The official lap time for the M4 CSL around the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife circuit is 7 minutes and 20 seconds. It set the fastest lap time ever for a production series BMW.
“Competition, Sport, Lightweight” are three words that have been bestowed upon just two of BMW M division’s greatest vehicles throughout its almost 50-year lifespan. Now it finds itself affixed to an M4. In the era of the final iteration of pure-petrol power plants, the M4 CSL may very well be the swansong of the M division’s ICE bloodline. Nothing small to live up to, then…
The BMW M4 CSL is closer to the M4 GT3 car than the G82 M4 Competition. The M4 CSL, like all of its CSL predecessors, pushes the envelope in terms of the BMW M division’s ability and skill. Around a track, it is the fastest production car BMW M has ever produced. Compared to the standard M4, the CSL is lighter and has more power.
Under the new carbon fibre bonnet, BMW has stuck with the potent S58, but it’s not the same S58 you would find in the standard G82 M4. It’s been tuned really quite differently to allow for a high-revving, power-ladened delivery, ready for the strenuous nature of track-racing and/or constant pedal to the floor silliness. The M4 CSL’s S58 provides its rear wheels with 405 kW and 650 N.m, available to the driver from around 2 500 rpm. The notable power increase comes from a host of model-specific hardware changes and tweaks.
A few of the changes in the CSL’s power plant range from a forged lightweight crankshaft which aids the high-revving nature of the engine to a twin-wire-arc sprayed iron coating in the cylinder bores, an increase in boost pressure from 1,7 Bar to 2,1 Bar, and an M-specific cylinder head with a 3-D printed corona to name just a very in a rather long list.
The chassis has been made stiffer with the use of upgraded engine mounts, M-spec upgraded front and rear axles, adaptive M suspension that has been tweaked, and a few other motorsport-sourced tech goodies. The car has been lowered by eight millimetres and equipped with bespoke dampers and auxiliary springs. As a result of the weight-saving and weight-reduction efforts, the M4 CSL weighs 1 625 kg. The kidney grilles received a design change, which now somewhat resembles that of the Vorsteiner front bumper kit. The front splitter, rear diffuser, and side skirts are composed of carbon fibre. Perhaps the most intriguing addition to the rear of the car is the ducktail spoiler a la previous CSL models.
The car leaves the production line with signature Frozen Brooklyn Grey metallic paintwork, accented by the bright red lines found around the body, as well as the intimidating carbon fibre bonnet indents. Customers can have their cars finished in Alpine White solid or Sapphire Black metallic, too.
The interior remains somewhat the same as the Competition model, but sees the introduction of specially designed carbon fibre bucket seats that were designed for the nature of full-tilt track driving. The centre console is also hewn from carbon fibre which has been added in the attempt to save weight. The CSL foregoes the rear seats in place of a helmet storage space and net. As one might expect, there is a slew of CSL logos in the interior, as well as the exterior.
Only 1 000 models will be produced and the car is being unveiled at the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza , which takes place from the 20th of May to the 22nd of May. It will also highlight the achievements made during the 50-year life span of BMW’s M division. Expect the M4 CSL to make landfall in South hAfrica towards the end of 2022/the beginning of 2023.
