3.0 CSL

Make
BMW
Segment
Coupe

It turns out, making a BMW with a big grille can work. All you have to do is give it a second look. From first impressions, the BMW 3.0 CSL revival should be the fix to the big grille we've been waiting for. At least, according to a couple of new renderings we found, and according to the people who don't like the way new M cars look (read: us).

For now, we've only seen the new hyper-rare, super-expensive tribute to the legendary E9 3.0 CSL in camo guise. Thankfully, a couple of automotive rendering artists have taken the time to analyze the photos and peel back the camo before us. Thus far, it looks pretty good for what is rumored to be a totally re-bodied and redone BMW M4.

The renders above come via kolesa.ru and the ones belows via Germany's Finest on Instagram. For now, let's start with the front, specifically the grille. Should this end up looking like the production version from the spy shots, we'd say that BMW has finally managed to make the nose work.

It genuinely looks like it is an evolution of the elongated kidney grille on the OG CSL. So do the holes below the headlights, which will also recall the older CSL. These are something of a CSL trademark, making an appearance on the E46 M3 CSL as well. The rest of the car is standard M4, which includes the hood and lights.

The rear, while accurate to what we see on the camo, is less of a win. Narrow period race car proportions are tough to get right on a big coupe from 2022. Still, we're fans of the extra flared fenders, diffuser, and bumper. All of those recall the older racer in one way or another, as do the wings. However, the problem is that things don't work quite as well when put together.

It's tough to tell to what degree the sideblades (just in front of the doors) will be kept on the CSL. Our spy shots show them, if only slightly, and it's unclear how they'll look. If it's not on the OG car, we say ax it. Still, we'll forgive it on account that the render, and potentially even the real deal, make a big BMW grille work just splendid.