BMW's shift into the Neue Klasse era spells the inevitable end of the outgoing M3, but not before one final-year addition geared towards purists.
For its final model year, BMW is letting you spec the hardcore, stripped-down 2027 M3 CS with the Handschalter package. In other words — like the Z4 bearing the same mouthful of a name — you can now get it with a six-speed manual.
The M3 CS Handschalter is the first in BMW's current crop of track-focused CS cars with three pedals in the footwell. It's also rear-wheel-drive-only and uses the same 478-hp version of the twin-turbocharged S58 as the base, stickshift M3. You do get a slight decrease in performance; BMW says the stick M3 CS Handschalter does the zero-to-100 km/h sprint in 4.2 seconds versus 3.4 with the automatic, but its 290 km/h top speed is plenty fast.
Otherwise, the 2027 M3 CS Handschalter sees the same hardcore upgrades as the "regular" CS, cosmetic and otherwise. Bits like the forged wheels, titanium exhaust, and optional carbon-ceramic brakes help shed 75 pounds, it sits a smidge lower thanks to suspension components from the M4 CSL, and you can spec "ultra track tires."
Canadian-spec versions of the M3 CS Handschalter come standard with a strut brace; that's a US$1,100 USD option south of the border. Two new colour options, Imola Red and Techno Violet, also join the lineup for 2027.
Production kicks off this July and deliveries begin this fall, but don't dawdle. BMW says only 40 units of the 2027 M3 CS Handschalter are headed to Canada.
