New BMW M3 CS Touring Gets 550 Horsepower And Lots Of Carbon Fiber
BMW followed the same recipe it's done in the past with previous CS models like the M3 CS by adding more power and and removing weight. The M3's excellent twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-6 gets new engine management software and a higher boost pressure charge, increasing output to 550 horsepower, up 20 hp versus the M3 Competition Touring. BMW says that's enough power to get the M3 CS Touring to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, a tenth quicker than the Competition, andmy experience with M3s, BMW is probably being conservative.
The wagon's stability control system, drive modes, adaptive suspension and dampers all get CS-specific tuning. Lightweight forged alloy wheels have a 275/35 ZR19 front and 285/30 ZR20 rear staggered setup, and M Carbon Ceramic brakes are optional. The biggest upgrades to the M3 CS Touring are its extensive use of carbon fiber for weight savings. The hood, front splitter, air intakes, mirror caps and rear diffuser are all made out of carbon fiber. Inside, the seats, trim, shift paddles and center console are all made out of carbon as well. BMW says all this carbon-fiber use shaves 33 pounds off the M3 CS Touring's weight when compared to a standard M3 Touring Competition.
There's no word on price, but it doesn't matter anyway because like the normal M3 Touring, the M3 CS Touring isn't for us here in North America. That could change, though, as BMW has mentioned if it gets enough buyers to go for the M5 Touring in our market it could bring over the M3 Touring, likely the next-gen model. Until then we'll just have to watch from afar as the rest of the world gets to have all the fun. BMW says sales of the limited-edition M3 CS Touring will start in March 2025.
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Miami Herald
12 hours ago
- Miami Herald
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Motor Trend
12 hours ago
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Wind noise is minimal, and it's the quietest of the pack. Balance is again the word that describes the M3. It was the quickest through our figure-eight test, which combines acceleration, braking, transition cornering, and grip. The BMW is the most agile and athletic of the bunch. It tells you everything you want to know and has high limits. It's the most fun on a road course, yet is never rough-edged or jarring. The M3 shucks off mid-corner bumps, has great stability at speed, and is the most neutral handler among this group. While this is no cupholder comparo, it's worth talking about a few important driver touch points. Two areas stand out here: seats and steering wheels. In keeping with its ballsy nature, the C63 has firm, thickly bolstered front buckets. A few said they're too hard, too aggressive for the street, yet they were everyone's favorite when on the racetrack. The BMW's seating is comfy for street work, but doesn't have enough support to keep you planted during really hard cornering. Rookie Lexus's chairs are a reasonable compromise between the two. Everyone loves the Mercedes' steering wheel. It's squared off at the bottom, like a DTM racer's, is thickly padded with dimpled leather at the handgrip areas, and has easy-to-reach shifter paddles. The IS F's isn't as thick or stylish, but works well. The M3's wheel looks good, too, but is wrapped in smoothly finished leather that lacks grip. The BMW's cabin is somber, or businesslike, depending on how you view it, but we liked the carbon-fiber patterned leather that adorned the I.P. and armrests. Lexus fell a few steps short inside. The console and other areas are splashed with an aluminized carbon-fiber-looking stuff that won't be to everyone's taste. And the nav screen and buttons come right out of the Prius, although the setup works well enough. The Mercedes features a foldaway screen that's out there when you want it, hidden when you don't. Its all-business cabin is splashed up by racy-looking pedal trim. Besides the track testing and numbers grinding, it's comments made by two staffers that rendered the ranking. Kim Reynolds says, "The Lexus and the Mercedes feel like performance versions created out of something else. The M3 feels like it was born this way." Ed Loh's summary is even more succinct: "The Lexus and Mercedes are great hot-rod sedans. The M3 is a race car with four doors." Lexus is new to this game, yet has delivered a fast, edgy, credible piece from a company most known for quiet and beautifully crafted, if uninvolving, luxury sedans. A couple of clunky design elements let it down, and its steering and suspension calibrations aren't as well synthesized at the limit as the others. As the IS F costs no less than the German duo, there's no value card to be thrown. 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The fact that it's also offered in a coupe and upcoming convertible, and soon with a choice of two enthusiast-minded transmissions, means "M3" is a driving philosophy, not just a single model. Good enough to draw first blood. 1st Place: BMW M3 Speed, balance, and athleticism converge in today's best compact, high-performance sport sedan. 2nd Place: MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMG A solid, emotive machine that works as everyday transport-and accelerates like a first-gen Viper. 3rd Place: LEXUS IS F Lexus's first effort in this category is a good one, lacking in only the finest of details.
Miami Herald
13 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Auto review: 2025 BMW X6M Competition shouldn't work, but it does
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