AutoTrader SCORE
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STYLING9.0/10
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Safety8.0/10
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PRACTICALITY8.0/10
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USER-FRIENDLINESS7.0/10
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FEATURES7.0/10
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POWER10.0/10
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COMFORT4.0/10
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DRIVING FEEL10.0/10
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FUEL ECONOMY5.0/10
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VALUE8.0/10
BMW has amped up its electric vehicle (EV) efforts in recent years, rolling out some impressive emissions-free cars and crossovers.
What’s lost in all the hype, however, is the conventional stuff the brand is still building precisely because of those EVs. Looking at the lineup a little more closely, there’s an entire ensemble of mechanical masterpieces on the market today, including the 2024 BMW M3 CS. While it may be disguised as a sedan, this limited-edition version of the brand’s benchmark performance machine isn’t going to win any prizes for comfort or convenience — but plenty of others are up for grabs, and well within reach of this four-door sports car killer.
User-Friendliness: 7/10
As the most hardcore M3 on the market, almost everything about this CS version — short for Competition Sport — is geared towards turning in faster lap times. That means more than just performance enhancements, with the cabin feeling somewhat spartan compared to a lesser version of this car. No, fabric door pulls aren’t part of the package, but the cup holders have been scrapped, and so has the console bin and corresponding lid that would otherwise provide a place to rest an elbow.
Comfort: 4/10
Admittedly, those are minor annoyances, although they become decidedly less so in everyday driving scenarios. Likewise, the fundamentals of this car aren’t exactly geared towards casual cruising. The adjustable bolsters on the carbon fibre-backed bucket seats are incredibly narrow even in their most generous settings, wind and road noise fills the cabin at anything above school-zone speeds, and the suspension is harder than a one-handed Rubik’s Cube.
Driving Feel: 10/10
It’s when driving with enthusiasm that those literal and figurative pain points turn into proper assets. Two hands on the suede-wrapped steering wheel, a water bottle in the door pocket, and the seat bolsters cinched even tighter — that’s the way to engage Asphalt Attack Mode. That’s when all the noises that almost annoyingly flood the cabin during more mundane drives become a sequence of important clues telling you exactly what’s happening as you hustle the M3 CS along.
The steering rack is incredibly responsive, with changes of direction happening with the quickness of a water strider, while the sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires wrapped around staggered wheels — 19-inch front, 20-inch rear — keep the car playfully planted. The stiff suspension pays dividends here, too, with the M3 CS remaining on an even plane no matter how aggressively it’s chucked into a corner.
Power: 10/10
All that good stuff is how this BMW makes best use of the parts that make it go — and boy, does it ever. It uses the same twin-turbocharged straight six-cylinder found in the rest of the M3 lineup, with technology borrowed directly from BMW’s M4 GT3 race program, including a 3D-printed cylinder head core and forged crankshaft. With the boost dial cranked up to 30.5 psi (compared to the M3 Competition’s 24.7 psi), the 3.0L makes 543 hp to go with 479 lb-ft of torque.
Now for what some might consider the bad news: this version of the M3 can’t be had with a manual transmission. But for a car built to extract every fraction of a second from its lap times, an automatic is the only answer. (Besides, it probably matters little to the 2,000 or so people around the world who will be lucky enough to get their hands on this machine.)
In reality, the eight-speed unit is an outstanding piece of equipment. Play with the paddles, rock the shifter, or leave it alone — this transmission will ring out every possible ounce of performance from the powertrain and get it to the surface below. On that note, while the M3 CS is fitted with all-wheel drive, the stability control system functions in a way that allows it to be disengaged so this sedan can send all its output to the rear wheels.
Fuel Economy: 5/10
Cars like this one command a premium at the pumps, with expensive 93-octane called for here — and rightly so, in order for this engine to perform at its best. (Look at the bright side — at least it doesn’t require race fuel.) It burns a lot of it, too, with a combined rating of 13.2 L/100 km that’s sure to jump even higher at the track.
