The art of dynamic supremacy

Reviving the iconic “Coupe Sport Leichtbau” or Coupe Sport Lightweight moniker last used on the E46 M3 CSL, the M4 CSL’s arrival also pays tribute to the M division’s 50^th anniversary this year with just 1 000 set to be produced.

As with its predecessor, and the original 3.0 CSL “Batmobile” from the 1970s, the M4 CSL, as per its designation, has been relieved of a number of features to save weight. This includes the rear seats to save 21 kg, replacing the front seats with the M Carbon bucket chairs as a means of shaving a further 24 kg, and jettisoning most of the sound deadening materials for an ultra-lightweight replacement made-out of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) as a way of cutting weight by another 15 kg. In addition, the fitting of the titanium exhaust system trims weight by four more kilogrammes, the standard M carbon ceramics brakes by 14 kg and the CFRP roof and bootlid 1.3 kg and 6.8 kg respectively.

Adding to the tally is a combined eight kilogramme reduction by fitting lighter floor mats, restyling the taillights and kidney grille with weight saving materials, revising the climate control system and making the centre console out of carbon fibre. All these make an M4 CSL 108.8 kg lighter than an M4 Competition. Additional exterior changes comprise a CFRP front splitter, dual black racing strips, red accents on the grille, gloss black door sills and black M4 CSL badges. Mounted on model specific gloss black cross-spoke M forged alloy wheels measuring 19-inches at the front and 20-inches at the rear, a choice of three colours are offered; the standard Frozen Brooklyn Grey Metallic or the optional Alpine White and Sapphire Black Metallic.

Unsurprisingly, BMW has also tweaked the M4 CSL’s chassis so that it now sits eight millimetres closer to the ground than the Competition. Also included are new spring strut towers, revised suspension geometry, new engine mounts, anti-roll bars and springs, different camber from the Competition, electromechanical M power steering and the M adaptive suspension with electronic dampers.

The mentioned carbon ceramic stoppers meanwhile consists of a six-piston caliper setup at the front and single at the rear with the lightweight alloy being surrounded by Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R rubber. Sans the carbon centre console and removal of the rear seats, whose position now provides storage for a pair of helmets underneath retention net, the M4 CSL keeps the Live Cockpit Professional setup consisting of the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the 10.25-inch iDrive infotainment system.

Both, however, feature M specific readout and graphics as well as the M Heads-Up Display. The trimmed in Merino leather and Alcantara bucket seats comes with illuminated CSL badged headrests. A combination of alcantara on the M steering wheel, together with an anthracite roofliner, M seatbelts, CSL badging on the centre console and rear panel, CSL branded illuminated door sills and a fire extinguisher underneath the passenger’s seat rounds the interior off. Up front, the S58 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six benefits from not only the titanium exhaust system, but also a sleeve-free crankcase made-out of lightweight to become the most powerful M4 ever made.

Outputting 405kW/650Nm, 30 kW more than the M4 Competition with torque remaining unchanged, the M4 CSL will get from 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the Competition, 0-200 km/h in 10.7 seconds and reach a limited top speed of 307 km/h. In a surprise move, but more than likely as a means of reducing weight, the CSL sends its amount of twist to the rear axle only via a revised version of the eight-speed Steptronic gearbox. The M4 CSL has been confirmed for the Southern African market and only 15 units being made available from July.