BMW reveals its most capable coupe yet, the 2023 M4 CSL
It’s a busy week for BMW. After revealing the 2023 3 Series a few days ago, the Bavarian automaker has now taken the covers off its latest M coupe that is both lightweight and powerful – hence its CSL (coupe, sports, lightweight) designation.
Feast your eyes on the 2023 BMW M4 CSL. It now serves as the fastest and most powerful road-going M4 to date and comes with a wide array of body, powertrain, interior, and chassis upgrades.
Under the hood of the M4 CSL is a souped-up 3.0-liter inline-six. It comes with TwinPower Turbo technology found in the M4 GT3 race car that allows it to crank out 550 PS and 650 Nm of torque from 2750 to 5950 RPM. Power is then sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic.
With the engine focused on producing high-revs and maximum power, the straight-six benefits from a sleeve-free crankcase and closed-deck construction that makes it extremely rigid. It also has a forged lightweight crankshaft that allows the engine to handle high levels of torque, as well as a cylinder head core made using 3D printing techniques. Both the cooling and oil supply systems are designed to handle the rigors of track driving.
Meanwhile, the twin-tailpipe exhaust system has electrically-controlled flaps and a lightweight titanium rear silencer that generates a race car-inspired engine note unique to the M4 CSL.
As for its exterior, BMW made generous use of exposed carbon fiber, particularly on the hood of the M4 CSL. Not only that but the roof and trunk are made out of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) to further shed weight, The body itself, on the other hand, is painted in a unique Frozen Brooklyn Gray Metallic finish as standard. Paired with the exposed carbon-fiber surfaces and red accents, it creates a visually expressive look. Alternatively, customers can also specify their M4 CSL in either Alpine White or Sapphire Black Metallic.
Other visual enhancements also provide extra performance for the vehicle. These include the modified kidney grilles that optimize cooling, the aggressive front bumper and body kit that aid in delivering downforce, and a ducktail spoiler at the rear that aids in keeping the M4 CSL planted to the asphalt.
With an emphasis on making the M4 CSL as light as possible, the standard seats have been removed and replaced by M Carbon full bucket seats. This allowed them to reduce the weight of the coupe by 24 kg. Another 21 kg was reduced from the M4 CSL by deleting the rear seats and seat belts. BMW even pared down the amount of soundproofing by switching to ultra-lightweight sound insulation which saved around 15 kg. Meanwhile, other components are made out of CFRP which deducted some 11 kg from the vehicle’s curb weight.
Combined with the exterior carbon-fiber components, use of CFRP, lightweight titanium rear silencer, M Carbon ceramic brakes, and lightweight alloy wheels, springs, and struts, BMW says the M4 CSL only tips the scales at 1,625 kg. BMW even went to the trouble of modifying the kidney grilles, rear lights, floor mats, and automatic climate control to save an extra 4 kg. All of these result in a power-to-weight ratio of 2.95 kg per HP (or 4.01 g per kW) which BMW claims is the ideal platform for a dynamically sublime driving experience.
BMW also installed a model-specific suspension that lowers the ride height by 0.3-inches. This allows the M4 CSL to be lower than the M4 Competition. It even has bespoke suspension parts that are only specific to the latest CSL coupe. These include the anti-roll bars, wheel camber settings, and dampers. Last but not least, all four corners are fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires.
With the ability to go from 0 – 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and achieve a top speed of 307 km/h (electronically limited), it’s no wonder the M4 CSL was able to go around the Nurburgring in a record 7:20.207.
Interested in getting one for yourself? Better be quick as BMW will only make 1,000 examples of the 2023 M4 CSL.
Keyword: Mean machine: All-new BMW M4 CSL revealed with 550 PS