2024 BMW M3 CS Review: Green Meanie

There aren’t many four-door cars on the market with zero cupholders.

I only learn about this in the 2024 BMW M3 CS after I’ve picked it up. Barely after sunrise, with intermittent droplets ensuring I pay full attention in this Michelin Cup 2-shod sedan, I’m in need of some caffeine. Once I’ve got the big cup, I realize there’s no place for it up front, nor is there a backup plan with the fold-down armrest in back. Whoops.

The M3 CS asks its driver to make some sacrifices. That’s only fair, because on the road to becoming this limited-edition model, so has the M3, delivering the finest performance M’s de facto icon has had this generation—at a price.

The better question is what’s new for ’25: BMW is giving the M3 (and M4) a significant facelift for the next model year, with tweaked looks, an additional 20 horsepower for xDrive all-wheel drive models (now 523 hp), and an M4 CS. As that name implies, the new-year coupe burrows most everything from this sedan.

What that entails includes a bump in boost to tally 543 hp. That’s arguably the least important ingredient in the CS recipe: what matters more is the weight-saving regimen, which includes various bits of carbon-fiber and a titanium exhaust that also unlocks M3’s singing voice. There’s a redesigned center console—thus the lack of cupholders. Total savings are around 75 pounds (34 kilograms) compared to a standard M3 Competition xDrive. BMW hasn’t just thrown a set of sticky Cup 2s on that gorgeous, staggered wheel setup: the Bavarians have tweaked the suspension setup, with a unique adaptive damper setup plus its own anti-roll bars and helper springs.

This CS is the sort of M3 a five-year-old might draw. Neon green with black stripes and red-orange highlights, plus enormous gold wheels? It is the least-subtle car I’m likely to drive all year, and that includes low-slung two-seaters or a freaking Hummer. It drew all sorts of attention everywhere it went, including from numerous revvy Mustangs, Camaros, and AMGs in varying states of disrepair on the highway. No, I didn’t.

It’s a lot. Yet if I were buying the sort of exclusive BMW that only saw a single year of production, I would probably also go for loud instead of the sober gray or other hues.

I will say it again: the M3 didn’t need more power.

But I also didn’t need that bit of crispy bacon on my burger, or a blend of linen in what is otherwise a regular t-shirt. It’s got to feel special, and oh boy does the inline-six satisfy. Power is available anywhere in the rev range, a range that the digital tacho has a hard time keeping up with in lower gears. This might be turbocharged, but the 3.0-liter loves to rev. That titanium exhaust provides the cleanest soundtrack the M3 has had in years, too. While there are pops and crackles, I appreciate that BMW hasn’t overdone it.

The eight-speed automatic is an exceptional partner for all the power. While some may decry the lack of a three-pedal setup, the CS is simply too quick; the eight-speed can keep up in a way no human can. The sizeable, carbon-fiber paddle shifters do provide an additional level of control should you want it, with lightning-quick responses making it possible to shed multiple ratios on the way into a tight corner.

Fuel economy is not great—sticky rubber and a let’s-go attitude have that effect—but still better than most other 500-plus horsepower vehicles out there.

The big difference between this and the (even more hardcore) M4 CSL is that the CS comes standard with xDrive. Rather than shackle the M3 with extra heft and duller responses, this rear-biased setup makes it a ruthless scalpel through corners. Combined with that sticky rubber, it is far more capable than public roads allow, but there’s a hint of adjustability and two-way feedback that never bubbles up to the surface in lesser M3s.

The variable-ratio steering is still light, yet unerringly accurate and very quick. The M3 CS is wicked-sharp on turn-in, and xDrive allows the driver to commit to entry and power through earlier than a rear-drive car. It doesn’t remove the driver from the equation either: instead of punishing mistakes the CS flatters, nudging in the right direction with a “hey, let’s do it better this way next time” affirming pat on the back.

Body control is excellent. When in attack mode, nothing flusters the M3 as it keeps its yellow-tinted eyes on the prize. It must be a riot on the track— oh yeah, we’ve covered that.

If you think those escaped-from-pit-lane looks translate to a rough everyday ride… well yes. Mostly.

I could use euphemisms like “purposeful,” but the CS has a steely edge that can turn longer drives into slogs, especially if the tarmac is uneven. Every road expansion finds its way into the cabin with a thwack, and there’s chatter from the wheel arches as Bibendum’s finest flings every bit of road-level detritus up. Dial everything down to the chilliest possible settings and the M3 isn’t much less agreeable than a regular M3, but that’s still stiffer than most.

Look, if you want a more agreeable blend of performance and daily driver comfort, the regular M3 Competition still exists.

The pared-back interior goes light on surprise and delight. This is a tool for quick lap times, and that shows in the sober design. It’s all black everything, with only the flashes of red and the M tri-color seatbelts to break up the look. Everything is put together flawlessly mind you, and the generous lashings of leather and Alcantara feel great.

I can’t ignore the M performance seats. Do they look incredible in carbon fiber, with the tall openings in the seatback and aggressive bolstering? Hell yeah. Like a mom, they’ll also ruthlessly remind you of even an ounce of weight gain, being shaped exclusively for beanpole German race car drivers. Don’t get me started on that thigh separator, either. My wife hated the seats.

The adjustability of modern BMW M models is somewhat divisive. On one hand—and likely one based on the short time those in this field spend with cars—the sheer number of setting combinations can be overwhelming. On the other, in something like the CS, there are very noticeable differences between the throttle, transmission, and (especially) suspension options. Dialling in one’s personal tastes can add a level of connection, and the quick-access M buttons on the steering wheel make it a cinch to flit between ‘em.

iDrive 8.0 isn’t without its own detractors too, and for some of the same reasons. There are too many tiles to scroll through for starters. Once you get a lay of the land, a few favorites become second nature, and I appreciate the level of detail with the car’s spec actually matching its digital avatar—and look, the wheels roll! Wireless CarPlay works without issue here, too.

Doing the math does not do the 2024 BMW M3 CS any favors. It is fractionally more performance for significant extra outlay. It is also the most exciting M3 you can currently buy: not necessarily more purist, but capable and approachable. It’s way more fun than the buttoned-down M2, less skittish than the M4 CSL, and the most fun-to-drive modern BMW since the sublime M5 CS.

But if you never plan on tracking the thing, please skip over it. Leave the CS for those who will.

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