BMW once again treats us to an M4 CS, the perfect balance between comfort and radicalness

It is not the first time that BMW has had an M4 CS in its lineup; not so long ago, the previous generation was also part of its range, and once again it will follow the principles of its predecessor. With the new M4 CS we will also have ample comfort and amenities similar to those of the M4 Competition, without becoming as spartan as the M4 CSL, but inheriting from the latter its bite and sportiness.

But let us delve a little deeper into the new M4 CS to see why it is as radical as the M4 CSL while also serving as an everyday car like the M4 Competition, potentially becoming the perfect sports car in every respect. On the outside, the M4 CS will be easily distinguishable from its siblings, with, for example, a kidney grille that eliminates its frame and is replaced by red contour lines, a similar effect that is also applied to the M4 CS badges on the grille itself and on the tailgate.

A detail I absolutely love is the stylised daytime running lights of its front headlights that illuminate in yellow, a nod to GT-category vehicles, while at the rear the same Laserlight technology is used for the taillights, first installed on the M4 CSL. Indeed, the M4 CSL also made use of carbon fibre elements to reduce its weight, and these are carried over to the M4 CS, such as the front splitter, the roof, the mirror housings and the rear spoiler, among others. It will be available in the colours M Brooklyn Grey metallic and Sapphire Black metallic, as well as in two other exclusive colours for this model, the BMW Individual Riviera Blue and Frozen Isle of Man Green Metallic.

Once inside the BMW M4 CS, we see how the concept of this model also aims to convey a greater sense of comfort, and a direct example of this is its rear seats, which are removed on the M4 CSL to provide space for helmets. That is not the only change, as the front seats will feature M Carbon seats upholstered in Merino leather, combining red and black colours with contrasting stitching, and these seats also come with electric adjustment and heating functions. There are also other details such as carbon fibre trim, a steering wheel upholstered in Alcantara and an anthracite-coloured roof.

The BMW Curved Display, made up of a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch screen for the infotainment system, shows indications and graphics specific to BMW M, as well as the M Drive Professional system with track-use functions such as the M Drift Analyser or the M Laptimer. There is also a Head-Up Display with M-specific graphics, along with other everyday features such as the BMW Maps navigation system, phone integration with wireless charging and WiFi interface; not to mention other systems such as Comfort Access, an alarm, dual-zone automatic climate control, the Harman Kardon sound system, parking distance control, parking assistant, forward collision warning, lane departure warning and speed limit information system, all as standard.

Turning to the mechanical side, the BMW M4 CS holds nothing back. Its 3.0-litre six-cylinder inline engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology features exactly the same improvements as those made to the M4 CSL, so power remains at 550 CV along with 650 Nm of torque, which is sent to all four wheels through the eight-speed M Steptronic gearbox and M xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive. This is the major mechanical difference from the M4 CSL, where power was sent exclusively to the rear axle, whereas the M4 CS has intelligent all-wheel drive, although rear-axle bias depends on the chosen driving mode.

On the power scale, it sits 20 CV above the M4 Competition with M xDrive, while compared with the previous M4 CS it represents a power increase of 90 CV. This also allows it to beat the 7 minutes and 38 seconds with which its predecessor set its best lap at the Nürburgring, now lowering the time to 7 minutes and 21.989 seconds for the 2024 M4 CS. These improvements are partly due to the performance of its powertrain, with which it is capable of a 0 to 100 km/h sprint in just 3.4 seconds and reaching 200 km/h in 11.1 seconds, before reaching a limited top speed of 302 km/h.

Finally, it should be noted that the BMW M4 CS will come as standard with M Compound brakes, with painted calipers in red or black, and optionally M carbon ceramic brakes with painted calipers in red or matte gold. Behind these brakes are 19-inch wheels on the front axle and 20-inch wheels on the rear axle, fitted as standard with track tyres, with the option of high-performance tyres if the car will be used more for everyday road driving or, at an additional cost, ultra-track tyres.

The new BMW M4 CS will be built in a limited run, and for the moment the brand has not revealed the number of units available, nor its price and availability in Spain, details we will have to wait to learn.