While we currently exist in a world where electric sedans outrun supercars, a traditional track-focused German sports car is the kind of comfort food that enthusiasts are eating up. Hungry? Meet the new BMW M4 CS (from $254,900 plus on-roads), it’s a sharper, lighter and faster version of the M4 Competition while also masquerading as a road-going iteration of the BMW M4 CSL special edition and the two-door equivalent of the equally bonkers M3 CS.
Under the pumped-up arches and the muscled-up styling lies a more powerful 405kW iteration of the twin-turbo in-line six-cylinder engine which has ties with the M4 GT3 DTM Racing car.
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The headline power figures indicate a 20hp increase over the M4 Competition at 550hp, while a peak torque of 650 Nm comes from just 2,750 rpm. As a result, the M4 CS does 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds, while 0 to 200 km/h takes a scant 11.1 seconds. The top speed, which comes as standard with the M Driver’s Package, is electronically limited to an autobahn-pleasing 302 km/h.
Not just more power, though, as the soundtrack has been suitably tweaked to go with the more raucous character with a dual-branch exhaust system, which features electrically controlled flaps, a titanium rear silencer and, of course, two pairs of tailpipes painted in matt black. You can also adjust the exhaust via the M Setup menu where in SPORT and SPORT+ modes, the engine note gains a harder edge.
Standard is an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission and a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system, while it also gets an Active M Differential at the rear axle. That said, enthusiasts can take solace in the fact that smoky drifts can be done at a track with the rear-wheel drive only 2WD mode selected via the M Set-up menu.
Other crucial elements have also been upgraded over the M4 Competition, with an overhauled adaptive M suspension, steering, and brakes.
We do like the styling, though, as it has just the right amount of aggression with various carbon fibre design elements, including the bonnet, front splitter, front air intakes, exterior mirror caps, rear diffuser and the ‘Gurney-style’ rear spoiler being doused with this lightweight material. Standard, the M4 CS comes with a set of lovely forged M light-alloy wheels with a V-spoke design being available in either matt gold bronze or matt black.
The weight saving measures have also been liberally used on the inside with the centre console, shift paddles on the steering wheel and interior trim elements being made from carbon fibre while you even get carbon bucket seats. All this leads to a 20-kilogram weight saving over an M4 Competition Coupé with M xDrive.
Prices are closer to the M4 CSL at $254,900 but with only fifty examples making it here, the new M4 CS would be a potential collector car as it probably signifies the last of a dying breed.
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