2024 BMW M3 CS Is A Sports Sedan With Supercar Performance

The 2024 BMW M3 CS has just been unveiled–which follows the footsteps of other hardcore BMW M sports sedans such as the M5 CS. If the M4 CSL is too impractical for you, and yet you desire a vehicle that’s almost just as track-focused, then the M3 CS should satisfy your wants.

As a recap, CS standards for Competition and Sport, but you might notice that it’s missing the ‘L’ part that you’d find in something like the M4 CSL or the limited-production 3.0 CSL. That’s because BMW M cars with the full CSL badging indicate their ‘Lightness’, though it’s more of the fact that CSL cars are considerably lighter than the standard BMW M cars rather than being featherweight.

Anyway, the 2024 BMW M3 CS sets itself apart from the standard M3 with its black hood decals, red grille surrounds, carbon fiber body kit with aerodynamic canards at the front chin, and a set of staggered 19- and 20-inch wheels at the front and rear, respectively. The aforementioned wheels are from the M4 CSL, and they can be painted in either black or gold. There’s also a subtle carbon fiber rear spoiler and black titanium quad exhaust tips, a painted carbon fiber hood, and carbon fiber door mirrors to further lessen the weight.

Where the M3 CS wins over the M4 CSL is in terms of practicality. Whereas the M4 CSL ditched the rear seats altogether, the M3 CS still provides seating for two in comfort or three at a pinch. It’s also a full bench seat as opposed to having the center seat removed like in the M5 CS. The M3 CS also gets the same carbon fiber power-adjustable bucket seats as the M4 CSL (though with the logo now illuminated), along with an Alcantara steering wheel with carbon fiber trims. More carbon fiber can be found throughout the interior, while infotainment duties are performed through the iDrive 8 curved displays.

The 2024 BMW M3 CS uses the same upgraded S58 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six as the standard M4 CSL, which means it produces 543 hp. Its torque of 650 Nm, however, is less than the M4 CSL, but is on the same figure that the M3 Competition produces. Unlike the M4 CSL, which is rear-wheel drive (RWD), the M3 CS benefits from the M xDrive all-wheel drive (AWD) system that lets you switch to RWD by pressing a set of buttons.

Thanks to that aforementioned AWD system, the M3 CS is actually faster than the M4 CSL despite being heavier. It does the 0-100 kph run in just 3.4 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than its two-door sibling thanks to AWD grip. The M3 CS, however, has a lower top speed of 303 kph than the M4 CSL’s 307 kph.

Though the M3 CS doesn’t benefit from the full diet program of the M4 CSL, it still manages to shed a modest 34 kg over the standard M3. What the M3 CS gets is the full handling upgrades that the M4 CSL benefits from, such as a new cast aluminum strut brace, revised tuning for the adaptive dampers, and more aggressive tuning to the anti-roll bars and steering calibration.

One BMW M4 CSL is known to exist in the Philippines, with only 1,000 produced in the entire world. It is still unknown how many M3 CS models will be made, but just like the M4 CSL, buyers in the Philippines can most likely order the M3 CS via indent at their local RSA Motors showroom.