Is there an m-texture CSL out there?

[Thoglan]

I was re-watching the harry's garage video where he has a manual CSL in to review (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgBQSn9A4yk) and about one minute in he pulls out the evo magazine from September 2002 and there's some photos from the magazine shown on screen.


I could easily be crazy, but the interior shot in the top right caught my eye because that bucket seat has m-texture on it. The image attached above is compressed slightly after uploading to here but you can see it clearly on the video when the video settings are at 4k, there is no question that it is m-texture and not the cloth used in the CSL as standard. The bolsters aren't even alcantara like the CSL seat is normally, they are leather, the design of the seat appears to be slightly different. I'm guessing this was an early press car that was given to the evo team as it even appears to be steel grey but I had never heard of them having m-texture bucket seats. Does there exist some factory m-texture/leather bucket seats out there ?? Are any of the original press cars that might have had this interior still around? Anyone seen any other photos of them?

[Obioban]

I’d guess that was an alternate version of the CSL concept car.

[Duck360198]

Pre-production and production CSL’s all got the amaretta cloth and alcantara seats. There was talk a few concept cars got the m-texture. M-texture CSL seats would be so awesome.

[jet_dogg]

The birdseye looking pre-production cloth is pretty fresh but alcantara > all fight me.

Other design choices questionable.

[Thoglan]

The birdseye looking pre-production cloth is pretty fresh but alcantara > all fight me.

Other design choices questionable.

I'm a huge alcantara slut don't get me wrong. But I would take an mtexture/leather csl interior over the amaretta/alcantara that they went with every day of the week. Maybe that doesn't count though... Mtexture is still alcantara.

[jet_dogg]

I'm a huge alcantara slut don't get me wrong. But I would take an mtexture/leather csl interior over the amaretta/alcantara that they went with every day of the week. Maybe that doesn't count though... Mtexture is still alcantara.

Indeed, and yours is super nice but I'm going to do something a little different and I don't want any leather on the seat.

[Thoglan]

Indeed, and yours is super nice but I'm going to do something a little different and I don't want any leather on the seat.

I look forward to seeing it. I dislike leather in my cars as well quite a lot. Prior to owning my m3 I had a ZHP 325i sedan with the alcantara/laser cloth interior and I loved it, the alcantara bolsters and everything. There should have been an m3 equivalent of that interior which would have looked very cool I think.

[jet_dogg]

I look forward to seeing it. I dislike leather in my cars as well quite a lot. Prior to owning my m3 I had a ZHP 325i sedan with the alcantara/laser cloth interior and I loved it, the alcantara bolsters and everything. There should have been an m3 equivalent of that interior which woukd have looked very cool I think.

I'm no zhp expert but that sounds cool. I vacillated between cloth, f2at, black nappa, kiwi, imola, cinnamon and back to black nappa several times before ordering my car. I just didn't like the stark contrast in texture between the cloth inserts and leather bolsters which incidentally one my dailys has but is less jarring optically. I liked m alc and the transition in texture was smoother due to the closer similarity in materials (despite alc being fake suede). Ultimately I decided on black nappa because I was concerned with m tex looking somewhat dated looking forward thought admittedly it has aged well. I like the black because it goes with everything and I can choose to play with certain elements plus stylistically it all works instead of being confined to limited choices when I alter bits and pieces in the interior. That and I just like black 😎

The interior will be various shades of black in a subtle mix of materials perhaps with a stupid decision or two for good measure.

[maw1124]

I could easily be crazy, but the interior shot in the top right caught my eye because that bucket seat...

Those are some nice fucking seats, however they're covered. They should have rolled with those in various colors, leathers and fabrics IMO, with heat as an option on all.

maw

[LSBNick]

Def was a press car. Additional photos in the magazine even show pre-LCI tailights

[nextelbuddy]

i swear at one point many many years ago I saw a CSL engine bay that had the older MK20 DSC module on the passenger side drug bin area

[heinzboehmer]

You know what you have to do:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254786516602?hash=item3b5275b67a:g:YukAAOSwcU5fut7~

[jet_dogg]

I was collecting these mags at my local Tower Records back in those days and I think I have a bunch of csl and gt3 issues (car, evo, top gear, etc) somewhere at the house.

I'll have to look for them and examine the csl bits 18 years later 🤔

[bmw]

I look forward to seeing it. I dislike leather in my cars as well quite a lot. Prior to owning my m3 I had a ZHP 325i sedan with the alcantara/laser cloth interior and I loved it, the alcantara bolsters and everything. There should have been an m3 equivalent of that interior which would have looked very cool I think.

Yes, the max fuzzy ZHP interior is rare but awesome. Been searching for a low mileage 6spd 330ci Imola on Alcantara (incl. steering wheel) coupe for years. It's sad that people couldn't be bothered to wash their hands regularly pre rona days and therefore BMW replaced the alcantara with leather due to complaints in later production years.

[Thoglan]

bmw Yes! That's the interior it had. Makes me miss my ZHP. I was genuinely disappointed when I found out the M3 didn't have an equivalent interior and I found out I'd have to 'downgrade' to leather. When I saw M-texture for the first time in the car that I would end up buying though I knew I had to have it.