BMW just unveiled their most powerful 3-series M car ever: the 2024 M3 CS. Trimmed in carbon on the outside and supple leather inside, it certainly looks the part of a Bavarian backroad barnstormer. The sports sedan is only available in four colors, including the striking Signal Green hue. However, there’s also one other limiting quality; it may only be available for 12 months.

2024 BMW M3 CS performance figures

Power output is the primary difference between the limited edition M3 CS and others in the lineup. In the standard M3, the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six pumps out 473 horsepower and 479 pounds-feet of torque. The track-focused M3 Competition kicks it up to 503 horsepower. But BMW turned the boost pressure from 24.7 psi to 30.5 psi in the CS, Car and Driver reports. The result is the same amount of ground-pounding torque but 543 horsepower.

The M3 CS borrows the cooling system from BMW’s M4 GT3 race car to handle the additional oomph. Another characteristic the M3 CS takes from the M4 GT3 is pronounced harshness in all driving conditions. Potential owners can keep the sports sedan in standard all-wheel drive with stability control for a modicum of extra serenity. However, the weight shedding meant dropping some noise-dampening materials, 75 pounds worth over the standard M3.

Despite the extra noise and vibrations, drivers may find satisfaction with the speed. The new variant is also the fastest M3 ever produced. The M3 CS will soar to an electronically-limited top speed of 188 mph. Yet, that does require the selection of the M Driver’s package.

How many 2024 BMW M3 CS sedans will be built?

BMW typically builds the most hardcore of its offers in limited numbers. Not everyone can drive around with that much carbon fiber. The BMW M4 CSL—the M3 CS’s big brother—is slated for a 1,000-unit worldwide production run. However, the German automaker is surprisingly silent on the amount of M3 CS sedans they will make.

Instead, BMW relies on a limited timeframe for its limited-production car. In an M3 CS walk-around video, BMW M division CEO Franciscus van Meel clarified that the sedan would be made for just one year. Many may think BMW has a good idea of how many cars they can make in a year, but the company remains tight-lipped.

When will the 2024 BMW M3 CS be available?

To secure the “most extreme M3” in BMW’s current lineup, van Meel said potential buyers must wait until March. Reportedly, BMW’s car configurator is live, but not in the U.S. Regardless, the 2024 BMW M3 CS will start at $119,695. That’s almost $50,000 more than the base M3 and $20,000 below the M4 CSL.

Considering that the M3 CS will be sold worldwide and production numbers remain unclear, the U.S. will likely only see a few hundred. BMW Blog speculates that 200 to 250 BMW M4 CSL models will sell in America, and the M3 CS will likely follow a similar pattern. However, that means less than one per BMW’s 367 U.S. dealerships. Therefore, even though the highly-anticipated M3 CS has a full year of production, many may never even see one.