2018 BMW M3 CS priced at $97,400

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by KillrM3

I think all of these haters will realize what the GTS is/was years from now.

And laugh even harder.

[m20e3087]

Wow!! That's crazy, if it was me I would wait 3 to 4 years and pick up a used one for half of the price.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Agree. However, it seems particularly unlikely to me that someone who is considering a sedan can genuinely get by with a car that has not only has only two doors, but also has no back seats.

I think an abnormally high number of people bought the M3 over the M4 for styling reasons, even if they didn't need the 4 doors. I'm in that boat. I like the M3CS, but I paid $63k for my 2015 optioned exactly how I wanted it. With the software updates that BMW released last year, I'm quite happy with its performance as a fair weather daily driver and on the track. I'm sure this car will have better performance all around, but no way is it a $40k upgrade to what I have now when another $10k will get the new 911T.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

Your feelings of what they'd let the car go for are irrelevant. It is likely after a few months pass you will also get those feelings ordering a CS, just like what happened with the GTS.

I don't understand how someone could get a 911S over a GTS, but I guess as I actually track often I see how slow Porsches are so I have zero desire to get one.

Porsches USED to be slow. A new Carrera S or GTS is much faster than an M3 and a better car in every way. The M4 GTS is pretty much the ultimate fanboy car . . . It looks like a rice rocket and by all accounts doesn't drive that well. For the same money, you could have bought a new GT3 that year and had an objectively better car in every way. Most of the time I can understand why people might prefer one car over another, even if I don't like the car myself. A corvette over an M3 or Porsche, a Mustang or Camaro over an M3, etc. But the M4 GTS makes zero sense to me outside of pure fanboyism.

[DrunkTyrion]

Originally Posted by Who's on first

Extended warranty doesn't count when adding up options.

My bad the dealership did everything included for me.

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by KillrM3

This proves my point exactly. Someone that has never driven or been in a GTS complaining about the car saying that it is overpriced. The GTS is far beyond what a regular M3 or M4 is hence the price point. I know that someone that drives a 10 year old 328i is an expert on these things on the internet but not in real life. That being said I was just making a point that the GTS is a bargain at a 134k MSRP compared to what the CS models will be coming in at.

We can talk about prices all day but BMW's have never been cheap. With inflation taken in to account they haven't changed that much over the past 30 years for M cars.

I’ve been in one. And it wasn’t impressive. To me. That’s an opinion, and no one has to agree with me.

The car is cheesy if I’m blatantly honest, again, in my opinion.

[dkhm3]

Originally Posted by Racer20

I think an abnormally high number of people bought the M3 over the M4 for styling reasons, even if they didn't need the 4 doors. I'm in that boat. I like the M3CS, but I paid $63k for my 2015 optioned exactly how I wanted it. With the software updates that BMW released last year, I'm quite happy with its performance as a fair weather daily driver and on the track. I'm sure this car will have better performance all around, but no way is it a $40k upgrade to what I have now when another $10k will get the new 911T.

I'm in that boat. I don't need 4 doors. But my 78k M3 is spec'd just like I want it to be. Some people want more things than my car and prices go up, different strokes for different folks. P car people should know that very very well, you can get a stripper car or pay almost double for customizations. If you're arguing about bargains, then don't pay a few hundred bucks for paint matched seat belts, leather covered ac vents, etc.

People don't realize Porsche does the same thing? Macan S vs Macan GTS is a whopping 20 horsepower difference from the same engine, and some suspension frills, and exhaust, body kit for +14k more base price, THAT'S 25% more money for a GTS.

As usual, people see what they want to see, but the devil is in the details.

So BMW is now offering a bunch of versions of the M3, civic M3, comp M3, CS, GTS at different price levels. It's what everyone else is ALREADY doing, guys.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by ilikebmxbikes

If someone is serious about going to the track, the m3 cs is the wrong car. As an occasional track car for someone who isn't serious it's ok but for a person in that group it won't enhance their experience over a civic m4.

I see this type of comment all the time, as if "serious" track guys have to have a full on race car otherwise they're just posers. I take my bone stock 2015 Civic M3 to the track (stock pads, tires, alignment, only better fluid) and run faster than most people there in the second to top group (need a HANS to run in the top group). To me, driving skill is about extracting the most from yourself and the car you have, and learning to manage its trade-offs and weaknesses.

Anyone can just keep bolting parts onto their car until the limits of the car are higher than their limits as a driver. Extracting consistently fast times while dealing with a less than perfect car is more challenging and fun to me than making the car faster than I can drive it.

