Photo: pfund-automobile.de
Some cars come out with incredible price tags from the first day on the market, claiming incredible amounts of cash that seem, simply put, hard to justify. I mean, it’s just a car, after all, right? Well, not quite.
Every now and again a manufacturer will launch a limited-run model that takes everyone by surprise, possibly even the carmaker itself. We’re pretty sure that was the case with the BMW E46 M3 CSL edition. Don’t get us wrong, BMW knew exactly what it was doing while developing it but not even they didn’t expect it to become so popular over time.
The thing is, you also need a good foundation in order to make a car that will not only keep its value over time but also could get even more expensive as it ages. The M3 CSL has all the attributes it needs in order to do so and the prices such models have these days speak louder than words.
Apparently, there’s one on sale as we speak, somewhere in Germany for the stunning price of €109,500 ($121,391). Is it justified? If you’re not a car guy absolutely not but if you are and if you’re also a fan of BMW, it’s worth every penny.
That’s because the E46 M3 CSL is still regarded as one of the best handling cars ever made not only by the Germans but the car industry as a whole. And it has all the signs it needs in order to entice you into buying it.
First of all, it is based on the legendary E46 M3, the standard car being recognized as one of the highlights of BMW’s development branch. On top of that, the engineers worked a little more on it to make it worthy of the “CSL” moniker (Coupe Sport Lightweight).
As the acronym suggests, it is 110 kg (240 lbs) lighter than the standard model thanks to CFRP usage. That’s right, BMW used Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer back then, way before the i3 or the i8 that are primarily made of the stuff, were even imagined. The roof and boot lid were made of the light material, but that’s not all though.
The AC was removed as well as the CD player inside and while these could be offered as optional features (free of cost) you couldn’t get sound insulation. Another trick included replacing the rear window glass with a thinner alternative while unique springs and dampers made the entire car handle even better on track.
Even the engine was tuned to make 360 HP and 370 Nm (273 lb-ft) of torque and all 1,400 cars were fitted with automatic SMG gearboxes. The sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) took just 4.9 seconds, but that didn’t actually matter once you hit the track.
The car that is being sold right now apparently has 40,154 km (roughly 25,000 miles) on the odometer, and it seems like it’s in impeccable shape. The question is: would you pay BMW i8 money for it?
The thing is, you also need a good foundation in order to make a car that will not only keep its value over time but also could get even more expensive as it ages. The M3 CSL has all the attributes it needs in order to do so and the prices such models have these days speak louder than words.
Apparently, there’s one on sale as we speak, somewhere in Germany for the stunning price of €109,500 ($121,391). Is it justified? If you’re not a car guy absolutely not but if you are and if you’re also a fan of BMW, it’s worth every penny.
That’s because the E46 M3 CSL is still regarded as one of the best handling cars ever made not only by the Germans but the car industry as a whole. And it has all the signs it needs in order to entice you into buying it.
First of all, it is based on the legendary E46 M3, the standard car being recognized as one of the highlights of BMW’s development branch. On top of that, the engineers worked a little more on it to make it worthy of the “CSL” moniker (Coupe Sport Lightweight).
As the acronym suggests, it is 110 kg (240 lbs) lighter than the standard model thanks to CFRP usage. That’s right, BMW used Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer back then, way before the i3 or the i8 that are primarily made of the stuff, were even imagined. The roof and boot lid were made of the light material, but that’s not all though.
The AC was removed as well as the CD player inside and while these could be offered as optional features (free of cost) you couldn’t get sound insulation. Another trick included replacing the rear window glass with a thinner alternative while unique springs and dampers made the entire car handle even better on track.
Even the engine was tuned to make 360 HP and 370 Nm (273 lb-ft) of torque and all 1,400 cars were fitted with automatic SMG gearboxes. The sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) took just 4.9 seconds, but that didn’t actually matter once you hit the track.
The car that is being sold right now apparently has 40,154 km (roughly 25,000 miles) on the odometer, and it seems like it’s in impeccable shape. The question is: would you pay BMW i8 money for it?
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