BMW waited nearly twenty years to come out with another CSL after the M3 E46 and introduced two models in 2022 carrying the fabled badge. One of them is an ultra-exclusive 3.0 CSL limited to 50 cars while the other is the M4 CSL with far greater availability as 1,000 units are being made. The more “mundane” variant stars in an exceptionally shot video putting the spotlight on a Sapphire Black example.
It’s a brand-new M4 CSL on summer tires on a cold winter day, so naturally, don’t expect the driver to push the car hard. With 550 horsepower going only to the rear wheels, one small mistake would’ve put an abrupt and rather costly end to this coffee run. With the car wearing Swiss plates, we should point out that the two-seater coupe is extremely expensive in Switzerland, carrying an asking price of 214,900 CHF. That works out to an exorbitant $233,300 or €218,000 at current exchange rates.
The presenter points out the M4 CSL is louder than the Competition version upon which is based after BMW’s engineers yanked off some of the noise insulation in their quest to shave off excess weight. The top-tier 4 Series Coupe lost 100 kilograms compared to the donor car, with some of the diet attributed to the full carbon fiber bucket seats adjustable by using a three-stage screw linkage. These lightweight seats have detachable head restraints, so owners can install a six-point harness should they decide to frequently track their cars.
In typical BMW fashion, the M4 CSL has a tail-happy nature, even more so now that the S58 engine has been dialed to produce an extra 40 hp over the Competition model. The owner still prefers his own Porsche 911 GT3, mentioning the rear-engined, flat-six sports car from Zuffenhausen provides that sense of occasion the CSL can’t match.
It remains to be seen whether the M4 CSL will be as revered as the M3 CSL before it decades from now. It is true to form by having more power in a lighter package, although a manual gearbox would’ve been the icing on a pricey cake.
Source: Cars with Luke / YouTube
