2023 BMW M3 CS spied

The BMW M3 CS has been spied testing alongside its M4 CSL cousin, revealing their new, shared front-end design.

The M4 CSL will be revealed on May 20, though a reveal date for the M3 CS has yet to be announced.

We expect a similar raft of changes to be made to the M3, with more performance and less weight.

Both CS and CSL share the same grille treatment, with well-spaced horizontal bars crisscrossing the plunging double kidneys.

The M3 CS is also expected, like the M4 CSL, to feature yellow-tinged daytime running lights à la the M5 CS. There’s also a unique carbon-fibre front spoiler.

Carbon fibre will also be used extensively across the rest of the exterior, as well as inside the cabin, while the CS will also feature a more aggressive aerodynamics package than the Competition.

Black-finish wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, while the CS features gold-painted brake callipers.

Down back, there’s a subtle gurney flap atop the boot lid, though the rear end looks otherwise unchanged.

BMW is remaining tight-lipped around what’s under the bonnet of the M3 CS but it’s expected to be a reworked 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine with more power and torque than the regular M3.

For context, the regular M4 Competition produces 375kW of power and 650Nm of torque.

A BimmerPost forum member, who claims to compile leaks from within BMW, wrote that the M4 CSL will reportedly produce 402kW and send power to the rear wheels only via an eight-speed automatic.

In contrast, the M3 CS will reportedly feature the same engine tune but come only with all-wheel drive.

While the M4 CSL is rumoured to be getting a manual counterpart bearing the GT/H name, it’s unclear if a row-your-own M3 CS counterpart is planned.

BMW today confirmed the M3 range is receiving the BMW Curved Display, which incorporates a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system in one housing.

The infotainment system will run on iDrive OS8.0 which, like the curved dash set-up, is being progressively rolled out across the BMW range.

The core 3 Series range, due in the fourth quarter of 2022, is also receiving this change.

Camouflage on the rear windows suggests changes are afoot for the rear of the M3’s cabin, more likely a change to individual bucket seats at the back rather than the nixing of rear seats altogether.

Look to the M5 CS for an idea of what to expect in the back.

While the M3 CS is expected to be a limited-run model, the M3 range will also soon grow to include its first-ever wagon.

The M3 Touring will reportedly come only with the Competition-tune engine and all-wheel drive. It’s been confirmed for a local launch.