The BMW M3 Touring has caused a bit of a stir since its launch in 2022, and I've personally been fortunate enough to drive, write about and present about the first-ever M3 estate car for Driven. But now, there's a new version, the CS, and it's exciting for many reasons.

A Big Hit for BMW

At the time of its launch, amidst a considerable debate on design and styling (let's be honest, for many, that debate is still echoing), the M3 Touring was received with excitement from those who could have it and upset from those who couldn't (sorry again to our friends in the US).

A few years on from the launch, the M3 Touring has now been given more. More power, more aggressive styling and two new badge letters on the boot hatch: CS.

Power and Performance

Under the bonnet of the new CS Touring is a tuned and developed version of the already brilliant 3.0L twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder engine. The tune-up rewards 550hp, 650 Nm of torque, a 0-62 sprint of 3.5 seconds with a top speed of 186mph - all whilst offering the practicalities of a 3 series estate.

Chassis and Engine Changes

For the CS, it's more than just the power that's been adapted. The car is now assembled with carbon-fibre reinforced components to reduce weight whilst increasing rigidity on track. The engine, too, has had some parts swapped, including a new forged lightweight crankshaft and a 3D-printed cylinder head explicitly designed to reduce mass. The turbos have been tuned to develop 2.1 bar of boost, and even the standard M3 engine mounts have been swapped for new performance parts, which form a more rigid connection between the engine and chassis.

BMW certainly can't be accused of just slapping on a new badge and upping the price tag with the CS Touring. From the ground up, this is a model that has been developed to impress on track.

Track Test

I was invited to attend a day of driving at Thruxton Circuit to experience the new CS touring in a trackday environment.

I'm not sure just how many of the limited run of models are likely to end up on a trackday, but given the opportunity to test the car in such a unique environment, I wasn't about to pass it up.

Despite all the motorsport underpinnings, when hopping into the car at Thruxton, the M3 CS Touring still feels like an M3 Touring. There are no cages to clamber over or unnecessarily awkward bucket seats or harnesses to battle, it all feels reassuringly familiar. A sizable collection of carbon fibre panels indeed suggests that the CS is likely to offer more than the average M3, but it's not until you're firmly in the grasp of the torque band that you realise you're behind the wheel of something extra special.

Power Delivery

Upon leaving the pit lane and applying plenty of unrestricted throttle from a rolling start, all 550bhp and 650 Nm of torque become immediately apparent. I opted to start my drive with everything dialled up to 11. I wanted to experience maximum power and have it delivered to the rear wheels only, with no interference from traction or stability control.

The CS Touring, like all modern M3s, runs with BMW's xDrive system. The system is, for the most part, flawless; however, for those wanting to re-live the rear-wheel-drive characteristics of what an M3 used to be, there is the option to throw all of the power to the rear wheels exclusively.

I also opted to adapt the power, steering and braking settings to the sportiest 'SPORT+' mode, leaving the chassis and suspension in the softer comfort mode - after all, Thruxton Circuit isn't renowned for its smoothness.

The power delivery is staggering, and thanks to some Michelin Cup 2 tyres wrapped around a 19" front wheel and a 20" rear, every percentage of power is delivered, in the most brilliantly brutal way.

RWD Mode = Pure Joy

The unmistakable characteristics of 550 hp delivered to the rear wheels are joyous. Whilst the weight over the front axle remains from the drive train, the front end of the car still lifts slightly when the power is put down. In the moment, it feels like as much of an M3 as an E46 or E90 did, and that's a good thing.

To get the best from the car, though, the most efficient power delivery comes when the xDrive system is reactivated. The torque distribution between the front and rear axle is done so via a fully variable distribution system and an exceptionally clever Active M Differential at the rear to manage power delivery out of every corner.

