Among the thousands of vehicles in the road, there's chance you'll find something extraordinary, like intense-looking hypercars and supercars. And then there are the cars that may look ordinary, but could be a supercar in disguise. Take the E46 BMW M3 CSL for example; it's so extraordinary that some individuals built a tribute to it. It’s also iconic enough to be featured by Bijon de Kock in Novitec Group's "Supercar Diaries" series.
BMW Supercar In Disguise Deserving Of Spotlight
Bijon was actually in Johannesburg, South Africa for some supercar filming business. He was filming a Porsche Taycan in the city, and in some Instagram posts, the E46 M3 CSL was spotted on the background. However, such a hardcore car deserves being in the spotlight, not on the background. Bijon knew this and had the E46 M3 CSL became a featured auto in The Supercar Diaries.
This BMW E46 M3 CSL – wrapped in glorious glossy black – was lent to Bijon by Marco Casciani (@race1 on Instagram). This E46 M3 CSL has been in great care, as evident in its pristine looks and great overall condition. More than 1,300 units were made globally, 65 of which were produced for South Africa. Casciani's BMW is No. 47.
A Powerful BMW M3 On A Serious Diet
The legend of the E46 BMW M3 CSL started in 2003/2004. If the M3 is the high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, then the M3 CSL is the hardcore variant of the M3. The clue is in the name: CSL stands for “Coupé Sport Leichtbau,” which means Coupe Sport Lightweight. A serious diet was implemented, with many metal parts replaced by carbon fiber and special composite whenever possible.
Effects of the diet program were astonishing and impressive. But of course, BMW was so serious with reducing weight that several interior amenities were also removed, including the radio, air-conditioning and navigation system. Such comforts might be essential for many drivers, but for hardcore ones, they don't matter.
Further Optimized For Sweet Road Performance
Instead, BMW further optimized the in-line 6-cylinder engine of the E46 M3 CSL to 355 hp of max output and 273 lb-ft of torque, and adjusted its M gearbox to a quick shift time of just 80 milliseconds. Casciani's E46 M3 CSL sports some aftermarket modifications, including an exhaust system from SuperSprint. As a result, the BMW lets out a sweet roar during an engaging drive.
Source: Novitec Group on YouTube