[ilikebmxbikes]

Originally Posted by Racer20

I see this type of comment all the time, as if "serious" track guys have to have a full on race car otherwise they're just posers. I take my bone stock 2015 Civic M3 to the track (stock pads, tires, alignment, only better fluid) and run faster than most people there in the second to top group (need a HANS to run in the top group). To me, driving skill is about extracting the most from yourself and the car you have, and learning to manage its trade-offs and weaknesses.

Anyone can just keep bolting parts onto their car until the limits of the car are higher than their limits as a driver. Extracting consistently fast times while dealing with a less than perfect car is more challenging and fun to me than making the car faster than I can drive it.

Yes, you are exactly my point. My original point was addressing a comment that said that the CS was for the track guys who wanted an edge over the civic F8X.

Neither F8X is a hardcore track car but rather a good dual purpose car. Most people who enjoy a dual purpose car will not feel any real edge in performance with the CS. There are so many variables. If one did want more performance out of an F8X chassis and was serious about building or having a more track focused car or had interest in transitioning to one, they would pick the considerably cheaper used civic F8X and build off of that. Civic f8x on steel brakes + plus pads, proper tires, and some MCS 2 way is very competent car on track and will still retain its dual role.

And again I think the m3 cs is super cool but I see it more as an awesome trim option than the "track focused" f80.

[elitex]

I'd much rather buy a base 911 over this. Should've priced it in mid to low 80's.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by dkhm3

I'm in that boat. I don't need 4 doors. But my 78k M3 is spec'd just like I want it to be. Some people want more things than my car and prices go up, different strokes for different folks. P car people should know that very very well, you can get a stripper car or pay almost double for customizations. If you're arguing about bargains, then don't pay a few hundred bucks for paint matched seat belts, leather covered ac vents, etc.

People don't realize Porsche does the same thing? Macan S vs Macan GTS is a whopping 20 horsepower difference from the same engine, and some suspension frills, and exhaust, body kit for +14k more base price.

So BMW is now offering a bunch of versions of the M3, civic M3, comp M3, CS, GTS at different price levels. It's what everyone else is ALREADY doing, guys.

The problem I have with the CS though is that it's literally the same hardware as the CP, just different software tunes. For an extra $34k, a 911GTS gets you a different engine with +80hp, wider fenders, bigger brakes, rear wheel steering, active stabilizer bars, E-diff, etc. etc. For an extra $34k, an M3CS gets you the exact same brakes, the same suspension hardware with recalibrated dampers, +28hp with the same engine, the same seats, and a few aftermarket CF body panels. The Porsche provides meaningful upgrades over the base car for the price difference, while the CS does not.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by ilikebmxbikes

Yes, you are exactly my point. My original point was addressing a comment that said that the CS was for the track guys who wanted an edge over the civic F8X.

Neither F8X is a hardcore track car but rather a good dual purpose car. Most people who enjoy a dual purpose car will not feel any real edge in performance with the CS. There are so many variables. If one did want more performance out of an F8X chassis and was serious about building or having a more track focused car or had interest in transitioning to one, they would pick the considerably cheaper used civic F8X and build off of that. Civic f8x on steel brakes + plus pads, proper tires, and some MCS 2 way is very competent car on track and will still retain its dual role.

And again I think the m3 cs is super cool but I see it more as an awesome trim option than the "track focused" f80.

Ah, I misread your post. I thought you were implying that the M3 needed coil-overs and huge brakes and slicks to be good on the track.

[Racer20]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

I’ve been in one. And it wasn’t impressive. To me. That’s an opinion, and no one has to agree with me.

The car is cheesy if I’m blatantly honest, again, in my opinion.

I agree with you completely, although I haven't been in one.

[Funf6cyl]

Originally Posted by Racer20

Porsches USED to be slow. A new Carrera S or GTS is much faster than an M3 and a better car in every way. The M4 GTS is pretty much the ultimate fanboy car . . . It looks like a rice rocket and by all accounts doesn't drive that well. For the same money, you could have bought a new GT3 that year and had an objectively better car in every way. Most of the time I can understand why people might prefer one car over another, even if I don't like the car myself. A corvette over an M3 or Porsche, a Mustang or Camaro over an M3, etc. But the M4 GTS makes zero sense to me outside of pure fanboyism.

Porsches were never slow cars, especially on track. A current day M4 is barely faster than a 911 Turbo from the late 90s/early 2000s (~20 years ago). Factor in the exponential tire enhancements in that period of time and it really shows how far ahead Porsche is and was. More so when you look at other cars.
Porsche was a late adopter for making the more basic 911 turbos which make a material jump in performance.
I agree on the latter as those American cars have cult followings and they’re handling is certainly right up there with many of the Euro cars for a fraction of the price. My money would go to a 911. If not the 911, I would absolutely buy a GT350R as that car is incredible.

