The newest BMW M3 CS (Competition Sport) will celebrate its track debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona on January 28, 2023, BMW M GmbH says in its annual report.
The ultimate sedan will premiere along with a demo drive of the BMW M Hybrid V8, an LMDh-class prototype vehicle designed for IMSA and WEC racing series.
The M3 CS could be called a four-door sidekick to the two-door M4 CSL. Judging by the spy shots made so far, both have the same radiator grille design with a Y-pattern and ‘racing’ yellow DRLs. Compared to the M3 Competition residing a step below it, the CS has a different front bumper with a larger splitter. It also weighs less and benefits from some suspension tweaks, as well as additional braces for higher body rigidity.
As we learned last month. the M3 CS would inherit the 3.0-liter inline-six turbo that the M4 CSL comes equipped with. Known as the S58, the mill churns out 550 PS (542 hp / 405 kW) and 650 Nm (479 lb-ft) of torque and is similar to the setup used in the M4 GT3 racecar. The xDrive AWD system will be available at a premium, even though the stock M4 is a RWD coupe by design. Finally, rumors claim that both models might end up with the same eight-speed automatic transmission and no other options. These remain to be confirmed, of course.