Thursday 17th July 2008

BMW M3 CSL

New CSL details emerge...

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The next generation BMW M3 CSL is rumoured to be arriving in 2010 and along with weight-saving measures it will have more power as well. BMW is binning the sat nav and radio, along with the speakers and air conditioning, to cut down the bulk, reports Germany’s AutoZeitung.

Power will be increased from 414bhp to around 470bhp which will result in a 186mph top speed and 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds. Carbon fibre will now feature throughout the car including in the bonnet, side panels, rear bumper and front spoiler.

Apparently, and we’re not sure if this is totally true, but some form of cardboard will be used to line the boot of the CSL. The car is expected to debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and will be limited to 100 units.

The price tag is likely to be in the region of £70,000.

[Gizmo!]

"New CSL will be lighter and more powerful"

Hold the front page

As for the cardboard boot thing - didn't the original one have a hardboard boot floor like an old Maestro?

[Gruppe1875]

Exactly what I was going to say ... who'd have thunk it!

and yes, the E46 CSL had a cardboard / composite boot floor

[bob1179]

What about the electric front seats, seat belt grabber thingy, rear seats and all the other bits you don't need in a proper lightweight version of the M3?

If they do it, they should do it properly...

I like the idea though.

[Antj]

They spend all this money lightening the thing, then due tot he price the buyer needs to be a fat cat to afford it. So ends up with same performance as a regular M3.....lol

[PhantomPH]

I'll take the standard one, thanks.

You only have to watch TG to see why air con is a wise thing to keep.

[King of d sofa]

Should rollcage it like porsche did with the GT3 RS

[Mark-C]

Antj said:

They spend all this money lightening the thing, then due tot he price the buyer needs to be a fat cat to afford it. So ends up with same performance as a regular M3.....lol

And if it's anything like the last CSL most buyers will spec Air-Con and all the other stuff thet BMW have taken out ....

[edb49]

Electric seats - I can see them going

Aircon... that will stay, surely!

[VTECMatt]

70K for a 3 series

[magic_marker]

I don't understand these 0-60 times.

I had an E39 M5 (before it got pinched a few weeks ago ) and that had an Autocar 0-60 in 4.8 sec. Surprisingly BMW listed the new M6 barely less (it should be much quicker), as indeed is the new M3. Now a 470 bhp monster, much lighter than my M5 is only 0 - 60 in 4.5?? It should be around 4.0 flat, if not less...

[louiebaby]

They're just applying the "Car for every niche" philosophy.

This one will probably have cuts slicks like the last one, so it's for the:

Slim, successful, banker / driving enthusiast, with a full family who hardly ever put anything in the boot, living in a dry country which never gets hot, and doesn't have any race tracks, cos there's no roll cage or four point harness.

No wonder they'r only building 100. It's a hell of a tight niche!

[amare32]

If the reports say £70k, I'd expect to get not much change out of £80k knowing BMW...with their money grabbing pricing structure

I could buy a 996 GT3 and a Caterham R500 for that amount.

[mateyboy]

magic_marker said:

I don't understand these 0-60 times.

I had an E39 M5 (before it got pinched a few weeks ago ) and that had an Autocar 0-60 in 4.8 sec. Surprisingly BMW listed the new M6 barely less (it should be much quicker), as indeed is the new M3. Now a 470 bhp monster, much lighter than my M5 is only 0 - 60 in 4.5?? It should be around 4.0 flat, if not less...

because a car like that is never going to be less than 4 secs to 60 without 4wd, anyway a 0-60 time is really a load of rubbish. 0-100 is a much better way to judge the speed of a car.

[darth_pies]

Limited to 100 units?!?!?

That's hard to believe....why would they bother?

How many E46 CSL's were sold?

Given the slightly underwhelming reaction to the standard V8 M3 do we think they will they use the CSL as a marketing exercise and then build a cheaper CS version?

[jet1987]

Do you think it will depreciate like the E46 M3 CSL did?

[DamoLLb]

I assume it will be only available with BMW version of the DSG too. But that is all I can do, assume- much like Ph

[compact_23]

This'll be interesting to see how it turns out on the styling-front.

[Vesuvius 996]

VTECMatt said:

70K for a 3 series

With the current financial state of country they'll be £40k a year later.

[Mr Whippy]

100 units?

What a waste of time.

If they can justify 100 units of that, why they can't make the 130Tii thingy too

Dave

[bradmitchell]

if the whole car is carbon fibre, and its 2 years away and they are only building 100, there is no way it will be 70k - it will be 100k which would be in line with the CLK Black Series -

I dont care how good they are, 100k for a CLK or 70 - 100k for a 3 series is an absurd amount of money.