Well now, will you look at this. When it comes to fast saloons this brand-new model from BMW really does tick all the boxes. Yes, we have said this before but the M4 CS really does look fast standing still. In a bland world, this is fabulous automotive design retaining those traditional BMW drive characteristics that true ‘M’ people love.
A Race-Bred Exterior
The new BMW M4 CS is offered in two new BMW individual paint finishes; ‘Riviera Blue solid’ and ‘Frozen Isle of Man Green’ metallic, while exposed carbon fibre for the roof, bonnet indents, front splitter, front air intakes, ‘M’ exterior mirror caps, rear spoiler and rear apron highlight the model’s distinctive character. Together with the Black side skirts and ‘M’ gills, the carbon provide a stunning contrast against these new and bold new paint finishes. Optionally, this car can also be specified in ‘M Brooklyn Grey’ metallic and ‘Sapphire Black’ metallic, for preference.
The vehicle’s front-end sports a weight-saving, frameless BMW kidney grille that was designed especially for this model, including red contour lines and the ‘M4 CS’ badging on the upper of the two horizontal grille bars. Eye-catching ‘Laserlight’ headlights add another flourish to the front end while the rear lights of the BMW M4 CS make a visual statement with their striking appearance during the hours of darkness. Otherwise, design-wise, it’s typically BMW all the way.
A Driver’s Interior
The cockpit of the BMW M4 CS focuses solely on delivering an exhilarating driving experience, by blending its distinct racing aura with creature comfort features for everyday driving. The standard ‘M’ Alcantara steering wheel in three-spoke design has a flat-bottomed rim which offers a perfect combination of secure grip for dynamic driving manoeuvres and impressive comfort on longer journeys. Its red centre marker and carbon fibre shift paddles add an authentic racing flavour to the cockpit.
The standard ‘M Carbon’ bucket seats in a model-specific design also fuse racing-car feel and long-distance comfort to exceptional effect. Fully electric and heated, they feature integral head restraints and an illuminated model badge. The seats are upholstered in Merino leather and come in an exclusive design with a Black/Red colour scheme and distinctive contrast stitching. This bi-colour finish is carried over into the rear compartment of the high-performance sports car and both the door panels in the front and the rear side panelling are trimmed entirely in black leather.
Red ‘CS’ lettering on the centre console, ‘M’ seat belts with contrast stitching in the BMW M GmbH colours, an anthracite-coloured headliner, interior trim strips in Carbon Fibre finish and door sill plates with the inscription ‘M4 CS’ all add to the exclusive ambience inside the car. This car is very special.
Fans of technology and safety features won’t be disappointed either: The very latest version of the ‘BMW iDrive’ display and control/operation system based on the ‘BMW Operating System 8.5’ provides intuitive control of numerous vehicle functions and digital services. The curved display features ‘M’-specific readouts and is angled towards the driver, helping them to focus on the road ahead. The fully digital screen grouping is formed by a 12.3 inch information display behind the steering wheel and a control display with a screen diagonal of 14.9 inches.
The familiar ‘M Shift’ lights appear at the top of the information display, while the driving stability system, ‘M’ xDrive and traction control modes are all indicated in the lower area. Special widgets containing information on the current vehicle setup, as well as tyre pressures and temperature can be added to the control display’s home screen.
The upgraded ‘BMW iDrive’ also adds the ‘BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant’ which is designed with particular emphasis on touch and voice control. Besides the ‘M’-specific graphics, the system also now features a new way of operating the automatic climate control: the temperature and ventilation settings as well as the seat heating can be controlled either by touch using a special menu option in the lower area of the control display or by voice command.
Two individually configurable setup variants can be stored permanently, together with the preferred settings for the engine note, the ‘Dynamic Stability Control’ system, the automatic Start/Stop function and the shift characteristics of the standard-fit eight-speed M Steptronic transmission are retrievable using one of the two M buttons on the steering wheel.
Should the mood take you, track-optimised functions such as the ‘M Drift Analyser’, which evaluates and records purposefully executed cornering slides, and the ‘M Lap-timer’, which provides detailed data on laps of the track and allows sporty-minded drivers to share their exploits with the track community. Thankfully, there’s also a traction control system, whose ten stages also play their part in helping drivers enjoy the pleasure of driving the car enthusiastically on the track.
The M Mode button on the centre console is another tool in the ‘M Drive Professional’ package and can be used to adjust both driver assistance system responses and the content shown in the information display and Head-Up Display. As well as the ROAD and SPORT settings, the M4 CS also offers a TRACK mode designed exclusively for use on race circuits.
Additional kit includes as standard an alarm system, two-zone automatic climate control, the Harman Kardon Surround Sound System, Park Distance Control, Parking Assistant, Front Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning and the Speed Limit Info system, while automatic boot lid operation and the Driving Assistant system can be added as options.
On The Road, Where It Counts
Powered by a high-revving six-cylinder in-line engine with ‘M TwinPower Turbo’ technology, the 3.0-litre engine has track performance built in. The system of oil supply – like the cooling system – is designed to handle the specific challenges of track use, including consistently high revs and extreme lateral acceleration.
The instantly available power and high-revving character of the engine pave the way for imposing acceleration figures. The BMW M4 CS dashes from 0 to 62 mph (100kph) in just 3.4 seconds, while 0 to 124 mph takes 11.1 seconds. The mid-range sprint from 50 – 75 mph is dealt with in a sprightly 2.6 seconds in 4th gear and 3.3 seconds in 5th gear. The top speed of the special edition is electronically limited to 188 mph and probably just as well.
The engine’s power delivery is accompanied by a stirring soundtrack generated by the dual-branch exhaust system, which features electrically controlled flaps, a titanium rear silencer with weight-minimising design and two pairs of tailpipes painted in matt Black. The engine’s acoustic presence adjusts to the power-train setting selected via the M Setup menu. In SPORT and SPORT+ modes, the engine note gains unmissable racing car undertones, injecting aural drama during gear changes and the accompanying adjustments in rev speed.
This premium model’s engine’s power is channelled onto the road by the ‘M xDrive’ system. This intelligent all-wheel-drive technology uses an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the transfer case to distribute the engine’s power smoothly between the front and rear wheels to maximise traction, agility, and directional stability in any situation.
Find out more about this wonderfully accomplished performance car or, for a more sedate driving life, any current prestige model BMW cars by contacting us here at MHH International and enquiring about our tried and trusted VAT-free export service from the UK to global destinations like Kenya, New Zealand, Ireland and the Caribbean.
