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BMW M Rumored To Be Readying Special M4 For 50th Ann. With Manual Gearbox

Next year is gearing up to be a special one for BMW’s M division. BMW M GmbH will mark its 50th anniversary in May, 2022, and new rumors suggest that there’s a special, limited production M4 on the horizon.

The lead comes from an alleged BMW insider on g80.bimmerpost. The user, who apparently has a good track record for new car info, suggests that the unnamed M4 special will be “configured like the CSL, but with a manual transmission.”

The forum member goes on to say that several options will be deleted, including comfort access, parking sensors, and electric seats. The absence of such would result in an M4 that’s even lighter than the already lightweight CSL, provided this special model is based on the upcoming CSL in the first place.

Although the production M4 CSL hasn’t yet been revealed to the public, our spies have spotted prototypes undergoing testing. These cars feature revised air intakes and grilles, as well as lightweight wheels, a more prominent lip spoiler, and a new diffuser.

Read: BMW Teases Next-Generation M4 GT4 Customer Race Car

A BMW M4 CSL prototype caught testing at the Nurburgring

As yet, powertrain details for the CSL have not been confirmed, although there have been reports that BMW may not offer a manual transmission. If that were the case, a limited, manual-equipped take on the CSL could prove to be the holy grail of BMW’s M4 line-up. The source also remarks that the new variant will be only produced for a few months, starting in November 2022, implying that production numbers will be kept low.

We already know that BMW M GmbH has big plans on the horizon for the upcoming year. Their 750hp plug-in hybrid SUV, the XM, is set to be in production before the end of 2022, and from January, customers will be able to order their cars with a roundel that harks back to the Motorsport division’s classic logo. If that weren’t enough, the new BMW M3 Touring would finally fulfill our M wagon dreams, and a series of 50 new M paint finishes will be made available. A special, ultra-limited edition of the M4 could just be the icing on the cake.

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This V8 M3-Powered BMW “1M” Coupe Is An Affordable Alternative To The Genuine Article

The BMW 1M is considered one of the carmaker’s finest performance models ever. This example, though, is not exactly what it seems.

When it was in production, the 1M was sold exclusively with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 335 hp and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque. The owner of this car obviously wanted some extra grunt and has replaced the standard engine with the S65 4.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 of an E92 M3 that delivers 414 hp (420 PS) and 400 Nm (295 lbft) of torque.

Coupled to this engine is a six-speed manual transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. Obviously, the new engine makes this 1M much faster than a normal one but does it handle as well?

This is one of the questions that Drivetribe had when it arranged a drive of the car. Within 5 minutes, the reviewer notes that the extra weight of the V8 doesn’t upset the handling balance in the slightest and that it continues to perform superbly.

As impressive as this car is, however, it isn’t actually a genuine 1M. Instead, this particular car started out life as a standard 1-Series that has then been upgraded with the M3’s drivetrain. Those living in the UK can buy a car just like this from a local builder for around £30,000 (~$40,000), and that includes the price of a donor 1-Series, the M3 powertrain, and all the labor needed to make it work. This is roughly half the price of a well-maintained, genuine 1M you’ll find on the used car market. Sounds like a good deal to us.

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2022 BMW X3 M Facelift Takes To The Nürburgring For Its Spy Debut

The third-generation BMW X3 G01 is next in line for a facelift, three and a half years after its debut, and so is the high-performance X3 M variant.

Yes, the X3 M may have only debuted in 2019, but BMW is already working on a facelifted model. While prototypes of the regular 2021 X3 LCI have been spotted in the wild already, this is the first time the X3 M meets the cameras of our spy photographers.

This black prototype was spotted on and around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, with the test driver not missing the opportunity of covering some hot laps of the ‘Green Hell’. Just like the BMW X4 M LCI (Life Cycle Impulse) prototype spotted last month, the 2022 X3 M has the front and rear ends completely covered in camouflage.

