The All-New BMW M4 CSL
Fusing old-school racing passion with innovative technology.
As its 50th birthday celebrations gather pace, BMW M is unveiling a new BMW M4 CSL, fusing old-school racing passion with innovative technology to create the ultimate performance experience. Its character is defined by a power hike of 40hp over the current BMW M4 Competition Coupé to 550hp and a host of meticulous weight-saving measures.
The BMW M4 Competition Coupé already features a roof made from CFRP, cutting weight and lowering its centre of gravity, which in turn enhances agility. The body of the BMW M4 CSL also includes the use of carbon-fibre for the bonnet and boot lid.
The CFRP bonnet is approximately 1.2kg lighter than the BMW M4 Competition Coupé’s aluminium item. Its carbon-fibre structure is revealed by two unpainted, red-outlined indents extending in line with the BMW kidney grille to the edge of the bonnet. Red accent lines also emphasise the two fins on the CFRP roof and the contours of the extended side sills.
The Frozen Brooklyn Grey metallic exterior paint finish is exclusive to the BMW M4 CSL, with Alpine White and Sapphire Black also available. Classic “BMW Motorsport” emblems for the bonnet, boot lid and wheel centres are also available, recalling the 1973 originals.
Both in the welcome effect triggered when unlocking the doors and when the low and high beam are switched on, the BMW Laserlight headlights illuminate in yellow rather than white, bringing to mind the look of successful GT racing cars.
The rear lights of the new BMW M4 CSL use an innovative technology making its debut in a series-produced car. All light functions use LED units, while the covers have intricate light threads woven into them, illuminated using laser technology. The threads run parallel to one another before crossing over at the outer edges to create a stunning interpretation of the hallmark BMW L-shaped rear light contour. Illuminated “BMW Laser” lettering on the light covers hints at the innovative technology below the surface.
The model badges on the rear, front side panels and BMW kidney grille also have a new design, with black surfaces and red outline.
The lightweight coupé only has seats for the driver and front passenger, but these are no ordinary seats. The M Carbon racing bucket seats were developed exclusively for the BMW M4 CSL with the focus firmly on track driving. Their carbon-fibre structure and deliberate lack of comfort features such as heating and lumbar adjustment allowed weight to be reduced by 24kg. Their pronounced contours offer an extremely high level of lateral support and an integrated side airbag, while cut-outs enable the use of a six-point harness. The seats have a fixed backrest angle, while the seat height can only be adjusted in a workshop using a three-stage screw linkage. The forward/back adjustments can be made manually using a lever on the front edge of the seat. The head restraints can be disassembled for track use to avoid interfering with a helmet.
Trimmed in black leather with red Alcantara inserts for the outer backrest surfaces and head restraints, contrast stitching in the colours of BMW M adorn both the seat bolsters and the seat belts.
The CSL model badge is displayed in the information display of the standard BMW Live Cockpit Professional, comprising a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch control display. The interaction between the driver and vehicle can take place via touch control on the control display, the iDrive Controller, the multifunction buttons on the steering wheel or voice control. BMW Live Cockpit Professional also includes the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, cloud-based navigation system BMW Maps, telephony with wireless charging, smartphone integration enabling the use of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two USB ports for data transfer, a Wi-Fi interface, and numerous advanced digital services. Standard equipment also includes a 10-speaker HiFi system with a 205-watt amplifier.
The BMW Head-Up Display is available as an option for the new BMW M4 CSL as part of the Ultimate Road Pack, supporting the driver to focus on the task at hand by projecting relevant information onto the windscreen. It includes M-specific elements such as a colour rev counter, Shift Lights and M View. In addition, the Ultimate Road Pack for the M4 CSL also includes Comfort Access, Driving Assistant, Parking Assistant, Folding Wing Mirrors with automatic dimming and Wireless mobile phone charging.
