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The BMW M3 CS is back for one last lap, and this time it arrives with a clutch pedal bolted to the floor. The current-generation 3 Series is on borrowed time, with the fully electric i3 already out in the open and its petrol-powered counterpart due to break cover later this year. That spells the end of the road for the G80 M3, and the M division is sending the saloon off with a strictly limited final fling. The new model carries the Handschalter suffix, meaning hand shift in German, a name previously stitched onto the three-pedal Z4 M40i.
This newcomer is not simply a re-run of the previous M3 CS that landed in early 2023. The earlier car was built on the all-wheel-drive M3 Competition xDrive and shifted exclusively through an automatic, mustering 543 hp and 479 lb-ft. The 2027 Handschalter takes a different path entirely, basing itself on the entry-level rear-wheel-drive M3 and channelling 473 hp and 406 lb-ft through a six-speed manual gearbox. It is the leaner, more focused interpretation of the badge, set up for drivers who want the saloon at its most analogue.
Weight has been a clear priority. BMW has trimmed close to 75 lbs out of the base M3 thanks to greater use of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic, a titanium muffler, forged alloys and carbon bucket seats fitted as standard. Those items account for roughly 42 lbs of the savings, while the optional carbon-ceramic brakes drop another 31.5 lbs to hit the headline figure. Kerb weight lands around 3,765 lbs, which is still heavier than the previous F80 M3 CS by about 270 lbs, although that car never had the option of three pedals.
Beyond the diet, the Handschalter borrows the M4 CSL’s dampers and runs revised springs along with a tweaked rear axle link. Ride height drops by roughly six millimetres compared with a standard M3, and a $1,100 M-specific front strut brace is offered for those who want even sharper turn-in. BMW quotes a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.1 seconds, no quicker than a regular M3, with a 180 mph top end thanks to the standard M Driver’s Package. The Handschalter swaps outright sprint times for the engagement of working through the gears yourself.
Two retro Individual paint choices, Techno Violet and Imola Red, sit on the options list, while Black Sapphire and Isle of Man Green come as standard finishes. Production kicks off in July with first deliveries pencilled in for the autumn, and the run is limited to the United States and Canada only. BMW has already confirmed two future M3s, an electric variant arriving next year and another inline-six model later in the decade, possibly by 2028. Word from inside the camp suggests the next G84 M3 will be automatic-only and likely all-wheel-drive across the board, which makes this Handschalter the last rear-driven, stick-shift four-door to wear the badge.
