[Auto/Moto] The 2024 BMW M3 CS Is Stupid Fast

[-_-Moltres-_-]

 

I can't fall in love with the BMW M3. From the base, manual car all the way to the xDrive Competition, none has stolen my heart. It’s very quick and nice to drive, but not terribly memorable. The M3 CS is different. Through a handful of mechanical and cosmetic upgrades, the most-potent M3 becomes more appealing, greater than the sum of its parts. It’s highly engaging and far more exciting than any other modern M car I’ve driven. Awesome looks, missile-like speed, and gobs of traction make it a purebred hit from the M division.If the M3 CS looks familiar, it should. The hotted-up four-door inherited most of its upgrades from the harder-core M4 CSL, a limited-run track special for 2023. The CS uses the same engine—a 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six making 543 horsepower—and a bunch of the same carbon fiber lightweighting parts. It also has a totally revamped suspension with more camber, thicker roll bars, stiffer springs, and retuned dampers.Importantly, though, the M3 CS has two features the CSL doesn’t: All-wheel drive and a set of rear seats. And those things are what make it my favorite version of this platform. The CSL is a lovely thing to drive. It has an ultra-sharp front end and gobs of on-demand power. But it’s also a bit knife-edged, desperate to kick out the rear and lay down rubber strips whenever it’s given the opportunity. It’s not scary to drive, but it’s difficult to lay down consistent times without twitching sideways about 37 times per lap. The M3 CS keeps that awesome front end and gigantic power, but drops the twitchiness in favor of supreme surefootedness. On a beautiful Spring day throughout Connecticut's Lime Rock Park road course, the CS delivered deliciously creamy, predictable four-wheel slides, with nary a hint of wasted traction. At the same time, the rear end isn’t as buttoned down as it is in the normal M3 xDrive, opening the opportunity for real rotation. This car can dance around its center point, but it never gives the sense it’ll suddenly overwhelm the rear end like the CSL does.

https://www.motor1.com/reviews/725272/2024-bmw-m3-cs-review-track-test/