This BMW M3 prototype recently showed up for some testing at the Nurburgring. It looks fairly standard for the most part, but there are a couple aerodynamic changes that suggest this M3 could be packing a little more power under the hood.
Are you digging that gigantic rear spoiler? Well, don't get too excited as its nothing more than a test piece to allow the engineers to easily adjust the available downforce at the rear. There's an extended air dam up front as well although it looks like it has a chance of showing up as a production piece.
Nothing else on the car suggests anything new, so this may be nothing more than a special aero package for those who like high speed cruising. We'll keep an eye on this prototype in the coming weeks to see if reveals any additional changes.
subytrojan says:
08:58 AM, 10/14/09
Those look like BBS wheels to me. Perhaps the Bavarians are testing the next M3 CSL?
sabastian says:
10:17 AM, 10/14/09
The letters C-S-L came into my head as soon as I saw this post. It looks lower than the standard M3 as well...
notabigdeal says:
10:20 AM, 10/14/09
May be the new extra power is an upgraded strait six? It feels like we had the 300 hp one for ever.
notabigdeal says:
10:22 AM, 10/14/09
May be the new extra power is an upgraded strait six? It feels like we had the 300 hp one for ever.
audisport says:
11:36 AM, 10/14/09
Has to be a new CSL variant, as posted above. Interesting. I like the new wheel design.
jmaroun says:
11:43 AM, 10/14/09
This is definitely not just an aero kit, the suspension is significantly dropped.
CSL does not interest me since it will cost too much (at least 911S money).
I hope it's work on the new M3!
sherief says:
12:02 PM, 10/14/09
Definitely not BBS wheels.
Those are CSL wheels, or HRE P40's.
sabastian says:
12:03 PM, 10/14/09
"May be the new extra power is an upgraded strait six? It feels like we had the 300 hp one for ever."
I doubt they would go back to a six in the M3. I would imagine the new CSL would get a freer breathing version of the current V8.
syt_shadow says:
12:12 PM, 10/14/09
Given that the E92 M3 already beat a 911 (997/2), even if the next CSL is 911 S money I wouldn't be too worried.
I really hope they build this. That way the CSL can compete against the RS4/RS5 and the M3 against the S4/S5, which is what it's supposed to do
subytrojan says:
01:12 PM, 10/14/09
sherief, M3 CSL wheels are BBS wheels.
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/coupes/0210_bmw_m3_csl/index.html
They're the same as the USDM E46 M3 with ZCP (Competition) package.
I don't know where you got your info from.
subytrojan says:
01:15 PM, 10/14/09
More info:
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=652593
teekay13 says:
02:33 PM, 10/14/09
syt_shadow says:
12:12 PM, 10/14/09
Given that the E92 M3 already beat a 911 (997/2), even if the next CSL is 911 S money I wouldn't be too worried.
I really hope they build this. That way the CSL can compete against the RS4/RS5 and the M3 against the S4/S5, which is what it's supposed to do
One, BMW doesn't need a CSL to compete with Audi's RS4/RS5. The regular M3 does that just fine. As for the S4/S5, BMW has the 335i to do the dirty work, and it's doing well on that front as well. It's Audi that needs to worry about the identity of its various lines.
Two, I wouldn't go so far as saying that the M3 "already beat" a 911. And this is coming from a die-hard BMW fan (current owner of E46 M3) who finally had a chance to test drive a 911 extensively on the Autobahn. There's more to a 911 than just HP rating.
hondacura4 says:
02:39 PM, 10/14/09
"I really hope they build this. That way the CSL can compete against the RS4/RS5 and the M3 against the S4/S5, which is what it's supposed to do ."
Not quite. The Audi S series cars USED to directly compete with the BMW M cars until the Audi introduced its RS series of vehicles. The BMW M3 CSL is just a more focused and lightened M3.
notabigdeal says:
03:52 PM, 10/14/09
I guess this would "hopefully" be like a "Black (from amg)" series M3. Lighter, lower ride, aero kit, and possible engine tweak sounds awesome for the already great M3. Awesome being an understatement.
It will probably never come to America anyway. Euro guys think we only drive SUV's and trucks.
subafly says:
04:23 PM, 10/14/09
Look how much the rear is squatting in every picture. Is an extra 500lbs in the trunk part of a CSL package?
slickersdrip says:
06:57 PM, 10/14/09
Suby, your links really make me long for the clean good looks of the E46.
syt_shadow says:
04:52 AM, 10/15/09
"One, BMW doesn't need a CSL to compete with Audi's RS4/RS5. The regular M3 does that just fine. As for the S4/S5, BMW has the 335i to do the dirty work, and it's doing well on that front as well. It's Audi that needs to worry about the identity of its various lines.
Two, I wouldn't go so far as saying that the M3 "already beat" a 911. And this is coming from a die-hard BMW fan (current owner of E46 M3) who finally had a chance to test drive a 911 extensively on the Autobahn. There's more to a 911 than just HP rating."
Hi,
As of now the normal M3 is fine against the old RS4, but wait until they build the new one. It'll probably cost 10000 more but will still manage to win the comparison, like what just happened with the S4 vs 335i.
I wasn't talking about the HP rating, I was talking about this:
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/08q3/2008_bmw_m3_vs._2009_nissan_gt-r_vs._2008_porsche_911_turbo-comparison_tests
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/09q1/2009_porsche_911_carrera_vs._2009_bmw_m3-comparison_tests
Cheers
nissanfanatic says:
06:23 AM, 10/15/09
Yes this could very well be a CSL. But like _subafly_ pointed out, the ride height in the rear is much lower. Maybe this is a test mule for the estate (wagon) version of the M3. Mercedes has AMG C63 wagon. Maybe BMW wants to compete. That could be a reason for the added weight in the rear. Or, regretfully, it could be a test mule for an M version of the 3 series GT (I hope not). I think if this was a CSL mule , it would be a darkly clad (to conceal the extensive use of carbon fiber) M3 without the extra weight in the rear.