BMW officially previews new M3 CS Touring

‘Fast is about to meet faster’ says the accompanying social media tagline. That pretty much sums up the mentality behind the incoming M3 CS wagon, officially teased for the first time over the weekend. In ‘standard’ format, the car is already a fully paid-up member of the sub-4-second-to-62mph club – the Competition Sport variant, which has previously been seen testing you know where, ought to shave another tenth or so off its sprint time, while earning many of the same tweaks that were applied to the saloon back in 2023. 

Primary among them will be the CS’s slightly more aggressive look and yellow-tint DRLs, the badge-specific splitter distinguishable here despite the presence of so much camouflage. The read end, it seems, may have been left alone – although you’d have to assume that forged wheels and an exposed carbon bonnet are in the mix. Increased use of composite ought to contribute to some claimed weight loss, but expect this to be no more trifling than in the saloon, which only shed 10-15kg from the M3’s hefty total. 

Consequently, it’ll be the CS’s improved power output that’ll be taking up most of the upgrade slack, the wagon almost certainly sharing its sibling’s 550hp output. The same modification brought with it no more torque, although as Matt found out at the time, the increase in boost pressure did lead to an appropriate upgrade in straight-line enthusiasm. Nonetheless, expect the CS’s chassis modifications – previously distinguished from standard by auxiliary springs and sturdier anti-roll bars – to deliver the most telling difference on the road. 

Needless to say, the premium required to get it onto the road is likely to be substantial. The standard M3 Touring starts at £87,945; when we drove it in the UK at launch, the CS was from £115,955. So there’s no reason to expect much change from £125k, especially as Touring production is almost certain to be limited. We’ll know for certain soon enough. BMW offers no hints as to the car’s reveal, although almost certainly it’s due in the coming months. Soon enough for a public unveiling at this year’s Festival of Speed? We wouldn’t bet against it.