Not only have we seen the new M3 Touring at the 2022 Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard but there’s this, the new, muscular M4 CSL. If you’re looking for an M-badged track-ready sledgehammer, this is the car for you.
The first new CSL since the E46 M3 CSL in 2003, only 1,000 of these cars will be made, with 100 coming to the UK for a cool £128,820. CSL stands for ‘Coupe Sport Light, so as you might have guessed the M4 CSL weighs 100kg less than the standard M4 Competition, down to 1,625kg.
Video: BMW M3 Touring makes its world debut at the Festival of Speed
The 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six has been tweaked to produce 40PS more, up to 550PS (405kW), enough for 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds and 190mph flat-out, plenty if you ask us. There are firmer engine mounts too, revised springs and dampers, carbon-ceramic brakes, an 8mm drop in ride height and plenty more beyond that. There are even ten settings for the traction control system, the first five of which are the same as the M4 Competition but the latter new and tuned for a mixture of lap time and oversteer.
To see it in the metal, well, it’s quite the machine. The M4 Competition had a brutal look to begin with, so with styling changes to match the mechanical and software upgrades it looks like a real weapon.
Photography by Phil Hay.
Festival of Speed
2022
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Festival of Speed
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