A Heavy Finale
BMW is packing up the current generation. The G80 era is winding down. We’ve already got the electric i3. The next combustion model isn’t far off. But before they kill it off entirely, they are squeezing out one last drop of performance juice. It’s 2027. Or rather, a special variant for it.
Meet the M3 CS Handschulator. “Handschalter” means manual transmission. Get it? Good.
It’s the lightest M3 in the stable right now. About 75 pounds lighter than the standard car. That sounds small. It adds up. This three-pedal sedan is North American exclusive. And it will cost you $108,450 to take home.
Less Car, More Driver
Let’s be clear about the base model here. The previous M3 CS back in 2023 was an automatic monster based on the xDrive Competition trim. This one? It strips it back to the bare bones. It uses the entry-level rear-wheel-drive platform.
That means you’re losing power, technically. You get 473 horsepower from that twin-turbo six-cylinder. Torque sits at 406 lb-ft. Compare that to the 543 hp and beefy 479 lb-ft from the old all-wheel-drive beast. Does that sound worse? Maybe on paper. But this is about feel, not spreadsheet data.
Weight loss was the goal. They stripped nearly 75 lbs out. How? Carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. A titanium muffler. Forged wheels. Carbon bucket seats. These items alone shave off about 42 lbs. Want to hit that magic 75 lb number? You need the carbon-ceramic brakes. That takes another 31.5 lbs off.
The result is roughly a 3,765 lb car. Heavy for a purist dream. Light enough to matter.
It’s still heavier than the old F80 CS from 2018 by nearly 300 pounds. But that older car had a dual-clutch auto. This has a stick. The rules changed.
They borrowed the shock absorbers from the track-focused M4 CSL. Lowered the ride by 6 mm. Stiffer springs. You can pay extra for a front strut brace, which sharpens things up a bit more. The claim? A 0-to-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds. Same as the base M3. It hits 180 mph flat out.
Pricey And Rare
Let’s talk about the sticker. $108,45 includes destination and handling. That’s almost $28k more than a basic M3.
You want to look unique? There’s Techno Violet or Imola Red. Each costs $4,500. Otherwise, stick to Black Sapphire or Isle of Man green. Production starts this July. Deliveries happen in the fall. Numbers will be tiny. Strictly US and Canada.
So, why bother?
Think about what’s coming. Reports suggest the next gas M3 (the G84) might only come with automatic. It might even be all-wheel-drive only. If that happens, this 2027 Handschalter isn’t just another trim level. It could be the end.
The last manual. The last true rear-drive sedan from the M division.
Will the M2 or M4 get manuals for a bit longer? Probably. Will the sedan ever get a stick shift again? Doubtful.
This feels like a farewell to something specific. Something mechanical. Are you ready for a world without clutch pedals in the 3 Series?
