BMW has marked 50 years of the BMW M division with the release of a special M4 CSL Coupe, the best-equipped 4-Series on the road that closely approaches the track-only M4 GT3 model in terms of performance specs.
Only 1,000 cars will be made in total and sold starting in June from a cool €165,200.
As we expected, the core virtue of the CSL comes in the guise of smaller weight, not extra engine thrust. Getting rid of the rear bench, the all-wheel drive and some of the noise proofing has brought the weight down by 109 kilos (240 pounds) to just 1,625 kg (3,582 lbs). The car makes intensive use of lightweight materials found in its side mirrors, front splitter, rear diffuser, rear spoiler, trunk lid, hood cover, and interior trim.
Power comes from a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine bolstered from the standard 510 PS (503 hp / 375 kW) to 550 PS (542 hp / 441 kW). The torque stays unchanged at 650 Nm (479 lb-ft). An M Steptronic automatic transmission carries the momentum to the rear. A sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes 3.7 seconds, and the top speed lies at 307 km/h (190 mph).