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BMW Goes Wild with M3 CSL Concept
by Traian Popescu  The BMW M3 CSL Concept, a unique,
one-off model not for sale, is not as much a concept car as a showcase for the possibilities of the
standard M3 chassis. In order to reduce weight, carbon fibre is used for the front air dam, exterior mirror
housing, roof, doors, trunk lid and centre console. The floorpan and luggage compartment are honeycomb sandwich structures and the rear windows and brakes have also been substantially lightened.  Altogether, the M3 CSL tips the scales at around 2850lb, about 440lb less than the
standard M3. To further improve the power-to-weight ratio, the engine receives a small power bump to 350hp.
The car also features the Sequential M Gearbox with Drivelogic (SMG), derived
directly from Formula 1, which uses an electrohydraulic, microprocessor-controlled clutch. Two paddles around the steering wheel control the system. Overall, the M3 CSL covers the Nurburgring north circuit in
less than eight minutes, beating its production counterpart by almost 30 seconds. Come on BMW put this M3 in production!
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