CSL responds to Coupe Sport Lightweight –Coupe Sport Lightweight in English-, and believe me, if I tell you that they are the most radical versions, below the GTS. In addition, they have the great peculiarity of being two icons of the bavarian manufacturer.
on the one hand, we find the BMW 3.0 CSL, the father of all BMW M Series, since it was the first of his name –as we would say in Game of Thrones-, although not carrying that letter in their name. What if you incorporated are numerous modifications with respect to the BMW CS 3.0 derived and features stripes of red, blue, and purple, which are associated with this division of the sport.
there was a version CSL M3 E36, which was called M3 Lightweight E36 –and therefore is not considered a CSL as tal – of which BMW only produced, according to estimates, 125. 116 were sold to the public. Broadly speaking, differed from the M3 “conventional”, by having a lower weight and eliminate components such as the radio -an item useless in the race-.
therefore, the second, and one of the most iconic of this series, it was the BMW M3 CSL E46. This occurred less than 1,400 units, and had a lower weight and more power than the version M3 normal. To do so, incorporated some elements of carbon fiber. On the other hand, so was only available in automatic version with change SMG II.
Since its demise in 2003, BMW has not had any model CSL, although it looks that this nomenclature could return within a short time. The head of the division M of the signature bavarian, Frank Van Meel, has confirmed to Road & Track that the versions CSL will return.
“The CSL will be the most sharp, is designed to deal with circuits and shall be numbered.” said Frank Van Meel, head of the division, BMW M.
These versions will replace the current GTS, the more radical and prepared to compete. Therefore, the CSL will become the most sporting and powerful within the range M of BMW.
Source – Road & Track
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