Sometimes a car has a specific paint color that just looks correct – the obvious choice. Colors like Verde Mantis on a Lamborghini or Resale Red on a Ferrari seem to add to the appeal of the car, and the same is true of this frozen gray paint on the BMW M4 CSL. When BMW sent the M4 CSL out to journalists, almost all of the press cars were in this color, and I’m always a fan of having models in the press color. The black and red accents are obviously polarizing, but they’re also what makes this car immediately identifiable as the CSL.
The stance of this model is absolutely perfect, with minimal wheel gap and the kind of perfect wheel offsets that Hot Wheels could only dream of. Despite MiniGT already making a regular and an M-Performance version of the BMW M4, this M4 CSL is actually a different casting. The side skirts, lip spoiler, and hood bulges are all changed from the existing M4 casting, which is one of the things I love about MiniGT. Rather than just giving us recolors, they often make the effort to put out every possible sub-model of a car (as we’ve seen with their lineup of Bugattis).
Even ignoring the M4’s heritage in the MiniGT line, this M4 CSL is a fantastic model. BMW’s “beaver teef” front bumper design is famously polarizing, but I have to give them some credit for doubling down on it with the CSL. The red accents around the grille make sure that even if you had a black car, you would still see its shape. It looks aggressive, as do the hood bulges with their black and red accents. Unfortunately, MiniGT didn’t give this model any yellow detailing for the DRLs, which is disappointing given that those yellow lights are one of the defining styling elements of the CSL.
The side profile of the M4 CSL looks good, especially with the exaggerated ducktail spoiler, though I’ve always thought the M3/M4 looks better as a 4 door. I appreciate the black detailing around the windows and the red accent along the side skirt. This frozen gray paint really shows off the car’s bodylines, making the creases on the door and quarter panel pop.
While these wheels aren’t new to this car – they appear to be the same ones used on previous M4 releases – they are absolutely stunning. I think BMW’s lace wheel design might be my favorite stock wheels on any car, exotics included! The only letdown is the lack of detailing on the center caps, where we just get a silver dot where there should be a BMW logo.
Speaking of BMW logos, how cool is it that MiniGT included the BMW anniversary logo?! This logo was available for 2022 BMW M cars to celebrate 50 years of BMW Motorsport, and I’ve been a sucker for it ever since. Since the M4 CSL was released in 2022 (as a 2023 model year), it received this limited edition badge…this is exactly the kind of attention to detail that makes me love MiniGT!
The rest of the back end of the CSL is fantastic too, making it doubtless the best angle of the car. We can once again admire that ducktail spoiler, as well as the very aggressive rear diffuser with quad exhausts. While I would usually criticize a model maker for not detailing the exhaust tips, these actually match the black exhaust tips on the real M4 CSL! Also note the all-red brake lights, which are unique to the M4 CSL (regular M4s get partially clear lenses).
The M4 CSL’s carbon fiber roof is detailed with some of the finest printing I’ve ever seen – impressive even by MiniGT standards. I’m always a sucker for MiniGT’s rear window defroster line detailing, which is here and accounted for.
While I wish MiniGT would give us detailed interiors like BBR’s 1/64 models, I appreciate how well the interior has been modeled. Oddly, the gauge cluster features two rings that look reminiscent of the previous generation M4’s gauges, whereas the M4 CSL has a digital gauge cluster.
This M4 CSL is one of the few MiniGT models that I needed as soon as I saw the preproduction pictures online. After waiting what felt like an eternity for it to release, I’m glad it was able to live up to the hype. Now I just have to count the days until the release of the upcoming M3 Touring…
DiecastLeno 
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