Beem into the fast lane

By ALASTAIR SLOANE motoring editor

The quickest-ever BMW M3 sports coupe goes on sale in New Zealand in November, with a couple of pre-sale conditions about tyres and removal of the electronic rev-limiter. The limited-edition M3 CSL, a carbon-fibre lightweight described as "the ultimate expression of BMW's muscular DNA dynamism", goes into production in Munich next month.

New Zealand will get 10 cars only - each costing $199,000 - and all 10 have been sold to buyers in the Auckland area.

The M3 CSL weighs 1385kg - 110kg less than the standard M3. BMW replaced sheet steel with composites for load-bearing body panels as well as key structural members, such as the roof. The seat shells, too, are glass-reinforced plastic.

These savings in weight, combined with changes to the engine management system, air-induction and exhaust, valves and valve timing, and a motorsport-tweaked, six-speed sequential gearbox result in a "devastatingly quick and responsive car".

Faster steering, bigger front brakes, wider front track and a new tubular antiroll bar join a tweaked rear suspension to "erase all traces of understeer and deliver utterly faithful cornering, even at extreme three-figure speeds", says the luxury carmaker.

The naturally aspirated 3.2-litre straight-six engine now produces 265kW (360bhp) at 7900 rpm and 370Nm of torque at 4900rpm. This works out to a record 81.9kW/litre. The standard 252kW/365Nm M3 unit produces 77.6 kW/litre.

BMW says the the CSL whips through the zero to 100km/h sprint in 4.9sec and on to 200km/h in 16.8sec, both times marginally quicker than the standard M3.

The CSL comes with an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h but BMW can remove the limiter if the buyer holds a Motorsport New Zealand competition licence. The CSL will then run out to around 280km/h. This is the first time BMW New Zealand has offered the option.

Buyers will also have a choice of running the CSL on dedicated Michelin Pilot Sport Cup semi-competition tyres, or all-round rubber.

The special CSL alloy wheels are sized at 8.5J x 19, with 235/35R 19 tyres for the front and 9.5J x 19 265/30 R19 for the rear. The Sport Cup tyres work best when warm and their wet weather performance may not be as good as general-application tyres.

Customers who choose the Sport Cup rubber will be asked to sign a release form acknowledging that the street legal race tyres are heavily biased to provide significantly improved dry road adhesion.

The standard alloy wheels are 8J x 19 front and 9J x 19 rear shod with 225/40 R19 and 255/35 R19 rubber.

A discrete rear spoiler and front apron with extra air intake and no fog lamps are the main exterior clues to the M3 CSL.

The car is available only in Black Sapphire or Silver Grey paint with complementary dark cloth seat trim.

The Alcantara-rimmed M-sport steering wheel has a special mode switch for rapid departures via the six-speed SMG gearbox and the on-board computer adds an engine oil level monitor.

Bi-Xenon headlamps, four airbags, power windows and an in-dash CD player are standard, along with Dynamic Stability Control III, Dynamic Brake Control and Corner Brake Control - electronic aids to help to keep the car on the straight and narrow.

The M3 CSL will make its appearance in this part of the world at the Sydney motor show on October 16.