It’s the 50th anniversary of BMW’s M performance and motorsport division, and the company has been celebrating with a lineup of limited and special edition models all year, but it showed off something that no other BMW can hold a candle to. The new, performance-breaking 2024 BMW 3.0 CSL is the third M exclusive model announced after the upcoming BMW XM SUV and the classic BMW M1 supercar. It’s an immediate icon, looks be damned.

The new CSL (Coupe, Sport, Lightweight) is obviously modeled after the classic “Batmobile” road and race car from 50 years ago (as well as a controversial heritage BMW concept car design from 2015). The original CSL was a special, separate addition to the model lineup and was overhauled with a powerful engine and lightweight body panels, with limited road homologation and quite a few touring car competition wins under its belt.

In 1973, the original CSL won the European Touring Car Championship in its opening season, and went on to win five more times from 1975 to 1979, making it one of the most successful touring cars of its era.

The original car and its 206 hp seems quite humble today, but it weighed just 1,270 kg (2,800 lbs) and had an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 6.2 kg per hp. By comparison, the 2024 CSL BMW carries a measly 2.9 kg per hp. Still, BMW says its new 3.0 CSL is the most exclusive model the brand has ever produced, featuring the most powerful I-6 engine it’s ever engineered for road use.

While the new one isn’t a direct homologation special like the original, the 4 Series-based 2024 BMW 3.0 CSL’s power unit is sourced from the 2022 BMW DTM racing car’s straight-six engine, with a rigid crankcase in a sleeveless closed-deck design, a forged lightweight crankshaft, and a 3D-printed cylinder head core. In the road-going CSL, the engine is good for 560 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque; that might is sent to the rear axle. all 50 limited models being produced will feature a six-speed manual transmission with optional shift assist.

The new CSL gets a locking active M differential, double-joint spring strut front axle and five-link rear axle active suspension, 10-level traction control, and M carbon ceramic brakes. The original car’s performance was partially achieved in keeping the body light, helped by an aluminum hood, trunk lid, and doors, with other body panels made out of thin sheet metal and plastic.

The modern version carries the same lightweight principles, incorporating carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) parts on “virtually all bodywork sections,” according to BMW, including the roof, hood and trunk, side panels and side sills, rear diffuser, rear wing and spoiler, and front and rear aprons. The roof spoiler is a glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), and the engine bay’s precision strut bars are cast aluminum.

As for adornments, there are also model-specific lightweight, gold-painted, center-lock style wheels measuring 20 inches on the front and 21 inches at the rear that are wrapped in custom Michelin rubber, as well as a reworked kidney grille with a lattice-shaped diamond structure, and yellow-hue headlights referencing BMW’s impressive modern GT racing cars. The quad exhaust is tipped with a lightweight titanium silencer that saves 4.3 kg, or 9.5 lbs, and there are two BMW logos mounted in the heritage position on the C-pillars in the iconic “Hofmeister kink” window design.

Inside, the rear seating area has been replaced with room for two integrated helmets; the two M carbon bucket seats in black alcantara also feature removable headrests for track day helmet wearing. There’s exposed CFRP trim on the doors, which also have reduced acoustic insulation to save weight, and contrast accents and stitching in Alpine white, including the anniversary white shift lever.

BMW says the carbon body’s Alpine white base coat covers 22 individual, hand-processed panels, with carbon peeking through for the unpainted lettering on the roof and rear wing. The car goes through 8 assembly cycles and 30 pairs of specially-qualified hands, and takes up to 10 days total to complete, with all 50 units taking about three months total based out of BMW’s biggest European Dingolfing plant.

The automaker says the car had to be crash tested, but considering the low volume and Euro production, it’s unlikely very many ever make it to the U.S. We’ll be lucky if any ever see the light of day after they’re sold, given how limited they’ll be, and considering that Road & Track reported the unpublicized pricing could be as high as $780,000.

• BMW has brought back the 3.0 CSL name on a new limited-edition sports car that echoes the design of the original Seventies-era 3.0 CSL and sports a motorsports-inspired livery.
• The twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine makes 553 horsepower; it’s the most powerful inline-six used in a road-legal BMW M car ever.
• That motor is mated to a six-speed manual, and power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels. Only 50 units will be built.

Back in 2015, BMW hinted at a revival of one of its most iconic sports cars ever with the 3.0 CSL Hommage R concept. It was a muscular modern interpretation of the 3.0 CSL homologation special built in small quantities in the 1970s, which earned the nickname “Batmobile” thanks to the race car’s dramatic aerodynamic package. Now, seven years later, BMW has finally made that concept a reality, reviving the 3.0 CSL nameplate for a new limited-edition sports car that attempts to distill the core values of the M division and its illustrious motorsports history into one vehicle.

