BMW M3 CS Touring 2026 Review

From relatively humble beginnings way back in the E46 days, the CS has become a staple variant of BMW’s high-performance M models, spreading across the M2, M3, M4 and M5 ranges.

The BMW M3 CS Touring made its global debut in Australia at the 2025 Bathurst 12-Hour endurance race last February, but it’s taken until now for us to get behind the wheel on local soil.

Lighter, more powerful and even more dynamically gifted, this is the first time there’s been a five-door CS and, predictably, its extra talents come at a significant cost; the standard M3 Touring starts from $253,900 plus on-road costs... the CS from $253,900.

Our test car lifts that to $272,900 plus on-roads thanks primarily to the fitment of carbon-ceramic brakes, which funnily enough, makes it almost lineball with its bigger M5 Touring brother. Interesting.

What do you get for this significant surcharge? Power increases to 405kW (up 15kW) thanks to a little extra boost pressure from the two mono-scroll turbochargers, while torque remains at 650Nm, albeit over a slightly broader rav range.

There are stiffer engine mounts and revised calibrations for the dampers, stability control, steering and brakes, while a carbon bonnet helps shed 15kg – hardly groundbreaking changes, it must be said.

Inside, the equipment list is more or less the same as the standard M3; same widescreen infotainment with wireless smartphone mirroring and Operating System 8.5, heated seats, good stereo, power tailgate etc, though there’s more carbon-fibre and Alcantara. You do miss out on ventilated seats and triple-zone climate control, however.

Four colours are available – British Racing Green, Laguna Seca Blue, Frozen White Metallic and Sapphire Black – and BMW’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty applies, but servicing is condition-based depending on how the car is used.

The first thing that prompts a grin is the way the M3 CS Touring looks. BMW’s press department has done its bit with the fantastic dark-green-over-gold spec, but this is definitely a car that deserves – nay, demands – you glance back at it after a drive.

Without wanting to skip ahead to the next section, the one caveat to this is the front end; no, not the nostrils, but the 19-inch wheels at the steering end that don’t fill the guards to anywhere near the same degree as the 20s at the back.

Staggered sizes front-to-rear has been a CS hallmark since day one, but we’re unsure of the benefit.

Despite its more focused remit, the M3 CS Touring has not at all forgotten its everyday manners. In its default Comfort setting, the ride is still compliant – there’s perhaps a little more road noise than the standard car, but the standard eight-speed automatic makes it a doddle to drive.

Likewise, family friendliness is largely unaffected. There’s still a decent 500-litre boot (expanding to 1510L with the rear seats folded), ISOFIX points on the outboard rear seats and room for adults in the back if required.

But aptitude for the mundane is simply icing on the cake for a car like this; where it really has to impress is behind the wheel and the M3 CS Touring delivers in spades. This is a tremendously exciting and involving car to drive.

It starts the moment the engine fires up, vibrations being fed through the steering wheel.

BMW is rather coy about the exact changes it makes to a CS but if I had to guess, I’d say metal bits have replaced rubber bushings in various places and what you lose in refinement (not much) is more than compensated for by the increase in connection.

It’s monstrously fast, hitting 100km/h in 3.5 seconds and 200km/h in 11.7 on its way to a limited top speed of 300km/h.

The CS does feel to have a little more lag if you’re a gear higher in corners, but this is quickly followed by a massive wave of torque and an angry six-cylinder growl.

All-wheel drive means traction is not an issue unless you want it to be. Selecting 4WD Sport ups the rearward bias significantly – and is borderline too much for the track – allowing you to steer the car with the throttle to a certain degree while still having the security of front-driven wheels.

If you want to showboat in an appropriate environment, there’s also rear-wheel drive mode and BMW’s 10-stage traction control.

There isn’t a world of difference between the CS and the standard car, but the harder you drive the two the wider the gulf becomes, and the CS is always more poised and communicative.

Unsurprisingly, these findings mirror our experience in the M3 CS sedan, but there’s something about the wagon body that ups the cool factor.

Accessing the M3 CS’s capabilities does require some familiarisation with the enormous number of settings and parameters that can be adjusted.

You can save favoured combinations to the red M1 and M2 buttons on the steering wheel, but there’s engine response, gearbox mapping, steering, brake, suspension, stability control, engine sound and more to choose from.

That may well be part of the fun, but a little instruction from the dealer wouldn’t go astray for potential owners to ensure they can get the most out of their new toy.

But the CS’ greatest shortcoming is its interior. Things have progressed a long way since the F82 M4 CS, which had flat door cards and nowhere to put anything, but the lack of a cupholder precludes any non-bottled beverage unless you want to risk spilling it all over the shiny carbon centre console.

Likewise, the reduction in equipment feels mean given the price premium and any protestations about wanting to watch the car’s weight ring hollow when you still have electric seats and a powered tailgate.

This is a complicated question. Judged purely on its capability, you should absolutely buy a BMW M3 CS Touring as it offers a top-shelf driving experience wrapped in a deeply desirable package. It’s a purer and more exciting driver’s car than the similarly priced M5 Touring.

However, if you’re prepared to modify your car – and many M3 Touring owners are – you could certainly replicate the CS experience for a lot less than the $65,000 premium it asks along with having more equipment and a greater range of colours.

The CS treatment makes for a better driver’s car at the very extreme edge of the envelope, which makes it feel a better fit for the M3 sedan or M4 Coupe rather than the Touring that is likely to focus more on daily duties than hot laps.

That said, if you want the most extreme BMW five-door ever built, this is it.

2025 BMW M3 CS Touring at a glance:
Price: $253,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo petrol
Outputs: 405kW/650Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 10.5L/100km
CO2: 238g/km
Safety rating: unrated

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