BMW M2 CS returns with 530bhp and an £86k price tag

The current, second-generation BMW M2 arrived in 2022 and while many thought a hotter Competition variant would make a comeback, BMW has skipped this step entirely by revealing the new M2 CS. 

Like the M2 CS before, this new model is the range-topper of the M2 line up - meaning it’s got plenty of powertrain and chassis upgrades to go with its more aggressive looks. You’ll have to pay a premium though, because at £86,800 the CS is £18,095 more than the standard car. 

We’ve seen the CS moniker not just on the old M2, but on the previous-generation M5, as well as the current M3 and M4. All those cars got a noticeable power bump and it’s the same story here. Compared with the M2’s 473bhp and 600Nm of torque, the CS gets 530bhp and 650Nm – using the same basic twin-turbocharged three-litre straight-six as the regular car. Power goes to the rear-wheels through an eight-speed automatic with no option of a six-speed manual, unlike the standard M2. 

The extra grunt helps the M2 CS dispatch the 0-62mph sprint in 3.8 seconds - 0.2 seconds quicker than the standard M2 and 0.4 seconds faster than the old M2 CS. The CS gets the M Driver’s Package as standard (an £9,500 option on the M2) which means the top speed restriction of 155mph is removed – allowing for a maximum speed of 188mph. The exhaust is unchanged from the M2 as standard, but through BMW’s M Performance parts catalogue, it’s possible to fit a lightweight titanium exhaust system to make that straight-six more audible. 

We already know the M2 is one of the best performance coupes on the market, thanks to its wonderfully engaging chassis. But BMW has honed the formula even further with the CS. Not content with it making more power, the CS is also lowered by 8mm with bespoke tuning for the springs and dampers and track-focused settings for the DSC ‘Dynamic Stability Control’, steering, rear differential and brakes. There’s also an option of carbon ceramic discs to help reduce fade during heavy use. 

Of course, it’s not all go and no show with the M2 CS. We saw the CS testing in prototype guise plenty of times ahead of its reveal, though there are some new styling cues to take in here. First up. there’s the rear end. It has a prominent rear ducktail spoiler that’s integrated into the bootlid (like the recent M4 CSL). The whole section is made from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) - a component also used to make the unique rear diffuser. There’s also a matt black front splitter, a carbon-fibre roof and bespoke, gold 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels. In total, the CS weighs 30kg less than the standard M2 - though at a rather portly 1,750kg it’s still 100kg more than the old M2 CS.

Inside you’ll notice plenty of M-branding going on with added ‘CS’ logos and a CFRP centre console. The CS gets more serious carbon-backed bucket seats, an Alcantara, leather-clad flat-bottomed steering wheel and a revised driving mode set up on its 14.9-inch central screen, with a lap timer, ten-stage traction control and even a drift analyser. 

BMW says UK customer deliveries will begin in late summer and that the M2 CS will be produced as ‘limited run’ - just like the old car which was limited to 2,200 units globally. 

Are you happy to see the BMW M2 CS return? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section...