2022 is going to be one of the biggest years for BMW in a long time. Not only does it represent 50 years of BMW M, but we’ll also get to see the first-ever M3 Touring and there’s a hybrid M5 that could debut this year too. But, next year is going to be a big deal too, and at least part of that is thanks to the new M3 CS. While there’s little hope of seeing the M3 CS outside of spy shots this year, a new report claims that it’ll now enter production in March 2023 – three months ahead of schedule. But, that’s not all that we’ve learned, and what’s coming next is huge!

The Truth About the BMW M3 CS

This latest news comes via a reliable source at BimmerPost, that also divulged some important information regarding the CS’ powertrain and performance credentials. The new M3 CS will be powered by the 3.0-liter inline-six -- the same S58 engine that’s expected to land in the M4 CSL. In the M3 CS, it will be tuned to deliver 540 horsepower, and while the M4 CSL is expected to be offered only with RWD, the M3 CS is said to be offered exclusively with xDrive AWD. Both models, however, will be limited to BMW’s usual ZF eight-speed automatic.

The report goes on to essentially confirm what we’ve already seen in spy shots, which includes the front bucket seats and the M-specific headlights, both as standard equipment. The M3 CS won’t see as much weight reduction as the M4 CSL, however, it will feature a significant amount of carbon fiber to at least shed some weight. Expected to be based on the 3 Series LCI facelift that’s due later in 2022, it will benefit from the latest styling tweaks but, more importantly, it’ll get BMW’s new iDrive 8 infotainment system. This system should also land in both the M3 Touring, the M4 CSL, and the mythical M4 GT/H.

If you’re not aware of what the M4 GT/H is, reports claim that it’ll be a super-exclusive, hand-built car that’s set to be sold outside of the United States. The letter H is said to represent the manual transmission’s H pattern and the car itself is said to be based on the M4 CSL, which means it’ll also feature the rear-seat delete. The electric adjustment for the front seats is also off the list as are the parking sensors – basically, anything BMW can cut to save weight, it will.

As for exactly when BMW will pull the covers off the new M3 CS is still a mystery, but if production has been moved up to March 2023, then it is possible that we’ll see it near the end of 2022. If we don’t see it then, early 2023 is a guarantee if production is really starting that soon.