The ultimate BMW M4 debuted in May, with the automaker packing more power into the lighter coupe to create the M4 CSL. Production started over the summer, but BMW didn’t produce many of them, only building 1,000 for the world. Motorsport Magazine had one, took it to the Magny-Cours Circuit to see how fast it would get through the track.
BMW powers the M4 CSL with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six from the automaker. The factory produces 543 horsepower (404 kilowatts) and 479 pound-feet (640 Newton-meters) of torque, with BMW raising the thrust pressure from 24.7 to 30.5 psi. The car makes 40 horsepower more than the M4 Competition that serves as the base of the CSL, but a recent dyno run has shown that it does a lot more.

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The M4 CSL also tackles the Nurburgring race track, taking just 7:20.2 to complete a lap around the Nordschleife circuit, making it the fastest series production BMW ever to make a lap in a field. The automaker says the coupe will hit 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in 3.6 seconds, reaching 120 mph (193 kph) in 10.5 seconds. Motorsport Magazine put the M4 CSL through an acceleration test earlier this year and hit 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and 120 mph in 10.9, both on par with the company’s performance claims.
The M4 CSL recorded Magny-Cours in a time of 1:20.10, beating the M4 GTS which took 1:20.40 to cross the track. The M4 CSL also outperformed the Porsche 992 Carrera S. However, BMW lost to the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS by almost a second, with Porsche returning with a time of 1:19.13.
The M4 CSL distinguishes itself from the M4 Competition with its unique visual and performance capabilities. The revised CSL suspension reduces ride height by 0.3 inches. It has massive 15.7-inch front brakes and massive 15.0-inch brakes at the rear, which sit behind 20 and 21-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires. The BMW M4 CSL 2023 has a starting price of $140,895. , which includes a $995 destination fee.