far as nipping the heels of supercars is worried; A Nissan GT-R by means of Bavaria.
After all, BMW’s ubiquitous 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six lives below the hood. You’ll know the engine by sound alone—each M4 sounds such as you’ve stuffed tube socks up its tailpipes. This one’s no completely different.
The CS’s ‘six lays down 543 horses at 6,250 rpm and 479 pound-feet from 2,750 to five,950 rpm. That’s up 20 horsepower from the Competitors whereas sustaining the S58 engine’s trademark torque curve—flat and lengthy as a salt mattress.
From one perspective, the CS is a funds CSL. From one other, it’s merely a more-capable M4 Competitors. Each are right, however I’d give the sting to “CSL-lite.”
For all its further lightweighting, visible fizz, and trim-specific touches, the CSL laps a race observe solely marginally faster, making the M4 CS the second-fastest manufacturing Bimmer to ever snake via Hatzenbach, blitzing its solution to a 7:21.99 ‘Ring time. That’s lower than 4 seconds off the CSL.
Over a lap that lengthy (greater than 12 miles), that four-second disparity may very well be all the way down to atmospheric circumstances, spring charge, tire stress, or one thing so marginal we wouldn’t suppose to think about it. From the attitude of a pit-wall stopwatch, these automobiles are equivalent.
That performs out of their dealing with too. Whether or not RWD or AWD, the M4 lays down energy equally effectively. From a dig, the xDrive M4 holds a traction and acceleration benefit over the CSL, however I don’t suppose there’s a lot between the 2 drivetrain layouts in any other case, from both efficiency or experiential views.
Execs: Monitor Efficiency, Large Energy, Larger Grip
Most likely as a result of these coupes each experience on Michelin’s uber-gummy Cup 2Rs (although they’re optionally available on the CS), sized 275/35 up entrance and 285/30 out again. The CS wrap its French rubber round a set of multi-spoke wheels in matte gold or black, complimenting the 4 accessible paint colours: Riviera Blue (suppose Smurfs), Frozen Isle of Man Inexperienced (suppose dusty cloverleaf), Brooklyn Gray Metallic (suppose anodized metal), and Sapphire Black Metallic (self-explanatory). All 4 paint colours have been readily available for comparability, and after ample consideration, we’ll take ours in blinged-out Vader spec: black on gold.
BMW gathered its multicolored fold of CS testers at Austria’s Salzburgring, which lives on the aptly named Jochen Rindt Strasse, simply over the German border. After a chance to dash the coupes down some derestricted autobahn, we headed to the observe to poke at this BMW’s track-day bona fides.
After all the CS takes to trace work like wildfire.
The eight-speed computerized works flawlessly, cracking off fast, exact upshifts down Salzburgring’s again straight, below full engine energy. Then the transmission hits equally swift, settled downshifts when braking deep into Salzburgring’s difficult and high-speed flip 11.
At this observe and some other, nevertheless, you’ll wish to choose your personal gears by way of the paddle shifters. The ECU will get behind the ball if you want energy probably the most, typically a gear (and even two) too excessive when digging out of the Salzbugring’s low-speed chicanes.
The brakes carried out flawlessly too. Carbon-ceramics can be found, as are a set of ordinary “M Compound” brakes with calipers in both crimson or black; The ceramics can be found with red- or gold-finish calipers. Both are well-suited to trace work.
xDrive supplies buckets of grip on nook exit, however by no means penalizes with torque steer or push, no matter how clumsily or closely you choose up the throttle. Whether or not or not you care about lap instances, xDrive is the proper alternative for the M4. It makes final lap instances that a lot simpler to achieve, bestowing final confidence on the meatbag behind the steering wheel.
If the CS has one flaw, it’s the M Carbon bucket seats. They’re suburb-looking issues with a cool material insert working up the seatback. The thrones are absolutely energy adjustable. They’re heated. They’re beautiful. They’re simply not very comfy. And for a lot of peoples’ frames, they received’t present sufficient assist in quick corners and so they’ll ache your bottom on lengthy street journeys.
