Its a sad day for BMW owners. Does anyone else feel like the company is being run on profit margins only these days?

BMW has shelved plans to produce a lighter and sharper CSL version of the E92 M3. CAR Magazine's artist’s impression reveals how the rawest M3 of all was scheduled to look – with an arrival date of summer 2009.

The M3 CSL was supposed to have power uprated to between 450bhp and 470bhp with a corresponding drop in weight, down by 100kg thanks to wider use of flyweight materials. Cup tyres, new engine breathing and a carbon fibre airbox were due to complete the makeover.

But the bean counters at Munich have now canned the project, so they can concentrate on the faster versions of the company’s X-badged crossovers.
The M boss speaks

Ludwig Willisch, the new M Division boss, said: ‘Based on current numbers, there is most likely insufficient demand for the M3 CSL.’

For the full story on the death of the M3 CSL buy the October 2008 issue of CAR Magazine, on sale on Wednesday 27 August 2008