BMW fans usually lament the truth that the Munich-based automaker doesn’t supply a supercar similar to the Porsche 911 or the Ferrari 296. It did produce the i8 from 2014 to 2020, however the plug-in hybrid coupe obtained overshadowed by the 911 and the Audi R8. There are additionally sports activities automobiles such because the Z4—which gained the BMWBLOG 2024 Automobile of the 12 months award—and the M2—which earned MotorTrend’s 2024 Efficiency Car of the 12 months title.
As but, an unique supercar doesn’t appear to be a precedence for BMW. As an alternative, its focus stays on limited-edition fashions constructed on current platforms. Whereas these automobiles will not be as flamboyant or extravagant because the M1 or the i8, they’ve higher business viability and a larger spillover impact on the general model. To that finish, this text will discover the 5 finest special-edition BMWs of the 21st century.
E46 M3 CSL: A Light-weight Legend
The M3 CSL was the high-performance variant of the E46 M3, restricted to 1,383 items. Beneath the hood, it packed a 3.2-liter inline-six engine that delivered 360 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels by way of a 6-speed SMG transmission. This setup allowed the CSL to dash from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and attain a prime velocity of 155 mph. It was additionally faster than the Ferrari 360 Problem across the Nurburgring, with a lap time of seven minutes and 50 seconds.
At present, examples of the E46 M3 CSL have been identified to simply fetch over $100,000.
E92 M3 GTS: Sharpened for the Monitor
The E90/E92 M3 was the primary and solely mass-produced M3 to characteristic a V8 engine. Its award-winning S65 powertrain produced 414 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, enabling a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.6 seconds. Nonetheless, for these in search of extra efficiency, there was the E92 GTS with 444 horsepower, a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.2 seconds, and varied chassis upgrades for sharper dealing with. Apart from, it posted a formidable Nurburgring time of seven minutes and 48 seconds.
That stated, the deliberate manufacturing of the M3 GTS was 150 items solely.
E90 M3 CRT: Carbon Fiber Rarity
Much more unique than the M3 GTS was the E90 M3 CRT (67 items). It shared the identical V8 engine because the M3 GTS and weighed 70 kilograms lower than the E90 sedan due to its carbon-fiber bonnet and entrance seats.
For sure, just like the E92 GTS and the E46 M3 CSL, the M3 CRT is a extremely sought-after collector’s automobile with costs reaching as much as $250,000. For reference, that’s greater than the MSRP of BMW’s present flagship fashions, together with the XM Label ($186,700), the i7 M70 ($168,500), and the M8 Competitors Convertible ($150,000).
3.0 CSL: BMW M’s Million-Greenback Tribute
The 3.0 CSL was designed as a tribute to the E9 3.0 CSL and launched to mark the fiftieth anniversary of BMW’s M division. Mechanically, it’s based mostly on the G82 M4, boasting 560 horsepower and a top-speed of over 186 mph (300 km/h).
In the meantime, its manufacturing was restricted to 50 items, with every carrying a price-tag of over €750,000 (round $875,000). In fact, within the secondary market, the three.0 CSL’s worth has elevated additional to over $1 million, inserting it in the identical league as supercars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren.
For sure, we beloved the BMW 3.0 CSL in our personal check drive final yr.
BMW Skytop: A Future Traditional?
It’s frankly too quickly to say if the Skytop (50 items; MSRP of €500,000/$585,000) will grow to be an all-time traditional. Nonetheless, in an period the place BMW’s design language has been usually criticized for being over-the-top and ostentatious (as seen in automobiles just like the XM and the i7), the Skytop supplies a welcome respite with its easy, elegant look. Certainly, it’s some of the visually beautiful automobiles BMW has ever made, on par with the Z8 and the i8.
The BMW Skytop additionally opened up the door for future restricted manufacturing fashions, just like the upcoming Speedtop and even a potential particular M automobile.