Each member of the BMW M4 household goes fast sufficient to emphasize your inhaling high-speed corners. Hardcore trackday bros will yearn for a deeper, single-piece bucket like Porsche provides in its RS merchandise. With out an possibility that excessive, they’ll go for one thing with Recaro or Sparco embroidered excessive on the fastened seatback.
We drove one other BMW M automobile prototype alongside the CS. Similar observe, again to again. The prototype’s adjustable-bolster seats supplied exceeding assist on your torso and much, much more consolation by way of plush leather-based and a deep effectively of under-seat padding. Monitor speeds have been comparable between the 2 automobiles, however I felt far safer driving the prototype on observe.
Your physique kind and expertise will differ. Simply give the CS an excellent lengthy take a look at drive earlier than you determine for your self.
From one perspective, the CS is a funds CSL. From one other, it’s merely a more-capable M4 Competitors.
General, it was a fabulous little stint on the Salzburgring.
The CS’s Michelin Cup 2Rs are masterful issues when the climate permits. There’s a sliver of completely satisfied Narnia, proper within the tires’ helpful working window, a magic spot between unwieldy ice-cold marbles and ineffective gooey campfire mallows.
With ambient temperatures simply cresting 70 levels Fahrenheit in Salzburg, the M4 labored its 2Rs into that completely satisfied zone inside possibly three-quarters of a lap. There they lived for the rest of our brief lapping classes, which isn’t at all times a given; Consider these tires as those you’d throw on for a qualifying session. They’re not right here for a very long time; they’re right here to nail a quick one.
The 2Rs chunk proper after the primary greasy smidge of slip, a sensation you are feeling via the CS’s steering wheel as a sort of grainy buzzing rumble. The feeling provides manner solely if you’ve requested an excessive amount of from the M4’s entrance finish. It’s not the most-feelsome steering within the CS (and I don’t take into account the 2R’s as most-feelsome issues both), however the CS provides sufficient of the fitting suggestions via your arms and haunches to get you on top of things on a brand new observe inside mere corners. That’s the mark of a assured sports activities sedan.
There are not any surprises past its grip, both. The M4 is surefooted and stupid-quick in any guise. The CS simply provides a bit extra.
Cons: Arduous Seats, Costly Rubber, Excessive MSRP
That’s what you get with this CSL-lite. A bit extra spring. A bit extra damper. A bit extra roll bar. Extra-direct and responsive steering and doubtless the best-looking exterior within the fold. It’s not a lot, but it surely’s not nothing.
I’ve had possibly 100 racetrack laps throughout each trim stage within the M4 portfolio, and the CS’s entrance finish does really feel a smidge extra keen to show in than any of the lesser M4 variants. It telegraphs a bit extra street really feel and transmits a bit extra noise to the driving force. And so far as a distinction in on-track character to the CSL, there’s mere inches between the 2 automobiles. Not miles.
The M4 CS’s inside feels appropriately spruced for the worth. There’s a brand new steering wheel with a flat backside and a slash of crimson material at 12 o’clock, a pair of carbon shift paddles sat simply behind the wheel’s rim. It feels particular in there, much more particular than a equally priced Porsche 911 and funkier than the equal Mercedes or Audi, with loads of “///M” fanfare to fulfill the kind of purchaser who’d spring effectively past six figures for a Bavarian observe particular.
Does the CS justify the worth delta between its siblings? For me, it doesn’t. The M4 Competitors xDrive provides 90 p.c of the CS’s efficiency, however I’d quit time on the observe to avoid wasting thirty-six grand ($88,300 MSRP).
Within the context of the CSL, nevertheless, you’d must say the CS does justify its asking worth. The pair are equally quick on a racetrack and look equivalent from 10 ft away. For my cash, the CSL doesn’t really feel any extra particular than the CS.
If you must have the bestest, baddest M4 on the lot, that is your huckleberry, because the limited-run CSL is all gone. If worth enters the equation, then the competent, supercar-quick M4 xDrive Competitors beckons.