The 3.0 CSL was the highlight of BMW M’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2022 as a modern revival of the 3.0 CSL E9. Only 50 units were ever produced for a rumored price tag of €750,000, therefore making it the most expensive new BMW in history. One of the cars was subsequently sold for over €1 million and there’s another one up for grabs if you’re willing to part with €1.25 million.
Deliveries started in the first months of 2023 and ended later the same year in October. Attached at the bottom, a new video shows us the last of the breed, the 50/50 example. It has Monaco plates and a left-hand-drive configuration, although a handful of these cars were built with a right-hand-drive layout. BMW sold these vehicles with a fixed specification since all had an Alpine White uni paint job with an M livery on the Batmobile-esque body sitting on centerlock wheels. One day, we hope to see that beautiful kidney grille on regular models.
Much like the M4 CSL upon which it was based, the 3.0 CSL rolled off from the factory strictly as a two-seater coupe with rear-wheel drive. It uses the same “S58” engine but BMW M massaged the twin-turbo inline-six to extract an additional 10 horsepower. At 560 hp, the ultra-rare performance machine features the most potent six-cylinder engine fitted to a street-legal BMW/M car.
A bigger difference between the two CSLs is the adoption of a six-speed manual transmission to replace the eight-speed automatic. Adding the clutch pedal and a stick shift meant BMW had to downgrade torque by 100 Nm (74 lb-ft) to 550 Nm (404 lb-ft) to make sure the 6MT remained reliable over time. As to how much this would’ve become a real problem given how owners are unlikely to drive the cars that often, we’ll never know.
This final 3.0 CSL has covered 831 kilometers (516 miles) since it was delivered a few months ago. We wager this will remain one of the few videos allowing us to see the ultimate M4 in action since most cars will spend the better part of their lives in climate-controlled garages.
Although it’s a modern take on an iconic car, the 3.0 CSL isn’t a hardcore special edition for purists since you still have iDrive, a wireless charging pad, AC, and all the amenities of a car built in 2023. The dashboard has been largely carried over from the 4 Series Coupe (G22) and its M4 Coupe (G82) counterpart before the transition to the latest infotainment system. Given the exorbitant price tag, it would’ve made more sense to develop a completely bespoke cabin, but sadly that wasn’t the case.
Despite its downsides, the 3.0 CSL was a hit as BMW had no issues with finding 50 buyers for its restyled M4 CSL with three pedals.
Source: GMK / YouTube