That’s where the main changes are taking place, with the front end getting slightly larger kidney grilles placed closer together; don’t worry, they won’t be as big as those on the latest BMW M3 and M4, which share their powertrains with the X3 M and X4 M. BMW M is also making some changes to the bumpers, which get newly-designed air intakes up front and likely a bigger diffuser between the quad exhausts out back.

As you can see, the headlights are partially camouflaged, indicating they’re in for some changes as well. Expect a new and slimmer design along with a new DRL signature, in similar fashion to what we’ve already seen on the facelifted 5 Series. As for the taillights, it looks like they will get new graphics too and possibly a revised shape.

Given that the X3 M launched only a year ago, the 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six powertrain should carry over unchanged, at least in standard guise. In base form, the engine delivers 473 HP (352 kW / 479 PS) and 442 lb-ft (598 Nm) of torque, enabling the current model to sprint from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 4.1 seconds, before hitting a limited top speed of up to 174 mph (280 km/h).

As for the X3 M Competition, it could arrive with a performance boost as the 2021 M3 and M4 Competition are rated at 503 HP (375 kW / 510 PS) and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque. The X3 M Competition also has 503 HP (375 kW / 510 PS), but only 442 lb-ft (598 Nm) of torque, so there’s some room for improvement there. As before, both X3 M models will feature an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission and rear-biased M xDrive AWD system.

The facelifted BMW X3 M is expected to debut in the second half of 2021.

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Photo credits: CarPix & S. Baldauf/SB-Medien for CarScoops

The BMW M2 CS And Jaguar F-Type Are More Evenly Matched Than You May Think

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Both BMW and Jaguar have long and proud histories of producing some of the industry’s finest sports cars, and the M2 CS and F-Type are among the best.

In the most recent review from Lovecars starring Tiff Needell, the M2 CS and the facelifted F-Type go toe-to-toe on a tight and twisty track before heading out onto the open road. While the M2 CS and F-Type are not direct rivals, they offer similar performance and, in the UK at least, carry similar price tags.

The F-Type featured in this clip is a new variant dubbed the P450. This model uses Jaguar’s 5.0-liter supercharged V8 but has been detuned to 444 hp and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of torque. This engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear- or, optionally, all-wheel. The example tested had the all-wheel drive system and can hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.4 seconds while reaching a 177 mph (285 km/h) top speed.

By comparison, the M2 CS features a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder that is good for 444 hp and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque. Unlike the F-Type, the M2 CS tested came with a six-speed manual gearbox. It’s rear-wheel drive but, because it weighs less, it is quicker off the line than the Jaguar, hitting 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and maxing out at 174 mph (280 km/h).

During the track tests, the Jaguar was 0.8 seconds slower than the M2 CS. Considering its added weight, that’s not too bad.

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Is The BMW M340i Touring The Best Current 3-Series You Can Get?

If you want a BMW 3-Series that offers good performance but don’t quite have the money for an M3, the M340i is a great option, and CarWow recently had the opportunity to test it out.

One of the biggest advantages the M340i offers over the M3 is that it can be purchased in Touring form, as tested here. Not only does the current BMW 3-Series Touring look superb but it is also generously sized.

Power is provided by a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six with 369 hp and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. When mated to the 9-speed Steptronic automatic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive system, the M340i can hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in a very respectable 4.4 seconds and continue through to a 155 mph (250 km/h) top speed.

The example tested by CarWow really looks the part thanks to the grey exterior paint, black wheels and blue brake calipers. Inside, things are even more striking thanks to a mixture of leather finished in black and bright orange.

Not everything is perfect, however. One oddity about the M340i Touring tested is that you can tap your Android smartphone on the door handle to unlock it but, bizarrely, the car doesn’t have Android Auto, just Apple CarPlay – but you can’t use your Apple device to unlock it. Another small annoyance is that adjustable lumbar support doesn’t come as standard but is an optional extra. Surely these little things don’t detract from the fact that this is the best 3-Series variant you can get right now, do they?

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