FIRST DRIVE | BMW M4 CSL and M3 50 Jahre delight the senses

The original BMW M3 (E30) was not the most exclusive, powerful or glamorous offering created by the Motorsport division.    

Yet it became the de facto symbol of what a performance-orientated BMW was about, the embodiment of true driving engagement and purity.    

Over the years, the recipe has changed. It started life as a four-cylinder, before taking on a more traditional, in-line, six-pot motor. At one point, the M3 was powered by a V8, subsequently reverting to the straight-six, this time with the aid of turbocharging. It also spawned new nomenclature, with M4 being reserved for the two-door format.    

We can only speculate about what the next M3 and M4 might become. Completely electric or hybridised, with a downsized engine?   

For now, in what is the 50th year of the Motorsport brand, BMW has been working to pacify its core fans with releases such as the M4 CSL and M3 50 Jahre Edition. We had a turn in both at a recent event in Palm Springs, California.    

South African supporters are not unfamiliar with the M4 CSL, having seen the model at the recent M Fest. Only 1,000 units were produced worldwide, with 15 allocated to our market, each at R3,570,038. Easy to flinch at such a sum, but consider that the entire supply for our country is spoken for.    

Therefore, seeing one out on the roads, let alone driving one, is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime type of deal. I am mindful of this as I fire up our test unit, with its steering wheel on the left side of the cabin.

Thankfully, I am not a total stranger to expressions of the ultimate M4. My thoughts drift back to a hot day in 2016 when BMW let us loose behind the wheel of the M4 GTS. And another memorable occasion back in 2017, when the company offered its DTM Champion Edition for us to test. The car was delivered for 24 hours and instead of sleeping, I spent my nocturnal energies exploring provincial back roads. It was worth it.    

The three letters adorning this new M4 are even more special, of course, given they last appeared on the rear of the E46 M3. For the uninitiated, Competition Sport Lightweight is what the acronym denotes.    

The CSL is sold in a trio of paint options: Frozen Brooklyn Grey, Alpine White or Sapphire Black. Weight-saving measures are extensive. Its front carbon fibre seats cut 24kg compared to those in the regular car and the rear seats were axed.  

Under the skin, it sports lighter carbon ceramic brakes, lighter alloys complemented by lighter springs and struts, culminating in a 21kg saving. A good portion of the sound insulation was chopped, representing a 15kg reduction, according to BMW, while a number of body elements were made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP).

A titanium rear silencer saves more than 4kg. Even the kidney grilles seem to do without conventional slats in pursuit of trimming away fat. Notice how the interior does without the screen-intensive, curved display set-up found in the contemporary BMW G20. Instead, the CSL employs older, simpler switchgear.    

All that translates to an unladen weight of 1,625kg. I guess the definition of lightness depends on who you ask, really.

Emulating the look of GT racing cars, the headlamps illuminate yellow rather than white. Seeing the CSL tearing towards your rear-view is a terrifying sight, looking like a jaundiced, demonic bat from the depths of a haunted canyon.

My drive with the M4 was up (and down) the breathtaking Coachella Valley pass. Picture the Franschhoek pass in the Western Cape, but with more dramatic elevations; taller, rockier mountains.

The towering cliffs on either side of the passage serve to amplify the booming, ferocious din of the fettled 2,993cc motor. Charge pressure of the turbochargers was dialled up to 2.1 bar from 1.7, resulting in a 405kW power output, trumping the 375kW of the Competition. Torque remains the same, at 650Nm. As before, an eight-speed automatic is on duty, shunting power to the rear axle.

Punching it towards the horizon in third gear, the six-cylinder bellows in monstrous fashion towards redline. You can really hear the result of that reduction in sound deadening. The grit from the surface underneath is audible, chucked up into the rear arches.   

In the corners, the extra alertness of the CSL is tangible. Attack mode is its default and no part of its makeup feels out of shape or limp. Of course, there are hardware measures responsible for this, including bespoke engine bay strut braces, an 8mm drop in ride height, as well as camber and axle settings specifically tweaked for the CSL.    

Mixed tyres are on duty (275/35/19 front and 285/30/20 rear) and while there is ample grip, it is easy to provoke a squeal and shimmy from the back axle. A specialised traction control system allows the driver to execute controlled drifts, with as many as 10 stages of intervention. This is a feature I opted not to try, preferring to nose the CSL tester back to its custodians in one piece.    

And then into the M3 50 Jahre. This one is for the North American market, with 500 made. The highlights are largely cosmetic. It is available in five colours, each derived from various M3 models in the lineage: Vermillon Red, Techno Violet, Interlagos Blue, Fire Orange and Limerock Grey.    

The wheels are finished in Orbit Grey, while selected M parts, such as a carbon front splitter, carbon rear spoiler and tailpipes finished in carbon, are part of the deal. The package is rounded off by a metal interior plaque.    

My tester was a Vermillon Red unit. It was the first time I had driven an M3 Competition with the xDrive all-wheel drive system. Naturally, the transition from CSL into this model was rather stark. Even still, the Competition is no blunt object.    

In previous road tests of the M3 and M4 Competition, we admired how the latest model veils its crazy streak with a true layer of polish and refinement. And that impression held true, driving the car on foreign roads.    

Now while we are not getting the M3 50 Jahre, look out for the M4 50 Jahre on local soil, with its special San Marino Blue body paint and Gold Bronze matt wheels.    

* Our exclusive overseas BMW drives series ends next week with a report on the new X7.