E46 M3 CSL in the states

[9kracing]

I have said this before in another thread. And not saying that this is the way it happened, but a Puerto Rico title is transferable in any state. And any PR titled car does not go through the import process to the US. Get a car titled in PR and you are good to go. PR mimics the US Import guidelines, but I am pretty sure they are not actual PR law. If you live in PR, and have a PR drivers license you can import a car into PR. It ends up being a matter of getting the car approved for import. I am sure that's really more of a money problem than a "guidelines" problem.

I want an Audi RSQ3... are you telling me this is how I do it? Go to Mexico, purchase car... transport to PR, title it, and then transfer it to CA?

**this is not legal advice**

[Bimma360]

I want an Audi RSQ3... are you telling me this is how I do it? Go to Mexico, purchase car... transport to PR, title it, and then transfer it to CA?

**this is not legal advice**

Well that was the theory, you would have to move to PR BTW for some length of time. But according to AI it appears that I am either full of shit or something changed in the last 2 years. It does look like actual US CBP agents oversee importation into PR.

Haha I really did go deep into that rabbit hole a few years ago.

[9kracing]

lol damn I was hoping that would be easy

[Mike RT4]

We have most of the US CSL owners in our WhatsApp group and those that have already imported their cars recently (before the door was shut on the "show and display" method), don't want to discuss how they did it to fellow US CSL owners that have purchased their cars, but are storing them in the UK / Europe, waiting for 2028 to come around. This obviously indicates that the way have done it is somewhat of a grey area, that might cause issues if too many people followed the same route.

Canada have a 20 year ruling (compared to the 25 years of the US), so some have even exported cars there and registered them with friends / family (which allows occasional use either in Canada or by driving over the car over to the US for short periods), waiting for 2028 to come round.

If you want to beat the dramatic price hikes that waiting until 2028 is likely to bring, then purchasing now and storing them is the way to go. Darragh at Everything M is currently storing several, along with other companies I know of. One US guy in the group bought his a couple of years ago and has only just receently (this month) actually flown to the UK to see it in the flesh (whilst attending the Goodwood Festival of Speed).

In the meantime, if anyone finds a car they are looking to purchase and want the details on, please feel free to DM me, as we have the data on practically every CSL in the world and can save you a whole heap of trouble, as there are many out there that have an "interesting" history.

[9kracing]

I've been eyeing that black one in Japan

[usdmej]

as long as california keeps gatekeeping imports from being 50 state legal I don't see demand changing much. we've seen it with lancer evos to r34s and the e46 m3 CSL won't be any different imo

[Obioban]

as long as california keeps gatekeeping imports from being 50 state legal I don't see demand changing much. we've seen it with lancer evos to r34s and the e46 m3 CSL won't be any different imo

This matters so little over here that I don’t even know what you’re referring to.

E.g. we have R34s driving around. A good friend of mine has an r32 4 door skyline that’s GTR swapped. My brother just imported a 70 series Land Cruiser. I regularly see Kei trucks.

… and as I mentioned previously, already a couple CSLs rolling around, even before they hit the 25 year rule.

[9kracing]

You can import cars that are 25+ years old, but you can't legally register them in CA without going through CARB and having it BAR certified, which required bringing smog equipment up to date etc.

You can always register them in another state, but CA frowns on that.

[usdmej]

This matters so little over here that I don’t even know what you’re referring to.
.

there's a significant amount of well off car enthusiasts that will only own a car if they can own it 50 state legally. so yea, you guys over there and also the cali guys that are willing to house a car here through means most nefarious are not having to outbid a large contingent of people for things like Evos, R34s, and soon, E46 M3 CSLs

i was trying to answer OPs question in the sense that as long as california keeps it's emissions game tight, the 25 year import rule isn't going to usher in the high demand OP is expecting

[Mike RT4]

there's a significant amount of well off car enthusiasts that will only own a car if they can own it 50 state legally. so yea, you guys over there and also the cali guys that are willing to house a car here through means most nefarious are not having to outbid a large contingent of people for things like Evos, R34s, and soon, E46 M3 CSLs

i was trying to answer OPs question in the sense that as long as california keeps it's emissions game tight, the 25 year import rule isn't going to usher in the high demand OP is expecting

"High demand" is relative. Due to the scarcity, anything more than 25 people wanting one is going to change the pricing dynamic immediately.

In addition, the M3 CSL has an emission output of 287g / Km, compared to the US M3, which is quoted at 292-295g / km. The reason being that the CSL is in excess of 110kg lighter than the normal M3, which gives it ever-so slightly better emission output (and mpg as well). I'm not familiar with the Cali smog rules, so don't know how exactly this is figured for the reclassification.

However, the only reason it didn't come to the US is not because of the emissons, but because the significant changes made compared to the normal M3, meant that the US required it to be seperately type approved as a completely new vehicle (crash tests etc), which cost more than BMW were willing to pay, given the limited build quantity (and this extra cost would would have hiked the sale price even further). So they chose to just exclude the US market.

[Obioban]

there's a significant amount of well off car enthusiasts that will only own a car if they can own it 50 state legally. so yea, you guys over there and also the cali guys that are willing to house a car here through means most nefarious are not having to outbid a large contingent of people for things like Evos, R34s, and soon, E46 M3 CSLs

i was trying to answer OPs question in the sense that as long as california keeps it's emissions game tight, the 25 year import rule isn't going to usher in the high demand OP is expecting

It sounds like what you’re describing is only an issue for people that live in California? As in, my car can legally be driven in all 50 states even though it has not passed California smog. Same with my brother’s legally imported 70 series (registered in PA, where he lives).

R34 values went up significantly when they could start being imported.

[Mike RT4]

R34 values went up significantly when they could start being imported.

A few years ago in this country, they were £25-30k. Since the American market opened up, they have jumped to now being 4-5 times that (and more for special model versions / sort after colours). There were 11,578 R34 GT-Rs produced - almost 10 times the amount of M3 CSLs. So it's not rocket science that demand is going to outstrip supply - this is already happening (demand outstripping supply), even before the American market opening up.

People in the USA pay $100k for standard low mileage / unusual colour M3s, so I doubt the same people that are doing that are going to quibble about paying more for a CSL (even if it is just collector mileage cars). The market is going to grow and the quantity of available cars is going to shrink. I'm sure the prices will level off again after 2028's initial spike, but the CSL is already receiving crazy hype at the monent and I am being constantly asked if I know of any cars being sold before they come to market, in the hope that someone can get a "bargain". Unfortunately that ship has long since sailed.......

[0-60motorsports]

Yeah....my car was always so sentimental to me that even when i had a chance to buy a real CSL i did not, and helped sell it off for the owner. That CSLs original airbox is still in my car LOL.

I LOVE THE CSL, but have Zero desire for one unless I was dumb rich......

PORSCHE GT3 Touring PDK for me or TTS LOL.

[oceansize]

I'm pretty sure we're going to see a $200k, quite possibly $250k, e46 when an appropriate LHD comes up for sale. A couple of reasonably wealthy guys want the same car and there we go.

This one hit roughly $147k (€129,375) back in January of 2026 and it had 40k miles. Low mileage mint car is going to be a solid chunk of change.

https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/pa26/lots/r0079-2004-bmw-m3-csl/

[usdmej]

"High demand" is relative. Due to the scarcity, anything more than 25 people wanting one is going to change the pricing dynamic immediately.

agreed that is the point i was trying to make. there are a lot more than 25 cali residents that would be absolutely flooding the market with demand if california decided you could register an R34 here