Meet the new fastest wagon around the Nürburgring, same as the old fastest wagon around the Nürburgring. Sort of, that is. The latest fast-lap time shows that there is only one car that can go around the 12.9-mile circuit faster than a BMW M3 Touring, and that car is the M3 CS Touring. The station wagon turned track car is the first Touring to lap the iconic circuit in under 7:30, making it without a doubt not any faster than a 154-horsepower 318i if you’re looking to get the kids to school in a hurry.
- Base Trim Engine
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3.0L Twin-Turbo Inline-6 Gas
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-Speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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All-Wheel Drive
This M3 CS Touring doesn’t get permission to break the speed limit, which is why the Nürburgring is so much fun. The track is open for drivers to go flat-out in their family cars. Even ultra-fast family cars like the M3 CS Touring. This new record, though, which was set by BMW M development engineer Jörg Weidinger, wasn’t set on an open Tourist day. The Touring day took place in April, when Weidinger, who is a touring car racer after hours, made the CS wagon nearly as quick as the sedan.
CS Means Five Seconds Quicker Than Standard
Weidinger was able to hot-foot the M3 CS Touring around the track in 7:29.490. That’s more than five seconds up on the standard M3 Touring, which managed a 7:35.060 in 2022. While it can’t hold a candle to the ultimate M4, the CSL that managed 7:18.137, it holds its own against the M3 CS Sedan, which managed 7:28.760. That’s a gap small enough that either one could cross the line first on a given day. All of those M-car times, by the way, have been set by Jörg.
The only problem with this record is that it doesn’t seem anyone else has tried. We can’t find any times for the most recent iterations of the (larger) Audi RS6 Avant or BMW M5 Touring, and no comparable attempts for the Audi RS4 Avant. Does that mean BMW wins by default, or is it that no other automaker is willing to try because they already know they’ll fail?
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BMW has taken over the Nürburgring in recent years. The company’s M division has set up a test center there and also created its own M Power grandstand and M track bridge. The BMW M Driving Experience at the ‘Ring lets drivers take M models around the track, and there’s even a showroom there.
Hottest M3 Has More Power, Less Weight
The limited-production BMW M3 CS Touring takes most of the sedan’s parts and adds cargo space. It comes with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo I6 tweaked to make 543 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. That’s up from 502 in the M3 Competition and 473 in the standard car.
BMW M sharpens the tuning of the adaptive suspension for the CS and adds M Compound brakes with optional carbon ceramics. You can order the car with max-performance summer tires or track-ready rubber, should you prefer. It also has some very extreme bolstered front carbon bucket seats and uses even more carbon fiber to help cut weight.
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The BMW M3 CS Touring Is A 543-HP Über-Wagon
The limited-production M3 CS Touring has a 3D-printed cylinder head core, higher-boost turbochargers, and more.
Of course, the BMW M3 Touring is not offered in the US. It looked like that might change, thanks to the overwhelming popularity of the M5 Touring. Right now, though, it’s not clear if the hottest Touring, CS or not, will make the ocean voyage to American dealers.
