BMW confirmed to Top Gear that there “are no plans” for lightweight versions of the new M3 and M4 performance cars, in the same vein as the E46 M3 CSL.
BMW Won’t Make a CSL… But Why?
There wasn’t a CSL on the previous generation, and the way we look at it is like this: the CSL was great because it had this real focus on lightweight engineering. But we’ve already done that with these new cars. We’ve made them as light as possible – they come in under 1500 kilograms (3,306 pounds), which for a car like this is incredible.
So this is a good thing right? These M monsters are CSL’s without the badge they tell us… Now that is some serious weight saving if you ask me. BMW have just gone all the way the first time round, rather than giving us a compromised car to start with, then up selling the hardcore version after.
But surely BMW will be challenged by its competition who do have ‘hardcore’ versions of their performance cars such as Mercedes-Benz ‘Black Edition’?
Do we prefer the hardcore coupes or the everyday driving super coupes?
