Following up on the success of its M4 CS, BMW recently revealed its M3 CS. In the case of the M4, the CS designation indicated a much more intense demeanor than the standard Competition model; in terms of the M3, what we have is a family-friendly road car that can get plenty mean when the opportunity arises.

The M3 CS receives a suite of upgrades for performance, power, and cosmetic appeal. The variation doesn’t get a huge boost in acceleration, but the 3L bi-turbo straight six does see an additional 28 horsepower, enough to feel in your right foot; power is transferred via a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and no manual is available. The top speed of the M3 CS is 174 MPH. Its 0-60 time knocks a tenth of a second off the M3 Competition, a token improvement.

Weight relief for the car comes by way of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic components, including hood, front splitter, and rear diffuser and spoiler, with the aero components overlapping with the M4 CS. The wheels are a definite upgrade, and the M3 CS cuts a better figure with the lightweight 763M units. And, an M-series adaptive suspension is standard, a big selling point for the car; Sport+ mode sounds like a dandy place to begin a test drive.

The interior of the car is fairly sedate, but far from uninteresting. The M3 CS gets a lush treatment with a sharp look, with two-toned and contrast-stitched leather and Alcantara used liberally. It’s an adult look, geared to the thirty- or forty-something disinterested in street-legal track pretensions, leaving the carbon fiber where it will do the most good—on the exterior, helping to shave over 100 pounds off the regular production M3.

Only 550 of the 1200 examples of the M3 CS will make it to U.S. shores. BMW will begin taking orders for the model in May.