The Washington Inquirer EditorThe BMW M3 Sedan has already received the CS treatment and the M boss told us there is room in the lineup for an M4 CS as well. What could possibly come next?
Our sources close to Munich have told us the M3 Touring could also get the Competition Sport treatment. In fact, it’s only a matter of time before we’ll see prototypes of the amped-up super wagon undergoing testing.
However, don’t get too excited just yet because the hotter G81 has yet to be approved by the higher-ups in Munich. It’ll only happen if the logistics will work out in the M3 CS Touring’s favor since the factory where BMW makes its belated AMG C63 Estate competitor is already fully booked. The fact testing on public roads has commenced is certainly an encouraging sign, leading us to believe it might just happen.
M3 CS Touring – The Perfect BMW
Logic tells us it would be quite easy for BMW to make an M3 CS Touring since the speedy estate would largely use off-the-shelf items. After all, it’s already making a sedan so any changes that would be necessary for the long-roof version would likely occur at the rear, presumably a tailgate spoiler. Of course, they could just use the standard one or borrow from the vast M Performance Parts catalog.
Finding the necessary production capacity might not be such a major hassle in the end, considering an M3 CS Touring would not be a permanent member of the lineup. The M3 CS Sedan will be limited to anywhere between 1,700 to 2,000 cars during a one-year run. BMW has not ruled out extending production of the super saloon should the demand outstrip supply, but that’ll also depend on the available capacity at BMW Group Plant Munich.
Same Power As M3 CS Sedan
An M3 CS Touring would use the same uprated S58 engine as the M3 CS Sedan and the rear-wheel-drive M4 CSL. In these three models, the twin-turbo, 3.0-liter inline-six produces 543 horsepower and 479 pound-feet (650 Newton-meters) of torque. The sedan takes 3.4 seconds to reach 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill and 11.1 seconds from rest to 124 mph (200 km/h). Flat out, it can do 188 mph (302 km/h).
The equivalent wagon might end up a tad slower due to its slightly higher curb weight, but you probably won’t notice in real life. The sedan delivers strong in-gear acceleration, taking 2.6 seconds in the fourth gear to go from 50 to 75 mph (80 to 120 km/h) and 3.3 seconds in the fifth gear to perform the same task.
The M3 Competition Touring xDrive is still a fresh product, so even if approved, a CS is highly unlikely to arrive this year. Our money is on a release at some point in 2024 or even 2025, provided it gets the proverbial green light.
