CSL's in the US

[Signaljoe]

Here in Toronto there is guy with a CSL. Only seen it in a few shops being stored not sure if its actually driven. Our rules are different here though.

Nice, yeah Canada has a 15 year import rule compared to the US's 25 year rule. So a broker in Vancouver helped me get mine and I have it stored in his large warehouse. For a monthly charge of course.

[bigjae46]

Someone in Houston has one. I saw a few at the Nurburgring when I was doing euro delivery for my 2011 M3...it's a cool car but not sure I'd move heaven and earth to get one.

[Arith2]

That's a very silver grey area (hehe)

The ones that are here most of them came from Canada or Japan. I know of one from Germany but it's literally just being stored until it can be federally legalized.

I've also driven a few CSLs, and even though they're pretty cool, they're not worth the extra effort and expense when you can literally build the car cheaper.

The window on CSLs and really any M car of that vintage is kinda over. Even if you found one in Germany with miles on it etc, you'd still be out over 100k USD.

The CSL is not a 100k USD experience, I will tell you that point blank. If it's your dream car, sure go for it, but it's still just an E46 M3 which you already own.

I agree, however there is carbon fiber hidden all over the CSL, the glass is all lighter and impossible to source here, and BMW said no to importing Euro parts in 2018. The CSL isn't a carbon core design but some of the chassis actually has carbon fiber in it to save weight. It's not much but it's there. The front fenders might be composite but don't quote me on that. There are a few things you just can't buy that a CSL has. I agree it isn't worth $70k more, however, people will pay it.

Can someone go knock on their CSL fenders and tell us if they're aluminum or composite material? I really want to know.

[Thoglan]

The front fenders might be composite but don't quote me on that.

Can someone go knock on their CSL fenders and tell us if they're aluminum or composite material? I really want to know.

Front fenders are same as standard.

[Arith2]

Front fenders are same as standard.

Well they shouldn't be for how much they cost. Thanks for checking

[heinzboehmer]

Front CSL fenders are the same part number as the regular ones. Unless I missed something.

[Sharocks]

The CF parts on the CSL have been heavily documented over the years.

There isn't anything new that we haven't divulged other than the thing is rattle trap because it has "less" sound deadening.

Again, they're not worth the premium unless you really really really want to own it for what it is.

[bemami]

I told my wife today if i saw a real
CSL in life i would likely cry. She td me i needed to re-evaluate my life…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Arith2]

I told my wife today if i saw a real
CSL in life i would likely cry. She td me i needed to re-evaluate my life…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My friend sent me a picture of an E30 CSL at some car show in Tampa. He only saw an old BMW but I saw Motorsport heritage. I think the mindset behind "CSL" is something forgotten today but a heritage worth hanging onto. BMW has thrown it out the window but we keep it alive with our CSL mods and appreciation for what once was. The E46 M3 CSL is not a $100k experience however, new, it was running with $150k cars for much less. The idea, motivation, and development is all to be admired. The E46 is a flawed chassis but if it was perfect, the E46 would be twice the cost. CSL is how BMW Motorsport injected their racing ideas into a street car. Obviously nothing is perfect but the idea is awesome. Look at the market for CSL parts...

[Slicktop]

My friend sent me a picture of an E30 CSL at some car show in Tampa. He only saw an old BMW but I saw Motorsport heritage. I think the mindset behind "CSL" is something forgotten today but a heritage worth hanging onto. BMW has thrown it out the window but we keep it alive with our CSL mods and appreciation for what once was. The E46 M3 CSL is not a $100k experience however, new, it was running with $150k cars for much less. The idea, motivation, and development is all to be admired. The E46 is a flawed chassis but if it was perfect, the E46 would be twice the cost. CSL is how BMW Motorsport injected their racing ideas into a street car. Obviously nothing is perfect but the idea is awesome. Look at the market for CSL parts...

Your friend sent you a what? I hate being that guy, but an E30 CSL does not exist. Also, fundamentally the E46 is not a flawed chassis to the point where it would've been 2x new. The only issue with the actual chassis was/is the rear floors coming apart due to welds cracking. Kinda confused by your whole take but I can certainly appreciate your enthusiasm for the brand.

[Thoglan]

3.0 CSL I assume. Not to poke fun, but the irony in getting the chassis wrong when talking about the significance of the original CSL is funny

[Slicktop]

3.0 CSL I assume. Not to poke fun, but the irony in getting the chassis wrong when talking about the significance of the original CSL is funny

Yeah an E9 is definitely different from an E30. Also I'm familiar with the Tampa area so when I heard "E30 CSL" and "Tampa" in the same sentence as car show, my mind did not think E9. Seeing a real one of those at a car show would be ridiculous.

[Arith2]

Your friend sent you a what? I hate being that guy, but an E30 CSL does not exist. Also, fundamentally the E46 is not a flawed chassis to the point where it would've been 2x new. The only issue with the actual chassis was/is the rear floors coming apart due to welds cracking. Kinda confused by your whole take but I can certainly appreciate your enthusiasm for the brand.

Sorry, you're right. It is pretty dumb to get something so significant wrong when I am pretty enthusiastic about the car. It's an E9 3.0 CSL. It was probably a replica but the car show did have million dollar cars at it.
Where quality increases, the price increases exponentially. To change manufacturing processes to fix all the flaws along with the extra research would've resulted in a much more expensive car. Quite frankly, it's a hypothetical at this point so "more than it was" is really the only accurate statement. I guess around twice as much but no one can actually know.