The BMW M3 CS Returns With A Manual Gearbox Surprise

HomeBMWM3News The BMW M3 CS Returns With A Manual Gearbox Surprise

The three-pedal CS marks the end of the run for the current-generation M3.

Photo by: BMW Adrian Padeanu By: Adrian Padeanu May 18, at 8:09am ET Add Motor1.com as a preferred source in Google

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THE BREAKDOWN

• The 2027 BMW M3 CS Handschalter is the lightest in the lineup, weighing 75 lbs less than the standard M3.
• Exclusive to the United States, the three-pedal sports sedan costs $108,450.
• Limited production starts in July.

BMW is about to call time on the current-generation 3 Series. Having already introduced the fully electric i3, Munich is only months away from unveiling its combustion-engine counterpart later this year. For enthusiasts, this means the M3 “G80” is not long for this world. But before the sports sedan drives off into the proverbial sunset, the M division is sneaking in a limited-run finale.

For 2027, BMW dusts off the M3 CS with a six-speed twist. Unlike the previous Competition Sport special edition, which was sold exclusively with an automatic transmission, the new hardcore M3 is available only with a clutch pedal. The swan song carries the “Handschalter” suffix, German for “hand shift,” a name previously used for another epilogue: the three-pedal Z4 M40i Handschalter.

It's important to make a clear distinction between the two M3 CS models. While the previous one released in early 2023 was based on the range-topping M3 Competition xDrive, its successor uses the entry-level, rear-wheel-drive version as its foundation. Consequently, the twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine has 473 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, rather than the full 543 hp and 479 lb-ft of the all-paw M3 CS before it.

Photo by: BMW

The Lightest BMW M3 Money Can Buy

The main advantage over a base M3 is a comprehensive diet that sheds nearly 75 pounds. BMW makes greater use of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, combining the CFRP approach with a titanium muffler, forged wheels, and carbon bucket seats. While these items are all standard and account for approximately 42 pounds of savings, reaching the claimed total requires opting for the carbon-ceramic brakes, which remove a further 31.5 pounds.

An exact curb weight figure is not available, but simple math suggests the new M3 CS tips the scales at around 3,765 lbs. Even so, it remains significantly heavier than the previous-generation model launched in 2018, which featured a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The “F80” M3 CS was roughly 270 lbs lighter, though it lacked a manual gearbox.

Aside from the manual swap and weight reduction, the final version of the “G80” borrows the shock absorbers from the M4 CSL. Additional suspension tweaks, including new springs and a revised rear axle link, bring the four-door sports car closer to the road by about six millimeters compared with a base M3. For an extra $1,100, BMW also offers an M-specific front strut brace to sharpen handling.

BMW claims the new M3 CS with a manual takes 4.1 seconds to reach 60 mph, which doesn't make it any quicker than a base M3. Flat out, it will reach 180 mph thanks to the standard M Driver’s Package.

Photo by: BMW

The 2027 BMW M3 CS Is A $108,450 Finale

The options list includes two retro-flavored Individual colors, priced at $4,500 each: Techno Violet and Imola Red. As standard, the M3 CS is available in Black Sapphire or Isle of Man Green. Before any options are added, the final M3 starts at $108,450, including destination and handling, a nearly $28,000 premium over a base M3.

It will be offered in very limited numbers, exclusively in the United States, with production starting in July and first deliveries planned for this fall.

Although the sixth-generation M3 is nearing retirement, BMW has already confirmed not one but two future M3 models. A fully electric variant will launch next year, followed by another inline-six model later this decade, possibly as early as 2028.

2027 BMW M3 CS Handschalter

30 Source: BMW What do you think? View Comments

Motor1’s Take: In a few years, we may look back at the BMW M3 CS Handschalter and realize it was a much bigger deal than just the final chapter of the “G80” era. If reports are accurate, the next combustion-powered M3 (“G84”) will be sold exclusively with an automatic transmission. Not only that, but it may also come strictly with all-wheel drive.

If the rumors prove correct, we’re witnessing the end of an era: the last manual and pure rear-wheel-drive M3. The stick shift will likely continue until the end of the decade in the M2 and M4, but the odds are slim that the sedan ever gets the six-speed treatment again.

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