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…

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.

Twenty five years ago BMW created an icon when it debuted the very first BMW M3 at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show. At the time, the sportiest BMW 3 Series ever produced boasted 147 kW, a top speed in excess of 230 km/h, and a sprint from a standing start to 100 km/h inside 6.7 seconds. More significantly, the BMW M3 created a legacy of driver involvement, great handling and giant-slaying performance that has been passed on to each of the car’s four generations.

However, South African buyers never experienced that first BMW M3. It was only built in left-hand drive and the first BMW M3 to reach these shores was the 6-cylinder E36 M3 Coupe of the early 1990s. So, to meet demand for a sport BMW 3 Series in the late Eighties, BMW South Africa’s engineers produced two very special BMW 3 Series for South Africa only.

The first was the Alpina-based BMW 333i, which shoehorned a 145 kW 3.2-litre inline 6-cylinder engine into the two-door BMW 3 Series saloon in 1985. Then, in the late 1980s, the Rosslyn engineers created the BMW 325iS.

Initially the 325iS was merely a 2-door 325i saloon fitted with a bodykit and a close-ratio gearbox, which improved acceleration at the expense of top speed and economy. But more changes were made to keep the car competitive in South African saloon car racing, culminating in the 325iS Evo II of late 1991. By now several body panels were made of aluminum and the engine capacity grew to 2.7-litres, produced 155 kW and the car achieved a 0 – 100km/h dash in a mere 7.5 seconds.

Now, to celebrate 25 years of the BMW M3, BMW South Africa’s engineers are at it again and will produce a very special version of the current V8-engined BMW M3 Coupé in celebration of this milestone.

This BMW M3 ‘Frozen Edition’ – of which only 25 will be produced – will be available exclusively in Frozen Black or Frozen Grey matt paintwork. The matt paintwork is matched to red brake callipers housed behind a set of gloss black 19-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the special M3′s black leather will feature red stitching and behind the steering wheel will be the controls for the M-DCT transmission, which all 25 cars will be fitted with as standard.

More significantly however, unlike their US counterparts, these special BMW M3 Coupés will also benefit from AC Schnitzer performance parts to further set them apart from the standard M3 Coupé.

Featuring an AC Schnitzer exhaust pipe, intake manifold and a revised engine management system, all covered under the standard BMW Motorplan and Warranty, the Frozen Edition BMW M3 Coupé will now produce 330 kW at 8 400 r/min and 420 Nm of torque at 3 900 r/min. As a refresher, the standard BMW M3 produces 309 kW at 8 300 r/min and 400 Nm at 3 900 r/min.

Only eight Frozen Edition M3s will be available in 2010, with the remainder of the production run following in the first quarter of 2011. The BMW M3 Frozen Edition will set you back a chilling R1 180 000.

Plato, the famous Greek philosopher, once said “The excessive increase of anything causes a reaction in the opposite direction”. The BMW X5 M wasn’t around in 400 B.C., but if it was, it surely would have been the muse upon which Plato would have based his quote.

In fact, in order to make sense of the BMW X5 M one has to take a philosophical approach to it.

The BMW X5 M is unquestionably excessive. An aggressively styled front bumper and bodykit, enormous 20-inch wheels and the most powerful engine currently in BMW’s range, give the X5 M its head turning presence. Interesting then that this can all be summed up in one compact symbol, ‘M’ – hmm, maybe Plato was onto something. BMW’s range-topping Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) is 4.8 meters long, 2.1 meters wide and 1.9 meters high. Thankfully then, it comes with park distance control and a reversing camera, complete with a bird’s eye view function, because every parking spot suddenly looks anorexic when piloting this behemoth.

The interior is typical BMW – minimalist in its design and precise in its execution. The only hints that you are piloting one of the most powerful BMW’s ever produced, are the subtle ‘M’ badges on the gear selector, at the base of the steering wheel and within the rev counter on the dashboard. Oh yes, and that tiny ‘M’ button on the steering wheel, which is responsible for ‘popping the cork’ on the V8 every time you activate it. The interior also features carbon fibre inserts on the doors and across the dashboard, but for us the interior is not as special as one may expect in the flagship X5 model.

