{"id":38631,"date":"2022-12-20T06:00:15","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T11:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=38631"},"modified":"2022-12-20T06:00:15","modified_gmt":"2022-12-20T11:00:15","slug":"m2-cs-e46-m3-csl-e30-m3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=38631","title":{"rendered":"BMW M2 CS vs E46 M3 CSL vs E30 M3\u2014Which is BMW&#8217;s Best Driving Car?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><meta itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"mainEntityOfPage\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/WebPage\" itemid=\"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/2022\/12\/20\/m2-cs-e46-m3-csl-e30-m3\/\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"photomain-article\"> <noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-post-image\" alt=\"E30 BMW M3 test drive 47\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47-830x553.jpg 830w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" title=\"image of E30 BMW M3 test drive 47\"\/><\/noscript><img width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%201920%201280%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47.jpg\" class=\"lazyload attachment-full size-full wp-post-image\" alt=\"E30 BMW M3 test drive 47\" decoding=\"async\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47-830x553.jpg 830w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/E30-BMW-M3-test-drive-47-300x200.jpg 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" title=\"image of E30 BMW M3 test drive 47\"\/><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\" itemprop=\"description\" readability=\"67.801563178463\">\n<p>There are two BMWs most often considered to be the best driving cars the brand ever made\u2014the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/2022\/05\/27\/harry-metcalf-e30-m3-2-5-evo\/\">E30 M3<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/2022\/11\/08\/this-e46-m3-csl-has-less-than-3000-miles-on-it-because-collectors-are-the-worst\/\">E46 M3 CSL<\/a>. Some fans are in camp E30 M3, while others are in the CSL\u2019s camp. However, there\u2019s a new special Bimmer that throws a monkey wrench into the mix, one that could be every bit as special as its legendary predecessors\u2014the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmwblog.com\/2022\/08\/07\/chris-harris-bmw-m2-next-gen\/\">BMW M2 CS<\/a>. In the most jealousy-inducing three-way comparison I\u2019ve seen in ages, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.evo.co.uk\/bmw\/205380\/bmw-e30-m3-v-e46-m3-csl-v-f87-m2-cs-two-door-m-division-icons-through-the-generations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>EVO Magazine<\/em><\/a> put all three aforementioned cars together to see which was best. Do we officially consider the winner to be the best driving BMW of all time?<\/p>\n<p>The three cars are separated by literal decades. BMW launched the E30 M3 in the late \u201980s and it\u2019s the only M car in history to start out life as an actual DTM car and be homologated for the road. So when it comes to actual motorsport pedigree, the E30 M3 is unmatched here. However, it\u2019s also completely outgunned. Its 2.3-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder can barely muster 200 horsepower and it needs to be revved within an inch of its life to make that power.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9.jpg\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-204392\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9-750x500.jpg\" alt=\"BMW E46 M3 CSL 9 750x500\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9-750x500.jpg 750w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9.jpg 1900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" title=\"image of BMW E46 M3 CSL 9 750x500\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-medium wp-image-204392\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20750%20500%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9-750x500.jpg\" alt=\"BMW E46 M3 CSL 9 750x500\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9-750x500.jpg 750w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/BMW-E46-M3-CSL-9.jpg 1900w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" title=\"image of BMW E46 M3 CSL 9 750x500\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Fast forward a few decades and you get the E46 M3 CSL, which might not have the motorsport pedigree of the E30 but is far, far more powerful and capable. Instead of a tiny, buzzy four-pot, the CSL has a 3.2-liter naturally aspirated inline-six with 360 horsepower. Unfortunately, the CSL only came with a six-speed SMG sequential manual gearbox, rather than a six-speed manual. However, its chassis was so good\u2014and still is\u2014that its driving dynamics more than made up for the sloppy transmission.<\/p>\n<p>Far more recently, the BMW M2 CS became something of a modern classic. It\u2019s far different from either of the other two cars, though. Its 3.0-liter straight-six packs two turbochargers and makes 444 horsepower and it was paired with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed DCT. It also has an electronically controlled limited-slip rear diff and all sorts of traction control electronics to help it out. It\u2019s a far more technologically advanced car than the two other cars and that has its pros and cons. The one absolute pro is that the M2 CS will destroy the other two cars on both road and track.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04.jpg\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-390823\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04-830x467.jpg\" alt=\"bmw m2 cs review 04 830x467\" width=\"830\" height=\"467\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04-830x467.jpg 830w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04-1820x1024.jpg 1820w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" title=\"image of bmw m2 cs review 04 830x467\"\/><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload alignnone size-medium wp-image-390823\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=%22http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20830%20467%22%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04-830x467.jpg\" alt=\"bmw m2 cs review 04 830x467\" width=\"830\" height=\"467\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04-830x467.jpg 830w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04-1820x1024.jpg 1820w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.bmwblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/bmw-m2-cs-review-04.jpg 1920w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 830px) 100vw, 830px\" title=\"image of bmw m2 cs review 04 830x467\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>So which one is best? I won\u2019t spoil it, as it\u2019s well worth a read. But the results are more interesting than you might think.<\/p>\n<p>[Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.evo.co.uk\/bmw\/205380\/bmw-e30-m3-v-e46-m3-csl-v-f87-m2-cs-two-door-m-division-icons-through-the-generations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">EVO<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are two BMWs most often considered to be the best driving cars the brand ever made\u2014the E30 M3 and E46 M3 CSL. Some fans are in camp E30 M3, while others are in the CSL\u2019s camp. However, there\u2019s a new special Bimmer that throws a monkey wrench into the mix, one that could be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":38632,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38631"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38631\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/38632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}