Photo: CarPix
BMW seems to have lost some of its mojo. We're not talking about sales here, even though it's not doing too well in that respect either, but that sporty attitude that used to set it apart from its domestic competitors.
Fans of the ///M Division or the Affalterbach machines will never see eye to eye, but for an impartial observer, it's obvious the Mercedes-AMG cars have gained a lot of ground lately, making the M-badged BMWs look a bit tamed by comparison.
BMW will tell you that their cars are precision tools while AMG's are shouty thugs but, at the end of the day, the real question is which would you, the impartial observer sitting next to us with about $70,000 burning a hole in your pocket, go for if given a choice?
The M4 GTS was a good answer from the Bavarians, but its downside might be that it's just too extreme. Some people would like that kind of performance from a vehicle that's still as practical as a two-door coupe (we know that's pleonastic, but you can thank Mercedes-Benz's CLS-Class for that) can be.
A solution came in the form of the BMW M4 CS, a toned down version of the GTS that's still more capable than the regular M4. The one we have here is actually a facelifted version, or one displaying its LCI (Life Cycle Impulse), as BMW puts it.
You can tell which parts of the car are new by following the camouflage applied to the vehicle's body, and it's not that much. In fact, the modifications will be restricted to both sets of lights, the front grille, and the boot lid spoiler. These, apart from the spoiler, will be borrowed from the standard M4 which is also scheduled for a bit of plastic surgery.
The 2018 BMW M4 CS will wear the Competition package, same as the GTS, and it should take some of its mechanical bits as well such as the brakes, the suspension or the exhaust system. The final car should also get some 20" wheels that, for obvious reasons, are missing from this vehicle testing in the snow.
Engine wise, the M4 CS will obviously use the 3.0-liter inline-six engine with a power output slotted between the GTS and the standard M4. 450 horsepower sounds just about right, even though nothing stops us from wishing a bit more.
We won't have too much time to think about it, though, as the M4 CS should be revealed and enter production later this year. Or photographer caught word of the first BMW M4 GS rolling off the assembly line in July, so there's that to consider as well.
BMW will tell you that their cars are precision tools while AMG's are shouty thugs but, at the end of the day, the real question is which would you, the impartial observer sitting next to us with about $70,000 burning a hole in your pocket, go for if given a choice?
The M4 GTS was a good answer from the Bavarians, but its downside might be that it's just too extreme. Some people would like that kind of performance from a vehicle that's still as practical as a two-door coupe (we know that's pleonastic, but you can thank Mercedes-Benz's CLS-Class for that) can be.
A solution came in the form of the BMW M4 CS, a toned down version of the GTS that's still more capable than the regular M4. The one we have here is actually a facelifted version, or one displaying its LCI (Life Cycle Impulse), as BMW puts it.
You can tell which parts of the car are new by following the camouflage applied to the vehicle's body, and it's not that much. In fact, the modifications will be restricted to both sets of lights, the front grille, and the boot lid spoiler. These, apart from the spoiler, will be borrowed from the standard M4 which is also scheduled for a bit of plastic surgery.
The 2018 BMW M4 CS will wear the Competition package, same as the GTS, and it should take some of its mechanical bits as well such as the brakes, the suspension or the exhaust system. The final car should also get some 20" wheels that, for obvious reasons, are missing from this vehicle testing in the snow.
Engine wise, the M4 CS will obviously use the 3.0-liter inline-six engine with a power output slotted between the GTS and the standard M4. 450 horsepower sounds just about right, even though nothing stops us from wishing a bit more.
We won't have too much time to think about it, though, as the M4 CS should be revealed and enter production later this year. Or photographer caught word of the first BMW M4 GS rolling off the assembly line in July, so there's that to consider as well.
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