In precisely a week from today, BMW will let loose of its third Coupe Sport Lightweight ever. These only come once in a few decades considering the 1972 E9 model wasn’t followed by the E46 until 2010. A dozen years later, it’s almost high time for a new CSL, and by the looks of it, this will be well worth the wait. A production-ready prototype was seen this week undergoing final testing at the Nürburgring.
The performance coupe was being pushed hard around the many corners of the Green Hell as you’ll notice the M4 CSL power sliding from time to time. It’s what the car has been engineered for, giving the M4 Competition a more track-focused character. Aside from tuning the chassis and suspension, the talented folks from the M division have removed the rear seats, hence why the quarter glass is also camouflaged to hide the omission.
Despite the disguise, it’s easy to see the ducktail spoiler sticking out and the substantially meaner front bumper with a plethora of air vents and a chunky spoiler lip. The front grille is just as large as before, but the kidney pattern has changed as the horizontal slats split into two, creating Y-shaped elements on the outer side of the grille.
BMW also covered the fenders, but it’s hard to say whether the wheel arches are more pronounced compared to those of the regular M4. The diffuser hosting those menacing quad exhausts has been subjected to changes in the sense that the outer fins are now slightly tilted toward the center. We can’t see the tires up close, but a previous teaser showed the CSL will have sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber.
The biggest pieces of the puzzle we are currently missing have to do with power and weight. From what we’ve heard, the inline-six engine will be dialed to roughly 550 horsepower while the diet should shave off at least 100 kilograms (220 pounds) compared to a rear-wheel-drive M4 Competition. We’re also interested in knowing how many will be built, with rumors suggesting that only about 1,000 units will be offered.
How much will it cost? Well, the non-xDrive M4 Competition retails from $72,000, so we’re likely looking at a six-figure price tag for the CSL.
Source: Automotive Mike / YouTube