As expected, the ride is firm, but nevertheless a number of luxuries ensure you are comfortable, including electrically adjustable and heated front seats, an infotainment system accessible via the easy-to-use iDrive controller, excellent sound quality from the radio/CD/MP3-player and loads of space for you and friends or family, plus all their luggage. There is also a head-up display (HUD) that, when in M-mode, displays speed, gear and engine revs in one concise display in the driver’s field of vision. The height to which the tailgate opens can also be set for instances where it may knock against a garage door or low roof. Roaming the urban jungle then, the X5 M makes light work of the daily grind. The school run, business meetings and weekly shopping at the mall, are all in a day’s work for the ‘big M’.

You may have noticed, however, that we haven’t referenced the X5 M’s awesome power in the above context. This is because, despite the 408 kW and 680 N.m of head bobbing power available to you, it’s well and truly irrelevant around town. The X5 M is in fact so bloody quick off the line, and at any point in the rev range, that unless you’ve got enough clear tarmac ahead, which isn’t very often these days, enjoying the explosive power is nigh on impossible. To add to the frustrated M driver in you, while you study the traffic ahead like a hawk, waiting patiently for a gap in which to revel in the ‘gloriousness’ of your chariot, your wallet will be experiencing cold sweats as the fuel gauge drops ever closer to empty.

But before we wax lyrical about the effects of the ‘M’agical button on the steering wheel, we must mention that it is programmable via the iDrive controller between the front seats. A combination of settings can be chosen to suit your preference for the electronic damping control (EDC), the dynamic stability control (DSC) and the engine’s ‘Power Mode’.

The X5 M comes standard with self-levelling air suspension on the rear axle, as well as EDC and active anti-roll control. It also rides 10 mm lower to the ground than a standard X5. For performance driving, the ‘Sport’ EDC setting provides stiffer suspension damping and sharpens steering response. The DSC can be left in its fully activated default setting, turned off completely, or set to M Dynamic Mode (MDM) where the wheels will be allowed some slipping and sliding, but the system will still step in to save your bacon should you run out of talent. Finally, changing the Power Mode from its default ‘Efficiency’ setting – relaxed throttle response and early gear changes to save fuel – to the ‘Power’ setting, livens up the throttle while opening flaps in the exhaust system to let everyone know you’re about to get a move on.

And move the X5 M does. The figures are quite astounding on paper and, on the road, translate to a laugh from the driver that is excited, evil and slightly nervous all at the same time. From a standing start the ‘M’ean machine reaches 100 km/h in a claimed 4.7 seconds. This is quite amazing when you realise the V8 has 2.3 tonnes to motivate. In-gear acceleration is equally as impressive, with the 80 – 120 km/h sprint requiring just 4.3 seconds in fourth gear. As a benchmark, the BMW M3 Coupe achieves the same 0 – 100 km/h sprint time, but is 0.6 seconds slower from 80 – 120 km/h despite a 725 kg weight advantage!

The X5 M (and X6 M) are the first M cars to be launched exclusively with an automatic transmission. Purists may scoff, but trust us when we say the 6-Speed ‘M Sports Automatic’ transmission complements the driving experience of the ‘Super SAV’ far more than a manual ever would. You’ve got a number of options when working with the ‘box. Either from the electronic gear selector lever or, through aluminium shift paddles on the steering wheel (pull the right gearshift paddle to shift up and the left gearshift paddle to shift down).

Realistically though, you never really need to initiate a manual change, up or down, as the gearbox is so well behaved. Launching in manual mode proved a bit more ‘work’ than in the fully automatic sport setting. This is because with the revs climbing so fast in first gear, it proved slightly distracting to watch the road ahead and time the shift accurately before hitting the rev limiter, all while our heads were pinned to the headrest and fighting to stop our eyes rolling back in their sockets. Left to its own devices the gearbox will ensure blisteringly quick acceleration.

Barreling down the road, you are struck with the amazing turn of speed and true bulk of the X5 M right about the time you touch the brakes and begin to start thinking about turning into a corner. The brakes on our test unit lacked initial bite and required more pedal travel than we expected, but this didn’t hinder braking performance. Even when worked hard, the brakes (395 mm front and 385 mm rear) delivered consistent performance and never began to fade.

