In the world of cars, engines, tracks and tire smoke, there are a couple of names and letters that demand a certain respect when spoken. Out of the bunch, we could mention SLR, AMG, SLS, M3, M5 and others but some are more demanding than others. When people say M3 CSL the room usually gets quiet.
We’re not just saying that because we have our own BMW blog but because it’s the truth. The E46 M3 CSL will forever be a reference point and will show just what can be achieved when engineers are allowed to make a car to their own taste, without taking others’ suggestions too seriously.
It was a lightweight alternative to the already brilliant E46 M3 and, along with that lighter construction, it also received a bunch more power. With a kerb weight of 1,385 kg (3,053 lbs) and 360 HP coming from a traditional inline 6-cylinder S54 engine, a revised diff and new brakes, a lower center of gravity and a plethora of other ‘upgrades’, the CSL was and is still regarded as one of the best drivers’ cars out there.
As the years passed, cars got more powerful, gained more torque but in the end also got fatter. That extra weight changed the game in time and now, some people dare to call the M5 or M6, for example, fat. It’s true, they are close to 2 tons but that should’ve never happened.
However, if there’s no replacement for displacement, there’s also no room for extra kilos when talking about a track car. Keeping the weight of a car in check is paramount if you want it to perform on the track.
What we have below is a perfect example of how brilliant engineering can last throughout the ages. Here we have a BMW E46 CSL racing a much younger and more powerful SLS AMG.
Admittedly, the BMW, also known as ‘the loaded M3’ on the internet, has a supercharger under the bonnet that took its power output up to 530 HP. However, without control they mean absolutely nothing.
The SLS on the other hand has 563 HP and 651 Nm (480 lb-ft) of torque on its side coming from a 6.2-liter V8 engine (nearly twice as big as the 3.2-liter of the M3). The downside is that the kerb weight of the car is 1,620 kg (3,571 lbs).
Setting the two against each other on the ring doesn’t seem like a good idea and yet, due to modern technology we can watch how such a race would go down, thanks to two videos running in parallel.
Now, we know that there are tons of different things that need to be taken into consideration, such as track temperature, the drivers and so on but even so, the performance of the M3 is pretty impressive none the less, being ahead of the SLS all the time.
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