2023 BMW M4 CSL Is 240 Pounds Lighter and Packs 543 Horsepower

• The M4 CSL’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six makes 543 horsepower, some 40 hp more than the M4 Competition, and the car is also lighter than its counterpart by 240 pounds.

• The handling is more track-day focused thanks to a lower stance, standard high-performance tires and carbon brakes, and more aggressive suspension tuning.

• This special-edition M4 CSL will be limited to 1000 units worldwide and costs $140,895.

BMW’s new 2023 M4 CSL is a focused track-day special edition that is optimized for those who are willing to give up a chunk of daily-driver livability for substantially enhanced performance. CSL stands for Competition Sports Lightweight, and the specs show this to be more than a mere marketing term. They also show that this car will almost certainly be a brute that won’t appeal to everyone.

It’s powered by the same twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six that powers the M4 Competition, but the CSL’s peak turbo boost has been raised from 24.7 psi to 30.5 psi, a 24 percent increase. The dual-circuit cooling system has been upgraded to suit not merely the extra power, but also the rigors of track use. The result is 543 horsepower, some 40 hp more than the Competition, with the same power peak of 6250 rpm. Maximum torque is also unchanged at 479 pound-feet, which means the eight-speed automatic transmission and driveline from the Competition can be used as before, right down to the automatic’s internal ratios and the final-drive ratio inside the M Sport differential. The shift points have been performance-optimized, however, and the engine and transmission mounts have been substantially stiffened. There should be far less slack and windup in the power delivery, but an increase in cabin vibration is almost certain to be a side effect.

The effects of this extra power are magnified by a massive 240 pound weight reduction. The resulting new claimed curb weight of 3640 pounds may not sound particularly light, but it's all relative. Each of the M4 Competition’s horsepower has 7.7 pounds to move around, but the extra power and lighter weight of the CSL drops that significantly to 6.7 pounds per pony. BMW claims that it will get to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, compared with the Competition’s claimed 3.8 seconds, but we think it’ll do better.