BMW M, formerly known as BMW Motorsport, is celebrating its 50th birthday this year, and what better way to revel than to give its fans the mightiest M-badged BMW to date? This is why BMW is now bringing out the all-new 2023 BMW M4 CSL, a 2-door rear-wheel-drive coupe. It comes inspired by the legendary 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL, BMW’s first racing project under the M division.

CSL stands for “Competition Sport Lightweight” which is BMW’s formula for their high-performance cars that mostly wear the “M” badge. These special-edition models stand apart by being extremely lightweight and exceptionally powerful, making way for an excellent power-to-weight ratio.

With inimitable track driving as its DNA, this all-new 2023 M4 CSL registered a record-breaking run on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife circuit, clocking the fastest lap times ever for a series-produced BMW car. At 7:20.2 seconds, the 2023 BMW M4 CSL’s lap proves that it's one of the most hardcore M cars yet.

Also, by far, it is the lightest and fastest road-ready BMW M4 ever. Conversely, something this special has to be a limited edition and so its production remains capped at 1,000 units. With these credentials, this ultimate M car is all set for a collector’s status in the future.

The 2023 BMW M4 CSL Has ‘Batmobile’ Antecedents

1973 BMW 3.0 CSL 2-Door Coupé
Via: BMW

In 1968, BMW was already on a warpath to the track with the 2800 CS bearing a 2.8-liter carburetor engine making a rather impressive 170 horsepower. The only problem was that this was more of a heavy GT car than a track weapon, and so the BMW 3.0 CSL debuted as a lighter version in 1971, making 180 horsepower while being more than 470 pounds lighter.

More innovation followed with the BMW 3.0 CSL now jetting 200 horsepower on a six-cylinder fuel-injected engine, but it was in 1973 that the car truly came unto its own, being one of the most powerful road-legal versions. Enough for it to get the ‘Batmobile’ label from its fans. In 1973 itself, the BMW 3.0 CSL debuted at the Touring Car Championship and cinched the European Championship, winning the title not just for the debut year, but for the next six years as well.

The 2023 BMW M CSL carries the legacy forward with lightweight construction and an aerodynamic body kit. The iconic rear wing may be missing, but the 2023 M4 CSL tries to pay homage to the 1973 3.0 CSL in every way it can. For the 50th anniversary, fans can also choose to tack on the original 1973 BMW racing logo to their car.

RELATED: Watch The New 2023 BMW M4 CSL Destroy The M4 GTS Nurburgring Lap Record

The 2023 M4 CSL Is The Mightiest Of All M-Badged BMWs

2023 BMW M4 CSL 3.0-Liter Twin Turbo Inline-Six Engine
Via BMW

Under its beautifully-chiseled hood, the 2023 M4 CSL hides a spiced-up 3.0-liter 6-cylinder in-line engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology, also found in its sibling, the BMW M4 GT3 racing car. That said, the M4 CSL sheds 240 pounds, adhering to its “Competition Sport Lightweight” formula, and gets a boost of 40 horsepower for a total of 543. Torque remains the same at 479 lb-ft while the boost pressure stands at 30.4 psi, an improvement from the 24.7 psi in the M4 Competition.

Acceleration is accordingly impressive, with a 0-to-60 mph sprint of 3.6 seconds, reaching 124 mph in 11.5 dizzyingly fast seconds, to a top speed of 190 mph, electronically limited, of course.

The design is also as in-your-face as it can get, with a rather gigantic if fussy grille that may be the most extreme in BMW cars yet. Given the bone-jarring speed and an exhaust that could wake the dead, somehow, the aggression works for the BMW M4 CSL.

Yellow daytime running lights (legal, of course), a deeply scooped hood, and a ducktail spoiler in the rear adds to the whole belligerent fascia, as do the three paint colors in black, white, and grey with red brake calipers. The interiors are also more reminiscent of a racing car and likely to make you itch to floor the pedal.

RELATED: Here’s What The 543-HP 2023 BMW M4 CSL Brings To The Table

The BMW M4 CSL Carries Some Impressive Details

2023 BMW M4 CSL Rear-Wheel-Drive 2-Door Coupe
Via: BMW

There were some impressive steps taken to reduce the weight of the car. The more obvious bits were the carbon fiber pieces, but other small steps like single-zone climate control, deletion of 33 pounds of sound deadening, and forged alloy wheels further let BMW cull pounds wherever possible. One of these steps also led to the very raucous exhaust note.

The car rides on an eight-speed AT, and there is no option for a manual. Suspension, as compared to the M4 Competition bears massive tweaks with a lowered ride height and new springs. The M4 CSL rides on all-new Michelin Cup2R tires, with 275/35 ZR19 upfront and 285/30 ZR20s at the rear.

Since this is a road legal car, it has no roll cage, so speed in it at your own risk because once you get into the 2023 BMW M4 CSL, you’d be hard-pressed not to. And in case you want a few more creature comforts and are okay with added pounds, BMW will add some in, for a price, of course.

Source: BMW, TopSpeed