BMW M3 CS Touring

Hardcore version of our favourite performance car has even higher limits - but can it justify its price? On sale Now Price from £126,275

- DAN JONES

FOR MANY TRACKDAY enthusiasts, hot lapping requires you to tow an impractical track car to a circuit on a trailer. But what if you could simply turn up in the car you'd be taking on track, with tools and some spare tyres in the boot? Sounds ambitious, but that's where the M3 CS Touring comes in. Based on the M3 Competition Touring (our reigning Performance Car of the Year), the CS is a more extreme version that will not only devour country roads but also welcome being pushed to the limit on a circuit.

You get inklings of the CS's aggression the moment you set eyes on it, with its deeper front and rear bumpers featuring more aerodynamic elements and exposed carbonfibre. Red detailing around the frameless front grilles, red 'CS' badges and carbonfibre stripes on the bonnet reinforce the message.