When it came time for me to finally test the BMW M4 CSL, I have to admit I was a bit nervous. Prior to driving it, I’d been told that the CSL can and will bite and that it’s capable of lighting up its rear tires at will. So when it was my turn to have a go, on a gorgeous canyon road in Palm Springs, California, I was apprehensive to push it hard. However, I soon found that my worries were misguided and the horror stories of the CSL’s biting nature were exaggerated. Not only will it not bite unless you do something truly stupid but it has so much grip, it immediately inspires confidence.
My time with the CSL on the canyon road was admittedly quite short. Most of my time in it was spent on the road, in traffic. However, that gave me a chance to feel it in normal circumstances as well as twisty canyon driving, which in turn have me a more well-rounded idea of what the M4 CSL is and who it’s for.
This is the third CSL in BMW history. The first two were the iconic 3.0 CSL and the legendary E46 M3 CSL. The latter of which is most famous, as it is still regarded by many BMW enthusiasts as the best driving car the brand has ever made. The name “CSL” stands for Competition Sport Lightweight. It originally stood for Coupe Sport Lightweight, but since some sedans have gotten the “CS” name, BMW figured the “Coupe” part of the name needed amending.
The BMW M4 CSL is obviously based on the standard M4 but it’s lighter (still quite heavy, though, at 3,64o lbs), more focused, and more powerful. It’s a stripped out, track-oriented, hardcore performance machine that isn’t for the faint of heart of weak of spine.
Its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged I6 makes 543 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, all of which is sent through the same eight-speed auto as the M4 Competition. Power only goes to the rear wheels, though, which…