As you usher the big SAV into the turn, there is limited body roll for a vehicle of its size. The adaptive air suspension at the rear, coupled with the EDC and xDrive all-wheel-drive system equates to a flat cornering experience by SUV standards. Dynamic Performance Control, in addition to the xDrive system, allows torque to be distributed between the rear wheels and the result is strong drive out of turns. Grip is ultimately the responsibility of the enormous 275/40 R20 tyres at the front and 315/35 R20 at the rear, which elicit a squeal as they’re crushed between the road and take on the weight from the big M car.

There is no doubt that threading the X5 M through a set of corners can be done at an alarming rate. However, we never felt entirely comfortable doing so, as the M’s weight is ever present and can’t be hidden from the laws of physics. Performance driving in the X5 M is like playing with a pitbull, everyone’s having fun until something or someone goes a little too far and then you’d better have an escape route.

As Plato could have told you, the increased on-road agility has compromised the off-road agility in the case of the X5 M. With low profile tyres, damaging the sidewalls becomes a real threat and a potentially expensive one at that. Coupled with the stiffer than standard suspension, the wide surface area of the tyres, so welcomed on tar, becomes somewhat of a draw back on the dirt, as the SAV tends to float or wander over the lose surface. The 20-inch diameter tyres do however offer the benefit of ironing out potholes and corrugations, as they roll over rather than through them. Bottom line, the X5 M will do dirt, but we suggest being mindful of the routes you choose.

It should be quite clear then, that the increased performance of X5 M shrinks the time, distance and space through which it travels. It also evaporates premium unleaded at an astounding rate, while shrinking your wallet in direct proportion. The power from the almighty V8 will inflate your ego, but taming the beast at high speed may curb your confidence. Which ever way you look at it, the X5 M inspires dichotomous thinking that we’d have to say proves Plato right. However, there is still no logical argument for the X5 M. As the most powerful SAV/SUV of them all, whether you like it or not, it has to be admired for its brazen attitude, performance and the way in which it comes together so competently.

What We Like…

• Panoramic sunroof as standard.
• Awesome power and road presence.
• Space saver spare in the boot. (It’s actually bigger than most sedans).

What We Would Like…

• Improved fuel economy (Yes, we know it’s the price of power).
• More sound from the exhaust in M-mode.

The latest in a 35-year-long run of BMW art cars was unveiled in Paris yesterday, ahead of its participation in next week’s 24 hours of Le Mans. The 17th BMW Art Car is based on the M3 GT2 race car that’s bidding for class victory in the year’s Le Mans 24-hour race.

Designed by American artist Jeff Koons, the unique livery is inspired by old racing cars, graphics and pictures of explosions. According to the artist, the finished work is “evocative of power, motion and bursting energy”. It should look pretty wild when photographed running down the Mulsanne straight after dark!

Although this one-of-a-kind artwork is currently on display at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, the car will be loaded onto a truck and taken to Le Mans, where it will be raced by Brit ace Andy Priaulx and German duo Dirk Müller and Dirk Werner.

The M3 has all the go to match the show too. Powered by a 4,0-litre V8 engine developing 373 kW, the GT2 car is comprehensively upgraded with a revised chassis, racing brakes and extensive use of lightweight materials.

BMW has released the full specifications of the track-focussed BMW M3 GTS.

The M3 GTS is powered by a larger 4,3-litre V8 engine that develops 331 kW at 8 300 r/min (22 kW more than standard) and 440 N.m of torque at 3 750 r/min (40 N.m more than standard).

Aerodynamics have been revised and the GTS features a motorsport inspired front apron and rear wing, based on that of the BMW 320si – currently competing in the World Touring Car Championship. The air ducts in the front apron are also variable, as is the position of the rear wing.

The BMW M3 GTS is easily recognised by its bright orange single-coloured body. Additional features exclusive to te M3 GTS are the matt black kidney grille, roof trims and alloy wheels, as well as the side gills that are made of dark anodised chrome. In addition to the standard carbon fibre roof, the BMW M3 GTS is fitted with a titanium exhaust silencers, polycarbonate side windows at the rear and a polycarbonate rear window, no rear seats, lighter door panels and centre console. These weight saving measures managed to shed 70 kilograms over the standard M3, for a total mass of 1530 kg and a 4.62 kg/kW power-to-weight ratio.

