Enthusiasts are spoiled for choice when purchasing the BMW M4 as the sports coupe is offered in a variety of configurations. Available with manual and automatic, RWD and xDrive transmissions, standard and Competition versions, these fast machines have a wide range. Lest we forget the M4 CSL which only 1,000 units made for the rest of the world. Additionally, the 3.0 CSL is an ultra-exclusive special edition celebrating the iconic E9.
Despite an already complicated portfolio, M CEO Frank van Meel emphatically hinted in an interview with BMWBLOG there may be another derivative in the future: “We had M3 CS and M4 CS in the past, and we always said we had this regular competition letter CS and CSL. And we don’t have CS at the moment [in the M4 lineup] So there’s still room.”
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It seems very likely that the M3 CS will open the lid first considering that many prototypes have been seen undergoing testing. Rumor has it the limited super sedan will be revealed early next year as the provisional crown jewel of the M3 family by sitting above the Competition model. The CS is believed to be an auto-only affair with the xDrive while having slightly more power and slightly lighter than the M3 Competition. Naturally, it’s likely that the M4 CS will inherit the same improvements.
While the 2023 M3 Sedan and Touring have iDrive 8, the M4 hasn’t yet switched to BMW’s latest infotainment system. It’s likely only a matter of time before the coupe gets the latest hardware, and logic tells us a potential M4 CS will. Both the M3 CS and M4 CS will sport a more aggressive-looking body than the Competition model, but the transformation won’t be as extreme as the M4 CSL.
Look for a twin-turbo, 3.0-liter inline-six to produce around 540 horsepower to avoid stomping the M4 CSL (550 hp). On a diet, the Competition Sport Lightweight lost 100 kilograms (220 lbs) compared to the Competition while the M4 CS should shed between 30 and 40 kg (66 to 88 lbs). Unlike the two-seat M4 CSL, this upcoming CS should retain the rear seats.
With the M3 CS debuting in the first months of 2023, an equivalent two-door model could follow later in the year. Both should be less exclusive than the M4 CSL in the sense that BMW will likely build more than 1,000 of each.