Practicality: 8/10
Stiff, loud, and a little uncomfortable — all three apply here. But then the fact the M3 CS is a sedan makes it inherently more practical than an M4 or Porsche 911. There’s seating for four, a properly usable trunk, and even mounting points up top for a pair of crossbars and whatever accessories you want to strap up there.
Features: 7/10
In what shouldn’t come as a surprise, most of the features here are of the go-fast variety. There’s that upgraded engine and slick all-wheel drive system, not to mention the transmission’s so-called Drivelogic settings that allow the aggressiveness of the gear changes to be adjusted using a button on the back of the shifter. There’s also the adaptive suspension system, variable differential, and digital tools including a lap timer.
In spite of its singular focus on going faster, the M3 CS has a few modern niceties, too. The front seats are heated, for example, while the infotainment system includes wireless connectivity for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There’s also dual-zone automatic climate control, an integrated garage door opener, and a power trunk.
Safety: 8/10
Advanced driver assistance systems and parking sensors are part of the package, too, although you’d be hard-pressed to find a use for them on the track. That doesn’t mean they’re entirely unwelcome, although they’re likely to spend more time disabled than in use.
Styling: 9/10
The oblong shape of the grille BMW’s designers slapped on the latest M3 — as well as every version of its 4 Series sibling — still garners its share of criticism, although the simplified treatment here manages to somehow soften the visual blow a bit. And while the inserts aren’t finished in carbon fibre, it seems like every exterior element that isn’t painted (and even the hood, which is) is done up in that stylish and lightweight material.
In classic M car fashion, there’s nothing too garish about this sedan. Yes, this tester’s searing Signal Green paint ($4,000) tells of its sinister sensibilities, but even then, it isn’t an especially in-your-face automobile. And the interior is equally understated-ish. There’s plenty of carbon fibre trim to go with red accent stitching; and the seatbelts front and back feature the M division’s signature trio of colours. But it’s all tastefully tied together while looking every bit like the road-going race car this is.
Value: 8/10
As a limited-edition version of the M3, this car commands a big price tag. It starts at $148,000 before fees and taxes, which is similar to a base Porsche 911. Options are limited to pricey ones like this tester’s paint job and carbon ceramic brakes ($10,900). Yes, that all adds up to a very expensive — and very focused — car, but in an era where the likes of the all-electric Porsche Taycan will set you back at least that much, this M3 makes a pretty compelling case for those lucky enough to afford either of them.
The Verdict
Ultimately, there’s no comparing an electric sedan to a gas-powered performance one like this, and that’s mostly because the 2024 BMW M3 CS is in a category all its own. Every pebble and pressure crack is felt through the steering wheel, and every rev of the engine finds its way through the firewall. It makes this M3 the great communicator — a car that relays every bit of relevant information to the driver.
That’s not a slight against the Taycan or any other EV. In fact, it’s officially time to stop bemoaning them — not just because there are plenty of good ones out there, but because they make room for cars like the M3 CS in the first place. While that might seem like an exceptionally rosy outlook, it’s very much grounded in reality. The more zero-emissions vehicles a brand like BMW sells, the lower its fleet emissions average; the lower its fleet emissions average, the more flexibility it has to build cars like this one well into the future. Now that’s the kind of optimism even the most ardent automotive enthusiast can get behind.
| Engine Displacement | 3.0L |
|---|---|
| Engine Cylinders | Turbo I6 |
| Peak Horsepower | 543 @ 6,250 rpm |
| Peak Torque | 479 @ 2,750-5,950 rpm |
| Fuel Economy | 15.3 / 10.6 / 13.2 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb |
| Cargo Space | 480 L |
| Model Tested | 2024 BMW M3 CS |
| Base Price | $148,000 |
| A/C Tax | $100 |
| Destination Fee | N/A |
| Price as Tested | $163,00 |
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Optional Equipment
$14,900 — Carbon ceramic brakes, $10,900; Signal Green paint, $4,000
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