Despite its legendary status, it isn’t everyday that you get to see what it’s like to flog an E46 M3 CSL on the Nurburgring. Most M3 CSL owners keep their cars locked away in hermetically sealed garages and never take them out to play. Some, though, are cooler than that and actually use their high-performance M car for, ya know, high performance. In this new video from Misha Charoudin, we get to see him drive an owner’s M3 CSL on the ‘Ring and it seems fantastic.
At the end of the drive, Charoudin says he kind of went into the zone while driving it, because it felt so responsive and confidence inspiring, he didn’t have to think much about each corner or specific movements. Instead, the car became a trustworthy dance partner and that’s about the best compliment you can give a sports car.
The E46 M3 CSL is a legend because of how it drives. It didn’t break any power records, come with any fancy color-coded trim levels, or show off a geometric headliner pattern. Instead, it was just a genuinely lightweight, pure sports car and one that seems to make believers out of anyone that sits behind the wheel. Charoudin, who drives some of the most incredible cars on the planet, seemed thoroughly impressed with the M3 CSL and, more importantly, seemed to enjoy it.
Admittedly, this M3 CSL isn’t stock. The owner added upgraded suspension, tires, and brakes, versus the stock stuff. No power upgrades were made but, if you want a proper track car, all you really need are good suspension, tires, and brakes. So he’s got it. Charoudin also complimented the setup, as he said there really weren’t many changes that needed to be made to be a good Nurburgring car.
Watching the E46 M3 CSL lap the ‘Ring is both beautiful and sad. It’s beautiful because it reminds us that BMW M used to make genuinely special sports cars, ones that not only put down impressive performance but felt great doing it. You can see from Charoudin’s inputs and how the car responds to them that it’s a fluid, balanced car. There was no fighting at the wheel for power like the new M4 CSL, nor was there any slop in the inputs. It just looked tight, sharp, and responsive in a way that many modern M cars aren’t. Sure, its SMG transmission is a bit of a downer but aftermarket manual swaps are available, especially in the UK.
