Monday 18th March 2019

BMW M2 CS spied with manual gearbox

Our first sighting of a CS's cabin confirms speculation regarding three pedals

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It’s the news M division aficionados have been waiting for: BMW’s M2 CS looks set to come with a manual gearbox as standard, as shown by new pictures of the upcoming coupe’s cabin. And yes, while it has long been speculated that BMW’s M department would provide its reworked M2 with three pedals, today’s sighting marks the first time we have hard evidence ahead of its 2019 launch.

Of course, the six-speed manual will not be the only choice – expect the seven-speed automatic DCT to remain an option for those who prefer their cogs controlled via a dual-clutch gearbox and steering wheel mounted paddles. But the manual’s standard fitment points to a continued confidence from BMW that people buying even its most honed cars aren’t quite done with a clutch to press and lever to wiggle. Around 15 per cent of M2 Competition sales are for the manual, but the CS could see a more significant portion given its status.

It certainly should give the M2 CS potential to become one of Bavaria’s most involving models yet, particularly when we consider it’s due with extensive chassis and weight saving enhancements – as outlined in earlier stories – and an S55 inline six boosted to a rumoured 445hp.

[NJ72]

Look at the size of those brakes!

[Mike335i]

Great news, just the small issue of price getting in the way of me owning one then.

[Nezquick]

I'm happier that they've managed to put some decent looking wheels on it.

The usual wheels on the M2C are awful and would honestly give me pause for thought in terms of buying one.

[wab172uk]

Good on BMW I say. The lack of a manual on anything sporty is becoming increasingly annoying.

I was half tempted by an M2 Competition, but could be really tempted by this.

Edited by wab172uk on Monday 18th March 15:13

[NDNDNDND]

Proper handbrake too!

[Frimley111R]

Given an M2C is £50k, How much do we think this will be?

[cerb4.5lee]

It is good to see meaty brakes on M cars now, the brakes on my Z4M/E92 M3 were toilet. I hope this won't be as expensive as the M3/M4 CS but my guess is that it will be.

[Mannginger]

Oh nice, I really want one of the M2 Comps but not sure if they'll still be for sale by the time I get back to the UK, so maybe the CS will be out and readily available by then!

[m.barnes]

They look like the standard m2 competition brakes but on smaller winter wheels dont they?

edit: just checked, not standard m2 competition brakes, rather the £1.4k upgrade brakes for the m2c

And with only 15% of competitions sold as manual, which means 85% of owners paid over £2k for the "upgrade" to automatic it would imply a very small demand for a manual gearbox, despite the "connected experience" journos keep talking about.

Edited by m.barnes on Monday 18th March 15:27

[wab172uk]

m.barnes said:

They look like the standard m2 competition brakes but on smaller winter wheels dont they?

edit: just checked, not standard m2 competition brakes, rather the £1.4k upgrade brakes for the m2c

And with only 15% of competitions sold as manual, which means 85% of owners paid over £2k for the "upgrade" to automatic it would imply a very small demand for a manual gearbox, despite the "connected experience" journos keep talking about.

Edited by m.barnes on Monday 18th March 15:27

But isn't it great we have a choice? No gearbox is better than the other depending on your circumstances.

Just a shame more manufacturers are taking the choice away from those who prefer to change gears themselves.

[Andy83n]

That 'stick and handbrake look really quaint and old fashioned

[jontykint]

Looks great that, could well be a modern 1M coupe

[Gameface]

I've never driven a BMW manual box that I liked though...

[Wills2]

m.barnes said:

They look like the standard m2 competition brakes but on smaller winter wheels dont they?

edit: just checked, not standard m2 competition brakes, rather the £1.4k upgrade brakes for the m2c

Edited by m.barnes on Monday 18th March 15:27

Those are ceramic brakes in the photos, they'll be nearer a 5k option.

.

[nickfrog]

cerb4.5lee said:

It is good to see meaty brakes on M cars now, the brakes on my Z4M/E92 M3 were toilet

Indeed but thankfully BMW have been fitting Brembo 4 pots on M or M performance models for a number of years (since 2012 for the M135i) so that's an old problem. Pagid make RS29 too for the different size calipers for track use.

[3795mpower]

Gameface said:

I've never driven a BMW manual box that I liked though...

Try any old E90, better still an Msport model.
Cracking shift.

Evo magazine once did a top ten manual shifters,
They put the E90 shift in their top ten with all those Puma and Type R’s.

[cerb4.5lee]

nickfrog said:

cerb4.5lee said:

It is good to see meaty brakes on M cars now, the brakes on my Z4M/E92 M3 were toilet

Indeed but thankfully BMW have been fitting Brembo 4 pots on M or M performance models for a number of years (since 2012 for the M135i) so that's an old problem. Pagid make RS29 too for the different size calipers for track use.

Time does fly and I forget how old the Z4M/E92 M3 are now. They are almost classics, and they even have dinosaur N/A engines and nobody is interested in that type of engine anymore! Turbo's rule thankfully.

[Frimley111R]

Nezquick said:

I'm happier that they've managed to put some decent looking wheels on it.

The usual wheels on the M2C are awful and would honestly give me pause for thought in terms of buying one.

I did look at getting and M2C and I'd agree that seven the std M2 wheels look so much nicer

[cerb4.5lee]

3795mpower said:

Gameface said:

I've never driven a BMW manual box that I liked though...

Try any old E90, better still an Msport model.
Cracking shift.

Evo magazine once did a top ten manual shifters,
They put the E90 shift in their top ten with all those Puma and Type R’s.

I think I remember that and it was a E9x 335i that they mentioned. The M cars around that time were a poor manual for me(the two I had were), they did seem to get the standard cars manual gearbox right though in fairness.

[Yellowcab]

Frimley111R said:

Nezquick said:

I'm happier that they've managed to put some decent looking wheels on it.

The usual wheels on the M2C are awful and would honestly give me pause for thought in terms of buying one.

I did look at getting and M2C and I'd agree that seven the std M2 wheels look so much nicer

Got these 763Ms on my M2C, totally changes the look of the car