The 2025 BMW M4 CS Packs 543 HP, $123,500 MSRP
Last year, BMW built a run of more powerful, track-focused M4s with the brand's legendary CSL badge. Those were all rear-wheel drive, but the closely-related M3 CS packed the same engine enhancements with an all-wheel drive platform. Now, that option finally comes to the two-door BMW compact in the form of the M4 CS.
Like the M4 CSL, the M4 CS brings power all the way up to 543 hp. That gets the all-wheel drive M4 CS to 60 MPH in 3.2 seconds, 4/10ths of a second faster than the rear-wheel drive CSL and equal to the time set by the M3 CS sedan. Actual performance may be even more impressive; in a 2022 Car and Driver test, the heavier and less powerful M4 Competition with xDrive reached 60 MPH in just 2.8 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited at 188 MPH.
The letter lost in translation is meant to indicate lightness, and the extra drive wheels certainly do not make the car any lighter. While it is nearly 300 lb heavier than the CSL, the CS does have a focus on lightweight construction of its own and the result is a saving of 77 lb over the standard xDrive-equipped M4 Competition. The weight savings come with specific chassis and software tuning meant for the CS, complimenting the unique power and weight of the lighter and more powerful M4.
All-wheel drive means that the M4's manual option is not on offer, so the eight-speed automatic is the only option available. BMW says that the all-wheel drive system is rear-biased and integrated with a rear differential. The brand also claims that the dynamic stability control system can be completely disabled and the car can be driven with no front wheel intervention in a selectable two-wheel drive mode.
Visual upgrades also match the pattern started with the M4 CSL, most notably including a more muted take on the massive kidney grilles that have become the signature of this generation of M4. These grilles look more like the version used on the M4 GT3 race car, which is more open and includes a central bar between the two grilles.
All that improvement does come with a cost, though. The base M4 starts at a relatively reasonable $79,100, but the M4 CS comes in at a hefty $123,500 before a $1500 destination an handling fee. That makes the CS over $44,000 more expensive than the base car, a hefty premium for the more impressive offering.
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