The Weight: Yes, It's Heavy

There is no hiding the fact that the CS Touring is heavier than its performance predecessors, and at 1,925kg before a driver is thrown in, the car's mass can be felt under hard braking and cornering. Don't allow that to be a deal breaker though, like its big brother, the M5, the mass can be countered with a slightly adapted driving style; it's very much a case of once you know what to expect, you very quickly learn how to deal with it.

SPORT+ Suspension

Out of pure curiosity, I decided to opt for the usually untouched (by me) suspension mode that is 'SPORT+'. SPORT+ sharpens up the chassis by firming the shock absorbers on each corner. On the road, it's usually pretty jarring, unless you're blessed by a local or county council that prides itself on laying exclusively consistent smooth tarmac (imagine that!).

I'd assumed that on the bumpy and undulating surface of Thruxton, I'd struggle to enjoy the experience with the chassis in SPORT+, but I was pleasantly surprised. At speed, SPORT+ works incredibly well at maintaining a balance of grip and power delivery. Some of the more prolonged and more gradual bumps and undulations that the comfort setting had been working to iron out, actually became more manageable and predictable with the stiffer ride.

Stopping Power

Fitted to the CS Touring I car on test were the optional Carbon Ceramic Brakes. The brakes deserve an award independently, as the stopping power is sensational. Even with xDrive on and traction off, trailbraking into the tight esses and even tighter chicane is achieved with predictable performance and precision. With an element of traction control introduced, some vectoring of power can be felt in addition to the brake distribution, which helps settle the car into a corner but then, importantly, delivers the power back through the wheels again for the fastest and grippiest line back out.

Gearbox: ZF8

As is the norm for BMW M cars, a ZF8 Gearbox allows for full manual control over the gears with paddles on the wheel, or a fully automatic system which can adapt for either fast track or more sedate road driving. The gearbox feels marginally sharper than previous M variants and is adjustable in terms of shift aggression and characteristics for individual preferences. I still miss the sharp precision and aggression of the good old-fashioned DCT box, but the ZF8, like much of what makes the modern M cars so impressive, is versatile for the masses, and it gets the job done.

Trackday Conclusion

At one point, once I'd found somewhat of a flow between the corners of Thruxton, and forgot entirely that I was driving a large, long estate car. That was until I glanced in the wing mirror amid a fairly ambitious powerslide to observe clouds of tyre smoke forming a unique vortex around the estate-shaped body at the rear. Let me tell you, glancing into the wing mirrors and seeing the shape of a 3 series estate shrouded perfectly by its own Michelin Cup 2 tyre smoke is a vision of pure joy.

Over almost an hour of lapping the M3 CS Touring, I couldn't help but be impressed by the overall performance. It is an undeniably heavy car, yet the power delivery is sublime. The carbon ceramic brakes are consistently sharp, and the turn-in performance, once expectations are adjusted, would keep almost any seasoned trackday driver very happy.

Everyday Comfort

The magic of what makes a car like the M3 CS Touring so impressive on a track day is often realised when you're driving home again. With the tap of a few settings, the M3 CS Touring can be transformed back into the comfortable, smart and powerful daily driver that has made M3 Touring so popular for the past 3 years.

Putting the performance adaptations to one side, the M3 CS Touring still has all the creature comforts that the modern M3 driver has come to expect, such as a premium Harmon Kardon sound system, spacious comfort, adaptive cruise control with lane departure warnings and driving assistance systems all fitted and included as standard.

Prices and options

The retail price for the M3 CS Touring starts at £120,600; however, with a few options ticked, buyers should expect to see a significant jump from the base price.

The model I'd been testing on track has the optional carbon ceramic brakes (an £8,800 option) as well as acoustic glass for a quieter drive (a £200 option). Then, there's the paint job from BMW's individual paint department in a stunning shade of British Racing Green (£4,385), which all equates to an overall showroom price of £134,747.00 (OTR).

Sure, there are cheaper, lighter and probably marginally better trackday options on the market, but are any of them as achingly cool as an M3 CS Touring finished in British Racing Green? I think not.

Words by John Marcar
Photography thanks to BMW UK

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