While the cabin shape and overall proportions suggest that the 3.0 CSL shares its bones with the current-generation M4, the 3.0 CSL’s bodywork is unique and one of the most eye-pleasing designs BMW has produced of late. We certainly wouldn’t call the grille small, but it’s not monstruous like the unit on the M4, new i7, or XM super SUV, and its satin aluminum trim flows neatly into the angular headlights.

The bulging fenders and double rear wing setup clearly recall the original 3.0 CSL “Batmobile,” as do the two circular air intakes carved into the front bumper and the small fins protruding from the hood.

The headlights feature yellow LED laser lights—drawing a connection to the M4 GT3 race car—and the intricate, wiry taillight LEDs are reminiscent of those on the M4 CSL. The brawny wheel arches house gold-colored center-locking wheels measuring 20 inches up front and 21 inches at the rear, wrapped in specially developed Michelin tires. The special-edition sports car also stands out thanks to its motorsport-inspired livery, with the white paint accented by stripes in the traditional BMW M colors just like the livery on the 1970s racer.

Nearly all of the bodywork is fashioned from carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP), with the weave visible in the lower trim elements, the rear wing, and the lettering on the roof, and most of the carbon components are manufactured by hand.

The same twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six found in the M3 and M4 lies at the heart of the 3.0 CSL, but it has been tuned to make it the most powerful inline-six ever used in a road-legal BMW M car, spitting out 553 horsepower, a 50-pony increase over the M4 Competition. Torque output remains at 406 pound-feet, the same as the non-Competition-spec M4, and all of this shove is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.

The 3.0-liter makes use of technical know-how from BMW’s DTM racing program, with a rigid crankcase, forged lightweight crankshaft, and a 3D-printed cylinder head core, as well as a specially designed oil supply and cooling system.

To help manage all of that power, an active M differential on the rear axle works with the stability control to maintain traction and prevent drivers from putting their limited-edition sports car into a wall. The front suspension uses a double-joint spring strut setup while the rear suspension is a multi-link design, paired with adaptive dampers and variable-ratio electric power steering. Carbon-ceramic brakes are used to slow the 3.0 CSL, with six-piston fixed-caliper stoppers up front and single-piston fixed-caliper brakes at the rear.

The calipers are painted red, and the traction control system has 10 selectable levels of intervention, helping customize the driving experience.

The cabin ditches the rear seats for a storage compartment that can fit two helmets, and carbon fiber has infiltrated the cockpit, with CFRP on the door panels and the two bucket seats making extensive use of the lightweight material. The dashboard design is largely similar to the M4’s, and black Alcantara covers the seats, steering wheel, and parts of the dashboard. White contrast stitching compliments the unique gearshift knob, which has a retro design with the number 50 engraved into it to remind you just how exclusive the 3.0 CSL is.

That number references the fact that BMW will only build 50 units of the 3.0 CSL, with the entire production run lasting just three months at BMW’s Dingolfing plant in Moosthenning, Germany. There’s no word yet on price, but given the limited production run, we expect it to cost significantly more than M4 Competition coupe’s $79,595 starting price, and likely even higher than the M4 CSL’s $140,895 cost. Prospective buyers will also need to act fast—with so few units available, it probably won’t be long before they are all snapped up.

2023 BMW 3.0 CSL—The Return of an Icon, Limited to 50 Units

50 units, 560 horsepower with a six-speed manual and a price tag of 750,000 euros

BMW M needed something big for its 50th anniversary. It couldn’t just trot out some 50 Jahre editions and head to lunch. No, it needed something jaw-dropping, something to blow the minds of enthusiasts. And what better way to do that than to bring back a beloved icon from the past. And here it is—the BMW 3.0 CSL.

This new BMW 3.0 CSL shares nothing but its name with the 1970s classic. The original 3.0 CSL was a race car, born in German Touring car racing, and was highly successful. When it debuted as a road car, it shared a ton with the actual race car but it was also civilized, comfortable, and achingly pretty. This new car, though, isn’t that. The 2023 BMW 3.0 CSL revival isn’t based off of a race car like the original was.

Handmade 50 Units

Instead, this new BMW 3.0 CSL revival is a mostly handmade, extremely limited, driver’s car version of a BMW M4. Only 50 of these new CSLs will ever be made, all of them taking about three months total to make. And while it’s built on the BMW M4, it’s a very different car once it hits the road.

The body of the 3.0 CSL is almost entirely made from carbon fiber. Almost every single body panel is made from CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) and goes through a meticulous painting process by hand, which takes around six days. The paint process has eight steps, including sanding and different coats, and a specialized assembly line was built just for the construction and finishing of the CSL’s carbon body panels. The aero bits, such as the rear wing, are made from fiberglass.