The sportier M3 also has a transmission and suspension configuration that have been optimised for the racetrack. Power is sent to the rear wheels via BMW’s M-DCT 7-speed transmission and suspension has been lowered over that of the standard M3 by 16 mm at the front and 12 mm at the rear.

BMW claim a top speed of 305 km/h, a zero to 100 km/h sprint of 4.4 seconds and a that the M3 GTS will cover a kilometer from a standing start in 22.5 seconds.

Take a look at the tyre shredding M3 GTS in this video.

Vorsteiner has revealed a new body kit for the current BMW E92 M3, named GTRS3 M3.

The body kit includes a new front bumper, splitter, flared wheel arches, vented race-style bonnet and extended side skirts. At the back you will spot a new rear bumper with integrated diffuser. Almost the entire kit is made of carbon fibre.

We still don’t know what exactly hides under the bonnet of the Vorsteiner GTRS3 BMW M3 E92, but we guess there are some performance enhancements, including the stainless steel quad-exhaust system. Twin 7-spoke V-308 concave forged mesh wheels in 18- and 20-inch are available. The rims are outfitted with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 performance tyres. Exclusivity is guaranteed, with only 100 GTRS3 body kits available worldwide.

The term ‘facelift’ is a bit of a stretch for the 2011 M3 range. In short, all three body styles of the M3 gain a new ‘Auto Start Stop’ function that promises to reduce average fuel consumption and CO2 levels, while the Coupe and Convertible get modified LED tail lights and the Coupe and Sedan receive an optional Competition Package that sharpens handling.

In more detail, the M3′s 309 kW, 4,0-litre, high-revving V8, benefits from the addition of a start-stop function that switches off the engine when the vehicle comes to a halt. The ‘Auto Start Stop’ system is used both in vehicles with standard 6-speed manual transmission and in conjunction with the M dual clutch transmission with Drivelogic, making the M3 the first non-hybrid Bimmer (ActiveHybrid X6 and ActiveHybrid 7) to use this technology in combination with an automated manual transmission. BMW claims the start-stop system reduces the average fuel consumption and CO2 levels of the 2011 M3 by up to 8 per cent or 24 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

As an example, the Bavarian automaker said that both the M3 Coupe and Sedan with 7-speed M dual clutch transmission now achieves an average fuel consumption on the EU test cycle of 11.2 l/100km and 12.4 l/100km with the 6-speed manual gearbox. In the case of the BMW M3 Convertible, the average fuel consumption is reduced to 11.5 l/100km with the dual clutch transmission and 12.7 l/100km with the 6-speed manual transmission.

Furthermore, the German company presented an optional Competition Package and a new range of items from the Original BMW Accessories program for the Coupe and Sedan M3s. The Competition Package adds a suspension lowered by some 10 mm and light alloy wheels in the size 9 x 19 inches at the front and Y-spoke design at the rear. In addition, the control of the electronic damper adjustment function EDC includes a Sport mode specially developed for the Competition Package. It is said to adjust the chassis modifications by means of map-based control and the driving stability control function DSC.

As for the new optional items, the list includes among other things, a rear spoiler and carbon fibre ‘fangs’ for the front splitter.

Adapted from CarScoop

BMW ‘super tuner’ G-Power has turned its attention on two previous generation ‘M’ sports cars, the E46 M3 and the Z4 M with the presentation of a somewhat tamer performance package than what we’re used to from the German company. At the heart of the tuning program is a new ASA TM I 20 centrifugal supercharger that boosts the output of 3,2-litre straight-six engine, found in both the M3 and Z4 M, from 252 kW and 365 N.m to 330 kW and 450 N.m of torque.

The 78 kilowatt boost in power improves acceleration from zero to 200 km/h from the standard M3′s 18,1 seconds to 14,7 seconds, making it even faster than the current 309 kW M3 V8, which needs 15.8 seconds for the same sprint.

To improve road holding, the performance package for both the M3 and Z4 M include a continuously height-adjustable G-Power coil-over suspension, with nine selectable settings each for damping and rebound.

The M division sports cars ride on lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels shod in Michelin Pilot Sport tyres (245/30 ZR 20 at the front and 285/25 ZR 20 at the back), which are rated for a top speed of more than 300 km/h.

Though not included in the basic package, G-Power also offers a sports rear muffler that produces a deeper and more sonorous tone.

Adapted from CarScoop