For a lot of BMW enthusiasts, the BMW M4 has been a bit of a mixed bag. The standard car is considered by many to be too numb and lacking engagement. BMW then came out with the Competition Package for the M4, which made it slightly sharper, more enjoyable to drive and better looking. And while much improved, it still wasn’t quite as dynamic as its predecessors. So when BMW developed the M4 GTS, many fans thought it would return to form. But the GTS is too violent, too hardcore and far too expensive. So many fans have been hoping for something in between those two, something that offers them a good compromise of track-oriented performance with some everyday usability. Now, they have this — the BMW M4 CS.
In this new video from CarAdvice, we take an up close look at why the BMW M4 CS is the Goldilocks variant of the M4. Basically, it pulls some bits from the Competition Package and some bits from the GTS to make the best M4 possible for the road.
Under the hood lies a slightly breathed on version of the M4 Competition Package’s 3.0 liter twin-turbo I6 engine. So it makes 460 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque, which is up 16 hp and 17 lb-ft over the Comp Pack car. It gets the brand’s seven-speed DCT as-standard, with no manual option, and can get from 0-60 mph in a claimed 3.9 seconds. I imagine it will actually be a tenth or two quicker than that, as the Comp Pack M4 is rated for the same and this new M4 CS is more powerful but also lighter.
Speaking of lighter, BMW took a lot of the M4 GTS’ weight-savings techniques and applied them to the M4 CS. So the hood is the same carbon fiber unit as the GTS’, as is the carbon fiber propshaft and most of the interior is fitted with the same exposed carbon fiber panels. So it’s very stripped out inside, compared to an M4 Comp Pack, but still has more space, comfort and luxury than the GTS. Oh, and it doesn’t have a roll cage. It also ditches some sound deadening inside and the augmented speaker engine sound, just like the GTS. So it’s a purer driver’s car than the Comp Pack M4.
Apparently, all of this has paid off. In this video, we see that the new M4 CS not only looks better than all of its sibling variants but it drivers better as well. With a tweaked Competition Package suspension and exhaust, along with the lighter weight and extra power, the M4 CS is the sharpest road-oriented variant of the M4. It’s also probably more enjoyable to drive than the M4 GTS, as it isn’t as compromised for the road.
If you’ve been wanting a BMW M4 but just don’t feel as connected to it as you’d like, try the BMW M4 CS on for size and see how it fits. If you’re going to buy any M4, this new M4 CS seems to be the one to get.
