Given this is effectively the estate version of the M4 CS, it won’t surprise you to learn that the two are pretty similar to drive. I got to try them back to back at Thruxton Circuit and on the nearby roads, and while you can just about feel that there’s an enlarged boot throwing its weight around on turn-in, it’s pretty minor stuff.
Most of all, though, this is an incredibly versatile, competent and therefore confidence-inspiring track car, particularly on the Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. This rubber’s enormous grip and the M3’s natural balance mean it stays very stable through Thruxton’s fast sweepers and gives you the latitude to keep pushing yourself for higher corner speeds and later braking (which the carbon-ceramics just shrug off).
You can easily build up to whatever level you feel comfortable with, thanks to the vast configurability of the traction control, stability control and four-wheel drive systems. Even in their most conservative modes, they work almost imperceptibly.
As with all recent four-wheel-drive M cars, the M3 CS Touring can also switch to rear-wheel-drive mode. Although the Cup 2s put up a good fight, they are ultimately no match for 543bhp. The rear breaks away more sharply than it might on the 4Ss, but once the car is sliding, it will continue to do so for as long as you feel like it.
I also tried the M3 CS Touring on the road, this time on the 4Ss. It trades some ride and isolation for a more keyed-in feel to the steering and more grip. It generally has a very serious feel to it: even with the xDrive system in 4WD Sport mode, it tends to grip and go rather than wag its tail. The car wants to go very fast, which is something it does very well, but there is obviously a limit to how far you can go with that.
Naturally, it’s hugely quick, making light work of Thruxton’s long not-quite-straights and blasting past slower traffic with ease. Like most modern high-performance turbo sixes, it’s not the most soulful engine, but never sounds anything less than purposeful. I did find myself turning off the sports exhaust on track, because it can get quite droney at sustained high revs.
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