These eight pictures of BMW’s 2003-4 CSL lightweight version of M3 with 360 bhp sound machine they called an engine. All serve as a reminder that road testing is still fun.

I only spent a day with the grey carbon-roofed wonder, but it made the cover of two magazines, mostly thanks to the pictorial talent of Paul Harmer. Paul supplied the best looking pix here, the rest are mine!

I started road testing in the sixties, when most of the modified Minis, Sprites and Anglias ended up on the end of a Cars & Car Conversions magazine tow rope.
Today it’s often the classics that break, but current cars can fail too, even when they don’t have to face the test track.

More road test favourites, ancient and modern, will be added as we digitise their images.