I Drove the BMW M3 CS Handschalter and Horsepower Wasn’t the Point

When BMW announced the M3 CS Handschalter, I knew immediately that I wanted one. Not because I expected it to be the fastest G80, and not because I expected BMW to reinvent the manual M3. I wanted it because, on paper, it sounded like BMW was building the kind of M car I’ve slowly learned to appreciate most: one focused on the driving experience rather than the numbers. Now that I’ve taken delivery and spent my first 80 kilometers behind the wheel, I can say that’s exactly what the car is about. Before getting into the review, some context is worth laying out.

My BMW M background

I’ve owned quite a few BMW M cars over the years, and I still own several of them today. My current collection includes an E90 M3 DCT, an E92 M3 6-speed, an E60 M5 6-speed, an F90 M5 CS, a regular rear-wheel-drive G80 M3, and now the G80 M3 CS Handschalter. Over the years I’ve also owned an F80 M3 DCT, an F10 M5 Competition DCT, an F10 M5 manual, an F90 M5 Competition, a G80 M3 Competition, and an E39 M5, among others.

Read Also

1 month ago

What Driving a 430-HP BMW ALPINA B12 6.0 Feels Like Today

49 autotech

That doesn’t make my opinion more correct than anyone else’s — cars are subjective. But having experienced these different generations, and still being able to drive several of them back-to-back, gives me a fairly broad reference point for evaluating what BMW has done with the new M3 CS Handschalter.

If I had to rank the M cars I’ve owned purely by how much I enjoyed the overall experience, my list today would look something like this:

1. F90 M5 CS
2. E92 M3 6-speed
3. G80 M3 CS Handschalter
4. G80 M3 Competition
5. E60 M5 6-speed
6. F90 M5 Competition
7. F80 M3 DCT
8. F10 M5 Competition DCT
9. F10 M5 Manual
10. E39 M5

The E90 M3 DCT isn’t on that list because I’m still figuring out exactly where I’d place it. But owning both an E90 M3 DCT and an E92 M3 6-speed today has reinforced something I’ve slowly realized over the years: outright speed matters less and less to me. The experience matters more. And after only 80 kilometers, the new CS has already earned its way into my top three.

The Competition Is About Speed. The CS Is About The Experience.

Read Also

2 month ago

BMW M Boss Would Love To Build A New M1 Supercar

47 autotech

As I’ve gotten older — even though I’m still relatively young — I’ve realized I’m becoming less interested in owning the fastest car in the group. I want the car that gives me the better experience. Owning cars like the E9X M3 taught me that. There comes a point where adding another 50 or 100 horsepower doesn’t necessarily make a car more enjoyable, and that’s exactly how I look at the M3 CS Handschalter.

I’ve already seen people arguing that mechanically it’s still heavily based on the regular manual M3. My answer is simple: who cares? I’m not driving a parts catalog, I’m driving the finished product BMW engineered. BMW has confirmed model-specific tuning for the transmission, but we don’t know every detail of what was physically changed or modified inside the gearbox. Maybe certain components are different. Maybe some of what I’m feeling comes from calibration and how the drivetrain works together. Until BMW tells us exactly what was changed, we won’t know for sure — what matters to me is how the finished car feels, and it feels different.

If your priority is simply going fast, the G80 M3 Competition makes tremendous sense. Save yourself some money and enjoy an incredibly capable car. The CS is trying to give you something else.

Could BMW have given the Handschalter more horsepower? Probably. Would I have complained about more power? Of course not. But do I consider the lack of additional horsepower a negative? No. Horsepower isn’t what makes this car special.

The Manual Transmission: This Is Where Things Get Interesting

This was probably my biggest question before receiving the car. I’ve owned several manual BMW M cars, and I haven’t loved all of them. The regular manual G80 in particular never completely won me over — the drivetrain can feel bouncy through first and second gear, and the gearbox doesn’t always give me the mechanical interaction I want from an M car.

