Hotter all-wheel drive BMW M4 within the works – report

The BMW M4 range could be in line to receive a hot CS variant, with more power but less weight than the M4 Competition.

Bimmerpost forum user ynguldyn, who claims to compile future product information from leaks within BMW, says the M4 CS will enter production in July 2024 and be produced until June 2025.

That’s a similar production run length to the M3 CS, due here later this year.

The M4 CS will reportedly offer the same specifications as the M3 CS, but feature different headlights.

The report follows remarks from BMW M CEO Frank van Meel last year, reported by BMW Blog, that “there’s still room” for an M4 CS to sell alongside the M3 CS.

To recap, the M3 CS builds on the Competition with an upgraded inline-six engine, retuned chassis, and extensive use of carbon fibre.

The tweaked M TwinPower Turbo 3.0-litre six offers 30kW more than the M3 and M4 Competition, taking it to 405kW over a wider band. Torque remains 650Nm at its peak but in the CS it’s sustained for longer, out to almost 6000rpm.

Changes under the bonnet include higher charge pressure for the turbochargers, redesigned mounts, and features inspired by the M4 GT3 DTM touring car like lighter cylinder bores and track-specific oil supply and cooling systems.

The claimed zero to 100km/h time is down a tenth to 3.4 seconds, while the 0-200km/h mark is hit in 11.1sec. The electronically governed top speed is 302km/h.

Power is sent to the road through an eight-speed M Steptronic automatic transmission, with M xDrive variable and rear-biased all-wheel drive and a rear Active M Differential.

There are also “model-specific” settings for the stability control, springs, anti-roll bars, steering, and electronically controlled dampers.

Further standard specification for the special-edition model includes M Compound brakes with calipers painted red or black – M Carbon ceramic brakes are optional – and new black or gold forged light-alloy wheels measuring 19 inches up front and 20 inches at the rear.

Standard track tyres, developed for the CS, measure 275/35 ZR19 at the front and 285/30 ZR20 at the rear. More road-friendly tyres are a no-cost option.

Weight-saving decisions include the fitment of a carbon-fibre roof, bonnet, front splitter, front air intakes, exterior mirror caps, rear diffuser and rear spoiler. This material is also used for the centre console, paddle shifters, and trim inlays.

Standard M Carbon bucket seats also do their bit to keep weight down, as does the titanium rear silencer. The various lightweight measures bring about a total saving of some 20kg.

Inside there are the M Carbon heated and powered bucket seats with exclusive surfaces and seam patterns. There’s also the latest-generation iDrive based on BMW Operating System 8, which includes the BMW Curved Display (12.3-inch cluster and 14.9-inch touchscreen) for the cockpit.

The mooted M4 CS is not to be confused with the M4 CSL, an even more hardcore, two-seat version with the same outputs as the CS but with only two seats and rear-wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive.

An M4 CS would join not only the limited-run CSL, but also a growing range of M4 variants. In Australia, there are rear-wheel drive base and Competition coupes, as well as all-wheel drive Competition M xDrive coupe and convertibles.

MORE: Everything BMW M4