The new 2025 BMW M4 CS starts at $123,500 before destination and handling. While a bit of a bargain compared to the nearly $140,000 that its big brother M4 CSL commands, it’s still some serious cash. And it begs the question: what else could you get for the same money? While we don’t have to worry about these kind of problems here, we’re happy to help you spend your $125K (give or take), humble reader. Here are some cars you might want to look at if you just have to spend six figures on a sports car.
Porsche GTS 4.0 / GT4
It ain’t quite enough for a new 911 GTS or a 718 GT4, but the $95,000 base price of the Cayman GTS 4.0 means you can easily afford this middle-of-the-road and track monster. You could also afford the roadster version, the 718 Boxster GTS 4.0. If you’re willing to go older, you could, in fact, get into a 911 GTS for considerably less than a CS. You’re missing a considerable amount of power and will probably spend the difference on maintenance – quickly – but hey, we’re just the idea guys.
Of course, the parallel everyone wants to draw is to the desirable Porsche GT3. But that realistically isn’t going to happen at this price point unless you’re okay with buying a salvage title or similar story. Though that’s okay, you might miss out on some of the “halo car” feel that the M4 CS can definitely offer. There are some 718 GT4 listed below $120,000 – and you can even find manual transmission ones. It’s hard to think you could go wrong with that, but compared to a new car with a warranty, you could still quickly rack up some hefty bills. Either way, you’re working with a solid budget to find a good Porsche if it’s something that works for you.
C8 Corvette Z06
Ever the value proposition, the C8 Z06 – assuming you can get one without a markup – costs over $10,000 less while outshining the M4 CS in every performance metric. It’s not without compromise – namely, passenger and cargo space and a complete lack of subtlety – but you aren’t likely to care after you get behind the wheel. Quite curiously, it manages to dash to 60 quicker than the CS without the aid of all-wheel drive. I guess that’s what a 130-horsepower advantage and 8600-rpm redline gets you.
Of course, the M4 CS and C8 Z06 are very different cars – one being a RWD two-seater and the other is an AWD coupe with technically usable back seats. Consider a butcher’s knife and an sashimi knife; ostensibly serving the same purpose, but at the end of the day, there’s no mistaking one for the other. In form or function, mind you.
Nissan GT-R
Oddly, this nearly 20-year-old chassis is perhaps the most similar to the M4 CS. With all-wheel drive, a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine making north of 500 horsepower, and zero-to-60 sprints hovering around three seconds, the M4 and GTR are different versions of the same song. Even their base MSRPs are within $3,000 of one another. Of course, if you’re willing to go used, you can save a bit and invest in mods or whatever Nissan drivers do with their extra cash.
…Which, now that you mention it, there is the Nissan thing. Whether or not you’re a badge snob, there is a stark – and we mean stark – difference in the interior. You’ll be looking, essentially, at an interior straight out of 2009. That might not be a bad thing, though. If you’re a bit of a luddite (or are just tired of the screens), the Nissan GT-R might be an even better fit for you than the M4 CS.
Used BMWs; F87 M2 CS, F82 M4 GTS, M8, etc.
It’s predictable, but you can’t talk about buying a new CS without mentioning the old ones. Of particular note is the F87 M2 CS, which offers a manual transmission and will likely hold its value better than any other modern BMW. A CPO BMW M8 or M5 Competition is compelling, too, especially since it shares the M xDrive all-wheel drive system with the modern CS vehicles. However, the weight increase makes them significantly less tossable on the track.
The real interesting thing is that you can actually find more than one G82 M4 CSL for sale, which is around the $130,000 mark on the secondhand market. And, of course, the last generation M4 GTS is around half the price. Funny enough, both these vehicles offer very different driving experiences from the contemporary CS, being rear-wheel drive and much more purpose-built for the racetrack. Opening your search to include pre-owned M and CS products definitely leaves you spoiled for choice.
Jaguar F-TYPE R
It’s an unorthodox choice, but the F-TYPE R is more similar to the M4 CS than you might think. Both offer all-wheel drive and similar power output: 575 horsepower in the Jag and 543 in the CS. While the M4 CS is clearly geared more towards performance driving, the F-TYPE R is likely much more comfortable and is undeniably the prettier vehicle. It also goes away after the 2024 model year, so you’d better hurry if you want one. A starting price of $113,000 means a couple of extra bucks in your pocket to spend on – and we’re just spitballing here – an exhaust so you can hear the glorious supercharged V8 engine in all of its glory.
What M4 CS Competitors Did We Miss?
It’s not really possible to cover the entire breadth of the new and used car market when it comes to these competitor pages. Which cars do you think stand a good chance of being cross-shopped alongside the all-new G82 M4 CS?
