Here is Bavaria’s newest member of its compact performance sports car family – and with such esteemed forebears as the classic 2002 Turbo, iconic 1 Series M Coupé and 2019 M2 CS, the G87 M2 Competition Sport and its distinctively rectangular jawline have a lot to live up to. The exterior design was first unveiled on the gorgeous shores of Lake Como, at the graceful Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at which BMW Group Classic has been an organizing partner since 2009.
Honed to be the ultimate extension of its driver’s willpower in driving pleasure, for both daily usage and more spirited track excursions, the new BMW M2 CS will be produced at BMW Group’s Plant San Luis Potosí in Mexico, just like its M2 Racing cousin. As has always been the case, limited numbers will be produced for the USA, Germany and China as key sales markets.
As Lotus’ Colin Chapman once enthused, lightness makes you quicker everywhere, and here the BMW M division has shaved 30 kilograms from the standard M2’s not inconsiderable 1.7 ton lard with carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) exterior and interior components. It also gets a set of CS-exclusive forged double-spoke M light-alloy wheels finished in matt Gold Bronze finish as standard, mounting 275/35 ZR19 front and 285/30 ZR20 rear track tyres.
Power? Well there’s certainly plenty of that on tap here; an upgraded version of the M2’s S58B30T0 3 liter twin-turbo straight-6 produces a punchy 530 hp at 6,250 rpm, with maximum torque raised to 650 Nm peaking from 2,650 to 5,730 rpm. Maximum redline is at 7,200 rpm, with sharper throttle mapping & lightning quick high revving response in all drive modes. Shared with the M4 GT3 EVO race car’s engine, these improvements have been made possible thanks to a 3D-printed cylinder head core, wire-arc spray iron coated cylinder bores, and an exceedingly rigid closed deck, sleeve free crankcase housing a lightweight forged crankshaft for reduced rotating mass.
For context, those numbers put BMW’s new compact sports car virtually on par with the high performance Porsche 997 911 GT2 hailing from just 2 generations ago. An M-specific cooling system ensures stable operating temperatures even with sustained hard driving loads, while the bespoke oil circuit & map-controlled oil pump provide a steady supply of lubrication even under extreme acceleration.
The new M2 CS’ engine is especially rigidly connected to its structure via a specific mounting with increased spring rate, resulting in even more direct power transmission through the 8-speed M Steptronic drivetrain. Coupled to its extremely quick power delivery and reduced weight, the result is practically near supercar performance: the sprint from rest to 100 km/h is done & dusted in 3.8 seconds, with 200 km/h arriving just 8.3 seconds later and an electronically restricted 302 km/h top speed. Bypass that digital threshold and it may just crack the 200 mph (322 km/h) benchmark.
Ensuring it has the handling talents to match that heightened straight line speed, the M2 CS also gets an 8 mm lower riding chassis with specifically tuned suspension dampers, springs & control systems. Its Dynamic Stability Control and M Dynamic Mode have been precisely optimized for maximum attack circuit driving, while even the Servotronic steering & M Sport differential benefit from model adapted setups of their own. An M Compound braking system with red brake callipers affords even greater decelerative strength, with M Carbon ceramic brakes available as an option.
Visually distinguishing it from its more standard sibling, the new M2 CS boasts a whole raft of aforementioned carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) bodywork elements, from the M Carbon roof which lowers its center of gravity to the highly distinctive CS-specific rear diffuser. Rendered in CFRP, this also frames the raucously rich M-specific valved exhaust system with quad matt black tailpipes. Owners who find even this not quite enough can then specify the M Performance carbon & titanium silencer system developed specifically for CS models, with lightweight titanium mufflers generating an even racier & more emotional soundscape. The matt black front splitter, black BMW M kidney grilles and lower air inlet with aero-optimized air splitters round out the CS’ even more aggressively dynamic aesthetic. Round the back, the final thing other compact sports coupe drivers will notice before it accelerates away is the eye-catching lightweight CFRP boot lid with an integrated ducktail spoiler; evoking the iconic E46 M3 CSL’s similarly unmistakable appendage, this iteration builds on that visual heritage with an even edgier, more angular profile.
The racy treatment is carried into the new M2 CS’ interior with sporty lightweight elements, including the CFRP center console, instrument panel trim and a multitude of Alcantara suede surfaces. Electrically adjustable and heated M Carbon bucket seats further slice the kilos off, while adding to the car’s track readiness with optional multi-point harnesses. Their head restraints are also removable, to facilitate extra space while wearing race helmets.
Featuring a 3-spoke form, the M Alcantara steering wheel provides even more motorsport flair with its 12 o’clock red central marker, flat-bottomed rim, gearshift paddles, and a pair of M buttons for calling up individually configured vehicle setups. These are extensively configurable via the center console Setup button, with drivers able to tailor the steering, adaptive M suspension, braking, and even individual wheel slip intervention thresholds to suit their own unique styles of spirited driving.
A late summer 2025 market launch has been targeted for the new M2 CS, with a starting price set at €115,000 in Germany. Its polarizing looks aside, only time will tell if the M division’s newest offering lives up to that price tag and the illustrious heritage established by its highly favored predecessors.