The CS feels different. The clutch has more bounce and the friction point sits higher, which naturally makes you give the car a little more throttle when pulling away. It makes you work more, and that’s something I actually like — you feel like you’ve earned the shift rather than simply moved a lever from one position to another. There’s also a more pronounced mechanical sound coming from underneath the car when changing gears, almost a metallic click or clunk. I initially wondered whether I was imagining it, so I put my regular G80 and the CS side by side and paid close attention in both cars. The metallic character is definitely more noticeable in the CS.

The shifter itself feels different too — the spring action feels shorter and the movement feels more direct when engaging a gear. I’m deliberately saying “feels” because I don’t want to claim BMW changed a specific component without knowing exactly what was altered internally. But from the driver’s seat, there’s a difference. First to second can still be a little bouncy and jerky; BMW hasn’t magically eliminated that characteristic. It’s just considerably better here than in the other modern manual BMWs I’ve driven.

If I were ranking the manual transmissions from the BMW M cars I’ve owned, my top three would currently be:

1. E92 M3
2. E60 M5
3. G80 M3 CS Handschalter

I’ve also experienced the manual F10 M5 and other modern manual M cars, and personally I never loved those combinations — with cars like the F80 and F10, I actually think the DCT suits the personality of the car better. The CS is different. Here, I want the manual.

Same Power Doesn’t Mean The Same Experience

Another criticism I’ve heard is that the CS doesn’t bring a big horsepower increase. Again, I don’t really care. The power delivery feels more linear and more precise to me. Yes, it’s turbocharged — nobody is going to confuse an S58 with the naturally aspirated engines in an E9X M3 or E60 M5. But at lower RPM, there’s something more natural about the way this car responds. It doesn’t feel like it’s constantly trying to impress you with a giant number. The power is simply there when you need it, and because you’re managing it yourself through the six-speed, you’re more involved in accessing it. That’s the whole point.

Steering And Suspension: This Is Why It’s A CS

This might be the strongest part of the car — I don’t have much criticism here. The steering is sharp and extremely precise. The suspension is firm, but I wouldn’t call it brutally stiff. For this type of car, BMW got the balance almost exactly right.

I’ve driven several CS models, and there seems to be something BMW consistently understands with these cars: the chassis has to feel special before the engine does. That’s exactly what happens here. The car communicates. It feels pointed and precise, and it makes you want to find another corner. You start understanding why BMW put the CS badge on it.

I’ve also been asked how it compares with recent M5 generations on rough roads. If you’re coming from a G90 M5, the G90 is definitely more comfortable — to me, its suspension is more compliant, but the car is also less engaging and less sporty. The F90 is closer. I’ve owned several F90s over the years and currently own an M5 CS; the F90 generation has a more engaging character than the G90 to me, but the M3 CS is still firmer than both of the last two M5 generations.

Is the M3 CS rough? No. Would I personally daily-drive one? Probably not, at least not where I live given the condition of our roads. But that isn’t really what I want this car for.

The Carbon-Ceramic Brakes Are Phenomenal

I optioned my car with the carbon-ceramic brakes, and the discs are enormous. The braking performance is exactly what I hoped it would be. BMW has always been extremely good at braking systems, and this is one area where I think M cars deserve more credit.

For context, I own and have owned multiple Porsches equipped with PCCBs, and Porsche obviously makes an excellent carbon-ceramic braking system. But based purely on my own experience, BMW’s carbon-ceramic setup is right up there with the best I’ve driven — in terms of the confidence and feel it gives me, I actually prefer the BMW system. The stopping power is immense, and the pedal gives me exactly the confidence I want in a car like this.

The Interior: More Special Than I Expected

The interior has grown on me quickly. I understand the missing cupholders a little better now — this is supposed to be the more focused version of the M3. I did try putting a coffee in the storage area behind the CS logo. It works, until you start shifting. Then you quickly realize why it’s not a cupholder.

The extended leather is a great touch; it makes the cabin feel much more expensive and stops you from feeling surrounded by plastic. I’m normally not the biggest fan of black leather interiors, but it works extremely well here — the red stitching gives the seats a much more purposeful, sporty look. The exposed gloss carbon fiber throughout the interior also works beautifully. You get in and immediately know you’re sitting in something different from a regular M3.

