Key Highlights
- BMW has unveiled the 2027 M3 CS Handschalter as the send-off model for the sixth-generation M3.
- It is the only M3 CS ever built with a six-speed manual gearbox. It is rear-wheel drive only.
- Power is 473 hp from the S58 inline-six.Â
For years, enthusiasts asked for a manual BMW M3 CS. Every previous M3 CS shipped with an automatic. Now, right at the end of the sixth-generation M3’s life, BMW has finally built it.
The 2027 M3 CS Handschalter. Handschalter is German for manual transmission. BMW chose that name deliberately. It is right there in the badge, and it tells you everything about what this car is.
What Makes It Special
The M3 CS Handschalter is rear-wheel drive only. No xDrive. No paddle shifters. Three pedals, six gears, and 473 hp from BMW’s S58 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six. It does 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds. Top speed is 290 km/h with the M Driver’s Package.
Weight has been taken seriously. Carbon fibre reinforced plastic, forged alloy wheels, a titanium exhaust, and standard M Carbon bucket seats reduce weight by nearly 34 kg compared to a standard M3. Opt for the M Carbon Ceramic brakes and that total climbs to 34 kg. The ride height drops 6mm over a standard M3. The shocks are borrowed from the M4 CSL.
Inside, there are no options for the interior. Bi-colour Anthracite Full Merino leather with Mugello Red stitching, a CFRP centre console, and M Carbon bucket seats. That is it.
Four colours are available. Isle of Man Green and Black Sapphire are standard. Imola Red and Techno Violet are BMW Individual options, both pulled from 40 years of M3 history.
Why It Matters
This is not just the last M3 CS. It may be the last manual M3 ever made. BMW has already confirmed two future M3 models. A fully electric variant arrives next year, followed by another inline-six model later this decade. If reports are accurate, that combustion-powered next M3 will come exclusively with an automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive.
If that happens, the CS Handschalter is it. The last manual, rear-wheel drive M3 you can buy new. Cars that combine first time ever and last time ever in a single sentence tend to hold value. The M3 CS Handschalter is both.
Availability
North America only for now. Production starts July 2026. Deliveries begin in autumn 2026. No confirmation yet on other markets. BMW India has not announced anything.
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