Can 50 years of BMW M and 20 years since the last CSL really be marked with a 1700kg M4? You betcha...
We’ve been here before, of course. Two decades ago, BMW put the CSL badge on a grey 3 Series Coupe flagship, which was lighter, faster and quite a lot more expensive than the standard M car. There was the inevitable evocation of heritage and motorsport and purity and then… not everyone was sold on the M3 CSL. Seriously. It’s hard to imagine now, with pristine ones apparently worth as much as this new M4, but the reception wasn’t as glowing as we like to remember.
Which is worth remembering the first time you see the mega M4. Because it’s all a bit much in person, even for those more kindly disposed to the road racer look. The red accents only draw attention to where you’d rather not look, the lighter front grille just doesn’t look finished, the E46-aping swept-up bootlid is a bit naff and the sheer size of an M4 now - it’s 4.8m long - means the two-door silhouette struggles for any meaningful tension.
Same for the suspension. In the standard model, there’s never any need to venture beyond Comfort for the adaptive M suspension. Body control is very good, yes, but the car also becomes unbearably stiff after that. Not here. Sport Plus is tense, sure, yet more usable than Sport on a regular car. And that’s despite an 8mm drop in ride height. Though a reduced kerbweight no doubt helps , there’s some clever stuff going on behind the scenes as well.
What a shame, then, that from an experience point of view - and for this tester at least - the S58 straight six and eight-speed auto is less enjoyable here than the ordinary M4. BMW makes much of a titanium exhaust and reduced sound deadening, though it’s hard to be certain the extra noise is welcome, a metallic drawl that can be overbearing for occupants, let alone passers-by.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Limited-Run BMW 3.0 CSL Could Launch In November And Cost Over $700,000 | CarscoopsLimited-Run BMW 3.0 CSL Could Launch In November And Cost Over $700,000 | Carscoops carscoops
Read more »
50 years of BMW M podcast - the ones that go away | Autocar🎙 NEW: Join Matt Prior and James Disdale for episode three of Autocar's BMW M podcast. The duo take us through a tour of BMW M history as they get to drive some of their favourite M cars
Read more »
50 years of BMW M podcast - the ones that got away | Autocar🎙 If you're interested in all-things BMW M, join matty_prior and James Disdale for episode three of our 50 Years of M Podcast 🔥 This week, the duo drive a few of their favourite M cars of all time
Read more »
BMW XM revealed | EvoBMW M reveals only its second bespoke model in its 50 year history: the Lamborghini Urus-rivalling XM -
Read more »
BMW Z4 Roadster receives mild update for 2023 | EvoBMW’s two-seater roadster and twin to the Toyota Supra has been given a refresh for 2023 -
Read more »
Autocar magazine 28 September 2022: on sale now | AutocarWednesday means a new issue of Autocar is on sale 🎉 Get your copy now for our best fun EV test, all the info on the new Mercedes-AMG C63 and much more
Read more »