The brand new BMW M4 CSL meets its direct predecessor: the M3 CSL. The easiest choice ever or a perfect father/son relationship?
It will not have escaped your notice: BMW is going big in 2022. This is to celebrate that BMW M has been around since 1972, which is of course fifty years ago. With today’s BMW more controversial than ever, a lot of the special BMW models feel a little bittersweet. Nevertheless, in addition to ‘normal’ M models such as the new BMW M2, we can ‘enjoy’ a unique M top model called BMW XMfinally a genuine BMW M3 Touring and the long-awaited revival of three magical letters for BMW: CSL.
BMW CSL
We all know the history behind CSL (Competition Sport Leicht, although Coupe Sport Leicht was previously used) and we were even allowed to become acquainted with four times that BMW almost used the name CSL. There must be something very special if BMW wants to pull the CSL name out of the closet. Fifty years of M, for example, which resulted in the new BMW M4 CSL (G82). While BMW recently provided the M2, M3 and M5 with the ‘CS’ label, the last time the name CSL was used was 19 years ago. Then BMW released the M3 CSL (E46).
BMW M3 CSL meets BMW M4 CSL
Thanks to BMW in Switzerland, we can now see the father/son relationship between the BMW M3 and M4 CSL closer than ever. They brought the cars together for a photo shoot in the mountains. It should come as no surprise that a lot can change in 19 years in terms of design and appearance.
Appearance
If you spot a BMW M3 CSL and you are not a seasoned car fanatic, you may think you are dealing with an ordinary M3. The simple yet timeless lines of the E46 do most of the work and the CSL doesn’t add much to it. The easiest to recognize is a redesigned front bumper with a carbon fiber lip. However, you can also recognize the CSL by a carbon fiber roof (not so common for BMW M models at the time) and the iconic Styling 359M rims.
BMW has already outsourced things like carbon fiber splitters, a carbon fiber roof and other crazy design stuff to the regular M4. The M4 CSL takes it up a notch in a completely different way. You get extra thick carbon fiber parts all around, yellow daytime running lights, different bars in the grille, red lines over the hood and special new taillights. A similarity between the BMW M3 and M4 CSL is the addition of a more pronounced ‘ducktail’ spoiler on the back.
Lightweight
The changes to turn a standard BMW M3 or M4 into a CSL are also quite similar. The 3.2 liter six-in-line (S54) of the M3 normally produces 343 hp, which BMW made 360 pieces for the CSL. The blown six-in-line of the M4 delivers 510 hp in the Competition, while the CSL can do it with 550 hp. The mythical ‘L’ in CSL must of course also stand for something. The M3 CSL therefore made extensive use of carbon fiber for dieting for the first time, and the engine, transmission and exhaust were also lighter than normal. The normally 1.495 kg M3 weighs as a CSL therefore 1,385 kg: 110 kg difference.
BMW managed to steal 100 kg from the M4 thanks to the removal of the rear seat and the addition of lightweight applications under the housing. Yet that 100 kg makes less impact than the 110 kg of the M3 CSL if you know that the empty weight of an M4 is 1,725 kg as standard. So that is 1,625 kg for the CSL. Neat, but 240 kg heavier than his ancestor. Thanks to the slightly larger increase in horsepower and more horsepower in itself, the M4 CSL is a lot faster, but that is also allowed after 19 years.
Choose!
Should you use this article to swoon over the tasty records of two über-BMWs in the Alps, we refer you to the gallery below. If you also find the text interesting, we end with the simple question: which one would you choose? Is the BMW M3 CSL too legendary to follow up on, or does the M4 CSL do it with such verve that you’d want it?
This article Choose it: BMW M3 CSL meets M4 CSL appeared first on Autoblog.nl.
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