BMW e90 M3 LSL - Intro

BMW e90 M3 LSL
Limousine Sport Leichtbau
2009-10-21

2010 BMW M3 Sedan
4.0L V8
DCT
Silverstone Metallic II
Novillo Palladium Silver

The BMW CSL vehicles were based on coupes with performance and weight reduction enhancements. Over the years BMW has made a few special sedans like the E90 CRT and now the F80 CS which follow the same mentality. I was always attracted by the notion of minimal, performance oriented machines like the E46 CSL and the spartan GT3 Porsche which maintained street sensibility with full track readiness.

While the E90 M3 CRT was a great technical exercise in carbon technologies it was still a fully loaded sedan which, in my mind, contradicted its purpose. It is also unobtainable. The sedans are unique, well proportioned vehicles.  The S65B40 is a phenomenal engine, clearly built with purpose with the large intake, port matched individual throttle bodies and equal length headers. When paired with the DCT makes for quite the driving machine. Being around the Porsche PDKs brought me over to the double clutch world. The BMW DCT is a very solid unit, especially with the GTS update. My only real preference when seeking out the E90 M3 was to have minimal options along with the DCT transmission. I also liked the Silverstone Metallic II color as its less common and quite elegant in person. A 2010 sedan with 85k miles popped up with the sunroof and the leather seats as the only things I didn't care for. The car had failing throttle actuators which were an easy replacement and needed some general maintenance to refresh critical components. It came with lowering springs, primary cat delete and “exhaust mod”. It’s almost the perfect platform to start with to build the e90 M3 LSL (Limousine Sport Leichtbau). Its a sedan based nod to the CSL and how I believe the CRT could’ve been to some extent.

I am a professional working in the automotive aftermarket and motorsport industry and this is my personal R&D project building an e90 M3 LSL.