[dkhm3]

Originally Posted by Racer20

The problem I have with the CS though is that it's literally the same hardware as the CP, just different software tunes. For an extra $34k, a 911GTS gets you a different engine with +80hp, wider fenders, bigger brakes, rear wheel steering, active stabilizer bars, E-diff, etc. etc. For an extra $34k, an M3CS gets you the exact same brakes, the same suspension hardware with recalibrated dampers, +28hp with the same engine, the same seats, and a few aftermarket CF body panels. The Porsche provides meaningful upgrades over the base car for the price difference, while the CS does not.

550 units. it's not meant to be cheap, or a bargain. It's a few hundred cars they will sell, before the model is finished. None of us are really going to get one.

It's like Edition 1 at AMG in reverse. Decoration and marketing for a farewell. OMG the M brand is shit. All this bargain talk is missing the point of this car.

Does anyone remember the markup for 911 R's at Porsche dealers? I sat in a 975,000.00 911 R. That's LOL.

[ilikebmxbikes]

The m3 CS main price increase is in the package.

GTS hood
Carbon Front Splitter
Carbon Trunk Spoiler
Carbon Diffuser
M perf Wheels
Interior Trim
Two tone seats
Seat belts
Perf Steering Wheel
CS door sills
CCB

Originally Posted by Racer20

Ah, I misread your post. I thought you were implying that the M3 needed coil-overs and huge brakes and slicks to be good on the track.

Quite the opposite.

[KillrM3]

Originally Posted by dmboone25

I’ve been in one. And it wasn’t impressive. To me. That’s an opinion, and no one has to agree with me.

The car is cheesy if I’m blatantly honest, again, in my opinion.

Yeah right. The only way you might ever be in one is if you are cleaning it while working at the car wash. I am not saying the car is for everyone but like I said before people's opinion on the car is unjustified and are just repeating what people said on the internet. The car is not easy to drive fast and is not for everyone. But at 134k it's a bargain compared to the CS models.

[csbear]

What’s really sad is that people will (over)pay that price, BMW will sell all of them, and the cycle will continue indefinitely...

And here I was, drooling over those M3 CS pics. That MSRP was almost exactly what I paid for a well equipped GT4.

The ZCP M3 is looking so beautiful right now. I’m in love with it more than I’ve ever been.

[Funf6cyl]

Originally Posted by ilikebmxbikes

The m3 CS main price increase is in the package.

GTS hood
Carbon Front Splitter
Carbon Trunk Spoiler
Carbon Diffuser
M perf Wheels
Interior Trim
Two tone seats
Seat belts
Perf Steering Wheel
CS door sills
CCB







Quite the opposite.

I don’t think the CS comes with CCB.

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by KillrM3

Yeah right. The only way you might ever be in one is if you are cleaning it while working at the car wash. I am not saying the car is for everyone but like I said before people's opinion on the car is unjustified and are just repeating what people said on the internet. The car is not easy to drive fast and is not for everyone. But at 134k it's a bargain compared to the CS models.

Ok, yes I work at a car wash and wasn’t impressed with the Pep Boys wing, or the cheesy GTS badging in 104 point font on the dash. Those things really didn’t do it for me. How did you know?

You can love the car if you choose to do so - no need to disparage those who question its respective merits from an objective perspective.

But I see you’re in Tampa - perhaps you’re just a crotchety and lonely geriatric, but I don’t presume to know.

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by csbear

What’s really sad is that people will (over)pay that price, BMW will sell all of them, and the cycle will continue indefinitely...

Agreed - they will sell them all. But mainly because supply is artificially limited - they know there’s not a market out there that can sustain a higher volume of units.

[Damage Inc]

Originally Posted by Racer20

The problem I have with the CS though is that it's literally the same hardware as the CP, just different software tunes. For an extra $34k, a 911GTS gets you a different engine with +80hp, wider fenders, bigger brakes, rear wheel steering, active stabilizer bars, E-diff, etc. etc. For an extra $34k, an M3CS gets you the exact same brakes, the same suspension hardware with recalibrated dampers, +28hp with the same engine, the same seats, and a few aftermarket CF body panels. The Porsche provides meaningful upgrades over the base car for the price difference, while the CS does not.

Agreed. This has been my gripe w the F80. Why couldnt BMW just fix the base M3 steering, exhaust note, and throttle response with software? Why do you have to pay for a super M version just to get the proper tuning that should have been done in the first place?

Its all about marketing and selling as many M cars as possible.

I lose all the way around. I sold my F80 for a 991 GTS. But if I had a choice, I would rather spend 40% less on an M3. But it has to be great out of the box, which the F80 is not. I cant pony up $100k for a CS when I can drive my 991 GTS for the same price.