Ever since the E92 BMW M3 was first revealed at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, true BMW enthusiasts have been intrigued but still longing for the CSL to make its return. Standing for Coupe, Sport, Lightweight, those three letters name the purest driver and most track-focused cars BMW has to offer.
The last M3 CSL was built in a limited run of just 1 400 cars between 2002 and 2004, and while no successor has been launched, fans can take some solace in the knowledge that there are other options.
Take for example the BMW M3 GTS. Powered by a 331 kW 4.4-litre V8 engine and shipped from the factory with a roll cage, race seats, harness belts, a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, and a host of aerodynamic tweaks, the M3 GTS is intended as a road-legal race car for customer teams and privateers.
The BMW M3 GTS has now proven itself on one of the worlds toughest race tracks, the Nurburgring Nordschleife, completing a lap in a time of 7 minutes 48 seconds – 17 seconds faster than the standards BMW M3 and 2 seconds faster than the previous generation M3 CSL. To put the lap time of the M3 GTS in perspective, take a look at the table below…
| Vehicle | Lap Time |
| Porsche 911 GT2 | 7:46 |
| Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera | 7:46 |
| Jaguar XJ220 | 7:46 |
| Porsche 911 GT3 RS | 7:47 |
| Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano | 7:47 |
| BMW M3 GTS | 7:48 |
| Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06 | 7:49 |
The downside to the GTS however, is its hefty price tag (almost three times that of a standard M3) and the fact that it won’t be available in South Africa.
