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Last week we saw a bunch of great cars debut at the New York Auto Show, while this week we’re going to Shanghai, China, for more new vehicles. But, while carmakers unveiled their new products in New York and Shanghai, BMW took the wraps of its latest performance car outside these auto shows. Needless to say, it’s stealing the show because this new car is the highly anticipated M4 CS.
Designed to bridge the gap between the M4 with the Competition Package and the wild M4 GTS, this Club Sport-type coupe sports a number of custom features inside and out and a tweaked inline-six engine.
On the outside, it’s heavily based on the GTS, sharing almost the same aero kit and design, sans the big rear wing. However, the limited-edition M4 comes with an exclusive front splitter made from exposed carbon-fiber and a redesigned Gurney trunk lid spoiler. It also shares the OLED taillights and the carbon-fiber-reinforced (CFRP) engine hood and roof, which pretty much makes it an M4 GTS without the wing.
Things are of the same variety inside the cabin, with the usual M4 interior complemented by race-oriented features like M sports seats trimmed in leather and Alcantara and pull loops on the door panels. The latter are made from compacted natural fibers and have a unique look.
Arguably the most important changes were operated under the hood, where the turbocharged, 3.0-liter inline-six engine roars to the tune of 460 horsepower. That’s 10 horses more than the M4 with the Competition Package, but 33 horses less than the M4 GTS. Hitting 60 mph with the standard dual-clutch automatic takes 3.8 seconds, a tenth-second less than the standard M4. The GTS remains the quickest at 3.7 ticks though. The top speed of the M4 CS remains locked at 174 mph, the same figure you get with the M Driver’s package. That’s 19 mph more than standard top speed of M cars, but its 15 mph below the GTS’.
The suspension of the new BMW M4 CS largely mirrors that of the M4 with the Competition Package, but the control systems for the Adaptive M suspension, DSC and Active M Differential have been modified. As a result, the M4 CS lapped the Nurburgring in 7:38 minutes, making it the second-quickest Bimmer on the ’Ring, after the M4 GTS, which is around 10 seconds quicker. The CS’ time is actually pretty impressive, making it as quick as the Lexus LFA and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. At the same time, it’s quicker than the McLaren Mercedes SLR and the previous-generation Porsche 911 GT3.
The exclusive, limited-run, M4 CS will be priced from €116,900 in Europe. U.S. pricing and availability is not yet known.
Why it Matters
Although it’s not as quick and powerful as the GTS, the M4 CS is a nice addition to the M4 lineup. As an authentic club racer, it addresses enthusiasts that find the GTS to be a bit too extreme, but still want a limited-edition sports car that they can take to the race track any day of the week. Despite the expensive sticker, the M4 CS will probably sell like hotcakes, so grab them while they’re hot.
Press Release
BMW M GmbH is presenting another exclusive limited-run special-edition model in the shape of the new BMW M4 CS (fuel consumption combined: 8.4 l/100 km [33.6 mpg imp]*; CO2 emissions combined: 197 g/km*). The M4 CS fills the gap in the line-up between the M4 Coupe with Competition Package and the uncompromisingly track-focused BMW M4 GTS. With its accentuated sporting presence, the new M4 CS continues the decades-long tradition of successful M special editions which began in 1988 with the E30 BMW M3 Evolution. The new BMW M4 CS will be built at the original BMW plant in Munich.
The M4 CS also sees BMW M GmbH introducing a new nomenclature for its models. Positioned above the standard M models will be the performance-boosted Competition versions. Then come the CS special-edition models, a notch higher still. Positioned on top are the performance-maximising “brand shapers” which display a clear motor sport or club sport character but are also fully road legal.
The 3.0-litre high-performance engine raises the output of the M4 with Competition Package by 10 horsepower, to 460 hp. State-of-the-art M TwinPower Turbo technology allows the M4 CS to dip below the four-second mark for the 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint, stopping the clock at 3.9 seconds. The top speed of the M4 CS, which comes as standard with the M Driver’s Package, is electronically limited to 280 km/h (174 mph). With its two mono-scroll turbochargers, charge air cooler, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC variable valve timing and Double-VANOS fully variable camshaft timing, the six-cylinder in-line engine and takes a clear and consistent aim at the higher echelons of performance, but is equally committed to developing significant torque from low engine speeds and achieving high levels of efficiency (fuel consumption combined: 8.4 l/100 km [33.6 mpg imp]*; CO2 emissions combined: 197 g/km*).
The new BMW M4 CS is equipped as standard with the seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) with Drivelogic. This cutting-edge transmission has a separate oil cooler and enables both automated gear changes and manual interventions using the shift paddles on the steering wheel. It changes gears in fractions of a second with no interruption in the flow of power, but employs a long seventh gear to keep revs low and minimise fuel consumption over longer motorway journeys.
The suspension of the new BMW M4 CS largely mirrors that of the M4 with Competition Package. The links and wheel carriers at both the front and rear axles are made from forged aluminium and are therefore extremely light. That keeps the unsprung masses low and benefits driving dynamics. The M4 CS is fitted as standard with Adaptive M suspension whose geometry has been tuned to deliver optimised performance on both the road and track. The new BMW M4 CS has also been honed on the most demanding test track of them all for high-performance sports cars: the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. Its ’Ring lap time of 7 min. 38 sec. puts the CS in super-sports car territory.
Ensuring the best possible grip in all driving conditions are the DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) system – which includes M Dynamic Mode – and the Active M Differential. The control systems for the Adaptive M suspension, DSC and Active M Differential have been modified to suit the dynamic requirements of the BMW M4 CS, as has the set-up of the electromechanical steering. The driver has the option of adjusting the steering and suspension settings to their personal preferences or the demands of the route at hand. To this end, they can select one of three driving modes (Comfort, Sport and Sport+) at the touch of a button. While Comfort mode is particularly well suited to poor road conditions, city driving and short journeys, Sport will be the mode of choice for keen drivers looking to push on over twisty country roads. And for those heading to the track with their BMW M4 CS, Sport+ mode will pave the way for the fastest lap times. Sport+ fettles all the relevant systems to deliver the best possible dynamics. Should the driver get a little too excited, DSC will intervene in an instant. However, in M Dynamic Mode (MDM) it will also allow controlled drifts.
Also very much at home on the race track are the light-alloy wheels (front: 9 J x 19, rear: 10 J x 20) designed exclusively for the M4 CS and fitted as standard with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (front: 265/35 R 19, rear: 285/30 R 20). These semi-slick cup tyres, which are also road-legal, provide unbeatable grip and supreme lateral stability at high track speeds, as well as optimum traction out of hairpins. The M4 CS can also be ordered with Michelin Sport road tyres at no extra cost.
The interior of the new BMW M4 CS sets out squarely to create a sporting ambience. Lightweight M sports seats trimmed in leather/Alcantara get the ball rolling and the dynamic flavour extends all the way to the door panel trim made from compacted natural fibres and featuring pull loops. The bonnet – with its characteristic air outlet rearwards of the powerdome – and roof are made from the lightweight, extremely rigid and high-tech material carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP).
The generous use of leather and Alcantara allows the M4 CS to create a compelling and well-resolved ambience brimming with sporting intent and undeniable class. No M4 CS driver will need to compromise on the nicer things in life. Indeed, among the standard features on board are automatic climate control, a version of the BMW HiFi system Professional adapted to the signature acoustic demands of the M4 CS and the Navigation system Professional.