There are really only two things I wish BMW had borrowed from my M5 CS: the rear bucket seats, and the CS treatment and badging across the dashboard. Would either fundamentally improve the car? No. That’s just me searching for perfection in a car that already has most of the ingredients I wanted.

The Exterior: I Wouldn’t Change Much

I’m usually not the guy who needs a carbon-fiber front lip on everything. On this car, though, it works. The exposed carbon gives the CS the aggression it needs without making it look like someone went through an aftermarket catalog checking every box. My only concern is eventually destroying it on a curb.

The carbon rear diffuser isn’t exactly new to anyone familiar with the G80’s carbon exterior packages, but it belongs on this car. I also really like the titanium exhaust and especially the exhaust tips — they give the rear a noticeably more aggressive appearance.

Then there’s the grille. I know the G80 grille still has plenty of haters; I’m not one of them. On the CS, particularly with the red surround, I think it works. The gold wheels might be one of my favorite parts of the entire exterior. Are they a pain to detail? Absolutely. Do they look good enough that I have no desire to replace them with aftermarket wheels? Also absolutely, and for me that’s saying something.

Add the carbon roof and carbon hood, and the whole package feels cohesive rather than modified for the sake of looking different.

Why I Chose This Color Combination

I went with Imola Red II, gold wheels, and the carbon-ceramic brakes. Techno Violet was tempting because it’s obviously a special color, but personally I didn’t think the violet worked as naturally with all the black carbon and gold accents. Imola Red does. The red, black carbon, and gold wheels give the car exactly the personality I think a CS should have. It’s loud without being ridiculous. It’s special without needing an explanation.

So, Is It Just A Modified Regular M3?

After 80 kilometers, I think that’s the wrong question. Of course it shares a huge amount with the G80 M3 — it should, the G80 is the foundation of the car. The better question is whether BMW took those familiar ingredients and created a meaningfully different experience. For me, the answer is yes.

The differences aren’t about one massive change. It’s the gearbox feel, the clutch, the mechanical sounds, the steering, the suspension, the brakes, the carbon, and the way the car responds at lower RPM. Individually, some of these things might sound small. Together, they change the personality of the car. That’s what creates the experience.

My Verdict After 80 km

My F90 M5 CS is still number one. My E92 M3 6-speed is still number two. But the new M3 CS Handschalter has already moved into third place, and it’s moved ahead of my G80 Competition. The reason is simple: the Competition is about performance. The CS Handschalter is about participation.

If all you care about is going fast, buy the Competition — it’s an incredible car, and you’ll save yourself a significant amount of money. But I’ve reached a point where being the fastest guy in the group doesn’t really interest me anymore. I want to have fun. I want a car that asks something from me. I want to hear the gearbox working underneath me, get the clutch engagement right, work for a clean shift, and have steering that makes me pay attention to where I’m placing the car. I want to finish a drive and feel like I participated in it. That’s what the M3 CS Handschalter gives me.

Could BMW have given it more horsepower? Probably. Does it need more? I don’t think so. If BMW’s objective was simply to build the fastest possible G80, this isn’t how they would have built it. But if the objective was to create one last special G80 for people who still care about three pedals, rear-wheel drive, and the simple pleasure of getting a shift exactly right, then I think BMW understood the assignment.

I’ve only driven 80 kilometers so far. But I already know I want to drive a lot more.

One last thing

I hope you enjoyed the review. This is actually my first time writing a full article like this for a platform like BMWBlog, so hopefully it won’t be the last. I’m not a professional automotive journalist — I’m simply a car enthusiast who’s been fortunate enough to own, drive, and compare a lot of interesting cars over the years. I figured it was worth sharing the perspective of someone who actually owns these cars, drives them, and puts them side by side.

If you enjoyed it, let me know. Maybe I’ll make this a regular thing and share more owner reviews as new cars come through my garage. Until the next one.

[Photos: Mario Novac / instagram.com/guywitha6d / Words: Ilyass Rachidi (@thecarswitcher), Owner of Car Switcher Automotive @carswitcherautomotive]