Another BMW M2 CS was virtually a dead cert. Partly because the original was a ripping little M car, everything we love about small(ish), very fast BMW coupes. But partly because it feels like the standard G87 M2 is a more rounded, less rowdy proposition than before; a variant that adds some of the edge back was probably more of a priority this time around. Plus, of course, it's a final chance to have some fun with a pure combustion M car.
Certainly, this disguised prototype hints at some very serious, already looking more like a CSL or GTS than a mere CS. This one is notable for a chunky rear ducktail spoiler, just like on the M4 CSL, wheels pinched from the M3, and a more aggressive front end to go with the racier body parts found elsewhere. More than just snazzy wheels and a bit more power, this M2 CS looks like it could be a proper overhaul.
With so much already shared between M2 and the larger M3/M4, we can look to those cars for where the CS might be taken. The CSL has proven that weight can be taken from the platform, the M3 CS demonstrated that 550hp is possible from the 3.0-litre straight six, and the wild 3.0 CSL combined that output with a six-speed manual. It's unlikely the M2 will be permitted to usurp the limited-run collectors’ item, but when it comes to spec there’s undoubtedly headroom to explore beyond the 460hp base model. This isn’t a Competition, remember, typically an M car model that boasts a little more power - this could leapfrog that step entirely.
A nice, round 500hp, for example, would be a 40hp jump from standard (just like the M3 CS, in fact), while still keeping it pegged just below the 510hp M3/M4 Competition. We know that a manual gearbox could still be possible with that output. A bit of weight could be saved with lightweight options (already this looks like it’s got the carbon buckets, given the jazzy upholstery) and a chassis refresh like the larger CS would make it even more track capable. It promises to be one heck of a car, basically, if the recent CS and the standard M2 are anything to go off. And a very, very expensive one, too. But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it…
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