What’s the benefit of that weight savings? A total curb weight of 1,624 kg (3,580 lbs). Which, shockingly, isn’t too much lighter than an M4 CSL, despite having an entirely carbon fiber body.

One Color – Alpine White

All 3.0 CSLs will be painted in Alpine White with the BMW M stripe livery, to honor the original 3.0 CSL’s racing livery. The big fixed rear wing is also a tribute to the original car. Speaking of tributes, it’s clear that the BMW 3.0 CSL’s design was heavily inspired by the 3.0 CSL Hommage concept car from a few years back. Its lovely looking kidney grille sits a bit upright, again to honor the original, its hips are wide, and it sits quite low. It’s the best looking thing BMW M has made in a long time and it’s not even close.

Inside, the BMW 3.0 CSL gets the same hardcore racing bucket seats that are available on the M4 CSL, carbon fiber door panels, more carbon fiber trim, and almost no sound deadening to speak of. So it’s going to be loud inside. The back seats were also replaced with a spot to store helmets, just like the M4 CSL.

 

560 HP, RWD and 6-Speed Manual

Under the hood of the BMW 3.0 CSL is a slightly tuned version of the M4 CSL’s 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six. For 3.0 CSL-duty, it makes 560 horsepower, which isn’t up too much from the M4 CSL but is enough to make it the most powerful six-cylinder BMW in history. The engine develops a maximum torque of 550 Nm at 7,200 rpm. With its 560 horsepower and relatively low (by modern standards) curb weight, it has a kilogram-to-horsepower ratio of just 2.9, versus the 6.2 of the original car. BMW didn’t release power figures just yet but it’s likely going to be quick.

However, don’t expect it to be a drag race-monster, dominating cars off the line. Rather than a rapid-shifting dual-clutch gearbox or even the M4 CSL’s eight-speed automatic, the BMW 3.0 CSL has a six-speed manual transmission. It’s slower than a good automatic but it’s more engaging. The manual’s gear knob, interestingly, is white with the manufacturer number on it.

It also gets re-tuned M Adaptive dampers, revised steering, and tweaked chassis mounts for better feel and feedback through the controls.

With only 50 models ever being made, it’s unlikely you or I will ever see one in person. However, it’s cool to know it exists and that BMW was willing to build it. On paper, its specs aren’t anything to shout about—it’s only a bit lighter than an M4 Coupe and only a bit more powerful than the CSL—but its carbon fiber body and six-speed manual make it special. Can it live up to the ancestral name? We’ll just have to wait and see.

BMW has not confirmed yet the price tag, but we’ve talked about it before based on info from sources: 750,000 euros. Most units are destined for Europe, but a couple might end up in garages in North America as collector’s pieces since they are not homologated for this market.

 

BMW Revives Iconic 3.0 CSL with High Price Tag, Super-Powerful Straight-Six Engine

Available in Coupe, Sport, and Lightweight, the new CSL is clearly modeled after the classic “Batmobile” road and race car from five decades ago. Image credit: BMW.

To celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary of its performance and motorsport division, BMW has been releasing a series of limited and special edition models throughout 2022. And the cream of the crop in terms of these limited releases is coming in the form of a revival to the iconic BWM brand: the new, very powerful – and very expensive – 2024 BMW 3.0 CSL.

Available in Coupe, Sport, and Lightweight, the new CSL is clearly modeled after the classic “Batmobile” road and race car from five decades ago. The original CSL was a high-powered vehicle that participated in – and won – a number of touring car competitions throughout the 1970s, and while it’s original 206 horsepower engine may seem somewhat tame by today’s standards, its upcoming successor does a more than adequate job of upping the ante in terms of what’s under the hood.

According to BMW, the 2024 CSL features the most powerful I-6 engine the company has ever engineered for road use, sourced from the 2022 BMW DTM racing car’s straight-six engine; it boasts 560 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque, with all of that power being transported to the vehicle’s rear axle via a six-speed manual transmission with optional shift assist.

The new CSL gets a locking active M differential, double-joint spring strut front axle and five-link rear axle active suspension, 10-level traction control, and M carbon ceramic brakes. The overall body mirrors the original CSL’s lightweight body design, featuring carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) parts on “virtually all bodywork sections,” according to BMW.

There will only be 50 of the 2024 CSLs produced over the course of three months, with a special custom process for the paint job and numerous hand-made components. And all of that power and style won’t come cheap- while the specific price has yet to be revealed, reports indicate that BMW could be asking for as much as $780,000 when the CSL hits retail in Europe in late 2023.