Tuesday 26th April 2005

BMW plugs gap to mighty CSL

M3 CS borrows brakes and styling from M3 CSL

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BMW M3 CS

BMW has announced an end-of-life special edition of the M3 Coupé, and announced the price of the  forthcoming M6, due out in November.

The M3 CS will cost £2,400 more than the standard M3 and borrows items from the lightweight CSL. With a tag of £43,555 takes the CSL's 18-inch disc brakes, a more direct steering rack (14.5 ratio rather than the 15.4 of the M3) and M Track Mode, the steering wheel activated system that increases DSC thresholds.

Styling tweaks include, ‘M3 CSL Design’ 19-inch light alloy wheels, steering wheel, hand brake lever and the optional SMG gearstick clothed in Alcantara, ‘Alu Tec’ interior trim, and Interlagos Blue paintwork, although all M3 exterior colours remain available.

All other technical and equipment specifications are as per the standard M3; the M3 CS is not a limited edition.

M6 price

BMW M6

For the 507bhp M6, BMW has announced an on-the-road price of £79,760, which puts it into AMV8 Vantage and top-end 911 territory; a 997 Carrera S Cabriolet costs £72,230 before options.

BMW also touts the M6 as making "a strong case against Italian supercars, with performance to challenge, for example, the 575M Maranello and 612 Scaglietti from Ferrari at considerably less expense."

[gofasterrosssco]

An ugly competition between the M6 and a 612 would be a tough one to call......

Not big fan of the design I case you haven't noticed.

[anniesdad]

Haven't they already done this M3 for the American market? Why has it taken so long to offer it as a UK car??

[edc]

Because then they wouldn't shift the CSL.

[z_chromozone]

18" disks and 19" wheels, where does the caliper go.

Z

[_VTEC_]

Doesn't really seem worth it to me. If they'd have offered the carbon fibre intake as well that would have made it a more attractive proposition.

[nickjm]

Would you go for a BMW M6 or an Aston Martin AMV8?

IMHO I wouldn't care which one was the better drive, more reliable etc... it would be the Aston everytime.

[rlk500]

It's a no brainer and I own two BM's.......Aston every time.

[_VTEC_]

nickjm said:

Would you go for a BMW M6 or an Aston Martin AMV8? IMHO I wouldn't care which one was the better drive, more reliable etc... it would be the Aston everytime.

rlk500 said:

It's a no brainer and I own two BM's.......Aston every time.

Right on guys.

[TimJMS]

Priced like that, I can see the M6 making life hard for the guys who are expected to shift them.

>> Edited by TimJMS on Tuesday 26th April 19:50

[paulothegangsta]

Bmw m6 seems very overpriced, even for that performance it's not a dream car like the aston amv8. Maybe if it were cheaper and looked like a cool car. Like the old M635 Csi, now that was coool!

[will_t]

M6 how much ?

All that engineering and quality and it looks like a bag of

Will (ex BMW driver)

[toppstuff]

Well I like the M6.

Think it looks great. And it is, by all accounts, VERY fast. May well show the Aston its peculiar shaped rump as it disappears into the distance.

Not sure about the M3 CS though - only likely to further deflate CSL residuals perhaps..

[pointysquirty]

I like the M6/6 series too. Not that it makes much difference as I don't have 80K to blow.

[Bigfoot769]

As you guys have already stated so eloquently. Beemer v Aston. Simply no contest. I think the Bavarians are beginning to believe there own hype, always dangerous that.




>> Edited by Bigfoot769 on Tuesday 26th April 23:10

>> Edited by Bigfoot769 on Tuesday 26th April 23:10

[edc]

But can you realistically use a AMV8 every day like they say you can an M6? I'm sure it will find its niche.

[FestivAli]

M3 CS - meh. 330Ci clubsport for the M3, waste of money.

M6 vs Aston - you guys are missing the point. See, The aston was made to compete against things like the new Carrera S - in other words, its bog cheap by Aston standards (on could say 'aston'ishingly so - someone hit me) and the M6 is meant to compete a little higher that that, so I figure the pricing is about right. If I could get the technology of the m6 for the same as the aston, (provided they were both on par for driving enjoyment) than I would be having a serious think, regardless of looks. Actually, the M6 is quite nice, though my policy on grand tourer sized vehicles is that they have a v8, so an orient blue 645i would be fine for me (and the Aston isn't a GT - doesn't have 4 seats).

[Harris_I]

Can someone please explain to me why one would choose an M6 over an M5?

Will they feel significantly different to drive? Is the M6 noticeably faster?

I can see that people prefer coupes over saloons for the shape, and also to imply that they are not boring family men who also need to cart boxes to the tip every now and then. But really, why choose the M6, (shelling out the additional cost to cover a very capable Caterham), and have a lot less practicality?

[whoami]

Harris_I said:

Can someone please explain to me why one would choose an M6 over an M5? Will they feel significantly different to drive? Is the M6 noticeably faster? I can see that people prefer coupes over saloons for the shape, and also to imply that they are not boring family men who also need to cart boxes to the tip every now and then. But really, why choose the M6, (shelling out the additional cost to cover a very capable Caterham), and have a lot less practicality?

Having ordered an M5 (but driven neither as yet) I could not see where the extra £20K had gone on the M6.

I have never been taken with the looks of the standard 6-series and don't feel that the M version is much better.

This may well change when I have seen, and driven, both cars.

I also agree that most marques have a "notional value" and with BMW that is not £80K.

[Zod]

I too think the M6 is overpriced against the M5. It is faster than an AM V8 Vantage, but the Aston name an dimage makes it a lot easier to sell a car at £80k.

I'm in a bit o f a quandry as to what I will buy next to replace the CSL (no rush - I'm in love with the CSL). I have an M5 on order, but wonder whether, despite its power, it will seem a little tame post-CSL. I find it difficult to justify the M6 over the M5 and neither a 997, nor an Aston is going to be more exciting thana CSL.

There are worse problems to have.

[Donut]

TimJMS said:

Priced like that, I can see the M6 making life hard for the guys who are expected to shift them. >> Edited by TimJMS on Tuesday 26th April 19:50

Thanks for the concern but the only hard thing will be getting hold of one!

BMW have been selling more expensive cars than this for many years my record was a 750iL motorshow car priced at circa £105,000.

I do think it would be a tough choice between an M6 and an Aston though