[The Automotive Enthusiast]

Last October, we learned of BMW's bids to secure trademark rights to the name "CSL," which it originally made famous through its 3.0 CSL, built as a homologation requirement for the company to field the car in the European Touring Car Championship. The CSL moniker has not adorned a BMW since the M3 CSL exited production in 2004, but the above trademark activity foretold BMW's efforts to revive the name, and a brand spokesperson confirmed to The Drive over the weekend that "CSL" will take the place of "GTS" on the company's most hardcore performance cars.

"CSL is still alive, and replaces GTS on further cars which are appropriate to get a CSL version—generally speaking," stated the spokesperson, in a communique outlining a five-tier hierarchy of performance cars.


Footing the naming scheme will be the company's current M Performance models, like the M240i, which rides the line between being just another 2-Series and a full M car. Above M Performance models are the M cars themselves, such as the M2, which yield the third tier to M Competition variants like the M2 Competition.

Atop these sit M CS and M CSL tiers, denoting "Coupe Sport" and "Lightweight" respectively. Only the M4 has a CS variant known to the public, though pre-launch rumors of the M2 Competition conflated the CS and Competition badges. With CSL replacing GTS, that leaves the M4 GTS as an equivalent to the hypothetical M4 CSL.


Not every BMW with an M Performance model—like the X6 M—will receive faster variants, according to the BMW spokesperson.

"This hierarchy won't automatically come with every model, just where it makes sense. E.g. there won't ever be an X5 M CSL."

We now have knowledge of the CSL nameplate's return and BMW's pursuit of the CSL trademark in the U.S. as applied to its M2, M4, and M8. Between these two factors, it is not unsafe to assume BMW will roll out M2 CSL and M8 CSL models in the U.S. in the future, and with the known quantity that is the M4 GTS, BMW already has a standard to which its modern CSL cars will be held, independent of the golden oldies. It'd almost be an unfair comparison, no?

http://www.thedrive.com/news/20803/b...-supersede-gts

[mkoesel]

Although this article was otherwise well written, this statement:

Only the M4 has a CS variant known to the public…

isn’t true; there is also an M3 CS. Furthermore, this means that while the C in CSL may still stand for “Coupe” so long as BMW only applies the top tier designation to coupe models, when it comes to CS, the C must either stand for “Competition” or something else. Or maybe nothing at all.

[swagon]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Although this article was otherwise well written, this statement:



isn’t true; there is also an M3 CS. Furthermore, this means that while the C in CSL may still stand for “Coupe” so long as BMW only applies the top tier designation to coupe models, when it comes to CS, the C must either stand for “Competition” or something else. Or maybe nothing at all.

Competition Sport?

[BM dnobagaV]

Remember when just M was the very best? Pepperidge Farms remembers.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by swagon

Competition Sport?

Yes, the S can remain "Sport". It's just the "Coupe" part that doesn't make sense on a sedan (or other type of non-two-door vehicle).

So the three would be:

M Competition
M CS (Competition Sport)
M CSL (Competition Sport Lightweight)

Regarding the "Lightweight" part, hopefully M Division will begin to exploit the carbon core capabilities of CLAR now that all of their products are moving to that vehicle architecture.

[Brasko]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Yes, the S can remain "Sport". It's just the "Coupe" part that doesn't make sense on a sedan (or other type of non-two-door vehicle).

So the three would be:

M Competition
M CS (Competition Sport)
M CSL (Competition Sport Lightweight)

Regarding the "Lightweight" part, hopefully M Division will begin to exploit the carbon core capabilities of CLAR now that all of their products are moving to that vehicle architecture.

And now that the public knows the lineup and typical BMW release pattern, I wonder how that will shift sales i.e. more peopling holding off on their purchase until the CS or CSL model launch.

[Maynard]

Originally Posted by BM dnobagaV

Remember when just M was the very best? Pepperidge Farms remembers.

Get off the farm - CSL was the start of it all, and it designated a far more specialized and hard-core vehicle than most of the M-cars ever achieved - there were even parts in the trunk that you couldn't install on a road car (I'm biased - seeing these was a life-changing event in my distant youth). Hate to quote from Wiki, but I'm at work and this conference call won't last forever:

"BMW M GmbH (previously: BMW Motorsport GmbH) is a subsidiary of German car manufacturer BMW AG. Established in May 1972 with 35 employees, it grew to 400 employees by 1988, and is currently an integral part of BMW's market presence. The first racing project was BMW’s 3.0 CSL. After the success of BMW M products like BMW 3.0 CSL in racing venues and the growing market for high performance sports cars, M introduced cars for sale to the public. The first official M-badged car for sale to the public was the M1, revealed at the Paris Motor Show in 1978."

[Darth One]

oh noes...will they be providing CSL badges to GTS owners who no longer have the top dog?

[uniqueMR]

Actually, the four would be:

M
M Competition
M CS (Competition Sport)
M CSL (Competition Sport Lightweight)