After the M4 CSL, BMW will apply its acronym CSL — which stands for Coupe Sport Leichtbau — to the largest of its coupés, the 8 Series, creating one of the most extreme and powerful models in its range, the M8 CSL.
We had access — exclusively nationally — to spy photos of a prototype test at the Nürburgring and the certainty about this model, which the Munich brand continues to keep secret from the gods, is growing.
The “hunted” prototype on The Ring is surprising because it only has a light camouflage, which doesn't even hide the most striking details of the model, such as the double rim without vertical bars, with the interior in a striking red or the rear wing .
It is also possible to identify novelties in the front shocks, with the air intakes taking on a new design and the lower diffuser growing, for a greater aerodynamic load.
In profile, the red brake calipers stand out — perfect combination with the red grille accents, don't you think? — and to the intriguing air intakes in the rear window (what is their function?)
At the rear, and in addition to the wing that we've already identified and which immediately takes us to the BMW M4 GTS, there are darkened headlamps, a more pronounced air diffuser and a third brake light in the center, among the four usual outputs. exhaust of M models.
6 instead of 8?
We left the engine for last, because it can represent the biggest news of this M8 GTS. Rumors indicate that the 4.0 twin-turbo V8 used in the other M8s will be passed over for a 3.0L inline six-cylinder, supercharged by two electric turbochargers.
Electric Turbos? That's right. Electric turbos promise to eliminate one of the less-desired characteristics of turbochargers: the response delay, the well-known turbo-lag.
These electric turbochargers do not stop working in the same way as the others, that is, with the flow of exhaust gases that generate a turbine. However, a small electric motor (or two, one per turbo) allows the turbine to rotate at the ideal speed in the lower regimes, when the exhaust gas flow is not strong enough to do so.
Therefore, we expect a much more immediate response from the engine regarding our action on the accelerator, especially in acceleration recovery, no longer having to wait for the filling of the turbine.
After all, in addition to a superior response in lower regimes, this solution even promises that this six-cylinder surpasses the current V8 in power, estimating that the final power of the M8 CSL surpasses the 625 hp of the BMW M8 Competition, making this the most powerful of the Series 8.
Combining the greatest power with an expected diet and the greatest aerodynamic and dynamic apparatus, they leave good signs for this M8 CSL to become a “weapon” to attack any circuit.
The public presentation of this more radical M8, which will be lighter, will take place in the spring of next year.