THE BMW M3 CS TOURING IS NOW THE FASTEST TOURING ON 20.823 KM GREEN HELL - EVER!
BMW doesn’t mess around when it decides to slap a CS badge on a car, and it definitely doesn’t when that badge lands on the back of a Touring. What you’re looking at here is the all-new BMW M3 CS Touring - and it’s not just a fast wagon, it’s officially the fastest production wagon ever to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife. With a blistering lap time of 7 minutes and 5.03 seconds around the full 20.8 km configuration, the M3 CS Touring puts most sports cars to shame. This makes it the quickest estate to conquer the Green Hell, and it's not just a fluke - the time was recorded using a fully production-spec version fitted with standard Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect tyres. That kind of performance puts it just behind exotica like the Porsche 911 GT3 and firmly ahead of rivals like the Audi RS6 Avant. And yes, this is still a practical five-door wagon with enough boot space to haul your dog, camera gear, or your guilty-pleasure Woolies haul. So, what makes the M3 CS Touring worthy of a record run? It all starts with BMW’s S58 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six, tuned here to a hefty 405 kW (543 hp) and 650 Nm of torque. That’s a solid bump over the standard M3 Touring’s 375 kW, thanks to increased boost pressure and some clever ECU wizardry. Power is sent to all four wheels via BMW’s xDrive system and a quick-shifting 8-speed M Steptronic gearbox, giving it supercar-level grip and acceleration - we’re talking 0–100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds. The top speed? A licence-shredding, handcuff-attracting 280 km/h, and that’s the limited number. With the right package, that’ll top the 300 barrier. BMW M engineers didn’t stop at just more power. The chassis has been sharpened with bespoke M-specific settings, recalibrated adaptive dampers, and a CS-specific tune for the steering and DSC. It also features extra bracing and tweaks to the front axle geometry for even more precise handling.
Then there’s the weight saving - the M3 CS Touring drops mass through the generous use of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), found in the roof, bonnet, front splitter, mirror caps, rear diffuser, and even the seat backs. The result is a car that handles like a lightweight coupe but still fits the family and the luggage. Inside, it’s very much a driver’s tool, you get the M Carbon bucket seats, trimmed in Merino leather with contrast stitching, and the latest version of BMW’s curved display running BMW Operating System 8.5. There are unique CS design elements throughout, including exclusive colour accents, a red starter button, and a unique centre console trim. On the outside, the car makes no effort to hide its aggression; it’s available in exclusive Frozen Solid White, along with Brooklyn Grey, Black Sapphire, and Signal Green. Gold bronze-finished forged wheels are available too, in a staggered 19"/20" combo, giving it serious presence even when parked. As with all CS models, the M3 CS Touring will be built in limited numbers. And since BMW SA doesn’t officially offer the standard M3 Touring locally, the CS version landing on our shores is sadly not on the cards - unless a few lucky collectors pull strings and pay the import tax. Still, just knowing this thing exists is enough to make any BMW fan grin. It’s a wagon that demolishes racetracks by day, tackles the school run by afternoon, and hauls a mountain bike or a drum kit by weekend.
With the M3 CS Touring, BMW has hit peak versatility and peak performance in one brutally fast, brutally cool package. It’s a fitting evolution of the M3 legacy - a family car that just smoked everything else with a long boot around the Nürburgring. Who says you can’t have it all?
Take a look at the YouTube video from the chaps at BMW M that shows the onboard footage of the BMW M3 CS Touring as it becomes the fastest touring to lap the famed Green Hell - ever: THE M3 CS TOURING. Hot Lap Nürburgring Nordschleife. | BMW M
Be sure to check out our YouTube channel here for more exciting and exclusive SXdrv content! And don't forget to smash that subscribe button!