New BMW M2 CS revealed: Why this baby beemer is better than an M4

• New BMW M2 CS revealed
• Hardcore version of BMW’s baby M car
• More aggressive exterior design
• 3.0-litre straight six engine makes 50hp more than standard
• Tweaked chassis and interior
• On sale soon from £86,800

The latest BMW M2 has only been around since 2023, and yet the CS version is already here. It’s a stripped-back, hardcore and more powerful version of the brand’s Audi RS3 alternative, and it could be about to tempt buyers away from the bigger BMW M4.

That’s because it’s just as powerful as an M4, but it’s also cheaper to buy. The CS will be built in limited numbers, and it’ll cost just under £87,000.

New BMW M2 CS design

BMW has gone big on this car’s design, because there’s no way you’ll be mistaking it for the standard M2. The kidney grilles, front bumper and ground-hugging splitter are all new, however it’s a shame that the CS doesn’t get yellow daytime running lights like the old M5 did.

This eye-catching “Velvet Blue” paint job is also a CS exclusive, however it’ll cost you a whopping £4,300. The bronze alloy wheels look great as well, and sat behind them on this car are the optional £8,800 carbon-ceramic brakes.

At the back you have a massive ducktail spoiler, and this isn’t just some stuck-on accessory. The whole bootlid is new for the M2 CS, and it’s made of carbon fibre instead of metal like the normal M2. You also get the carbon fibre roof as standard, something which is usually a £2,300 option.

New BMW M2 CS engine and performance

Changes for the M2 CS are just as dramatic under the bonnet, because this car is just as powerful as a BMW M4 Competition.

It uses the same basic 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six engine as the standard M2, but it’s been tuned up to produce 530hp and 600Nm of torque – up from 480hp and 600Nm. This is sent to the rear wheels only via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. There’s no manual option for the CS unlike the normal M2.

Being rear-wheel drive, the M2 CS is around three tenths of a second slower from 0-60mph than the all-wheel drive M4. It’ll do the sprint in 3.8 seconds, 0.2 of a second quicker than the normal M2 and exactly the same as an Audi RS3 saloon.

New BMW M2 CS chassis and suspension

In addition to the extra power, the new BMW M2 CS gets a few chassis tweaks to make it feel even more agile through the corners.

For starters, all the carbon fibre means this car is around 30kg lighter than the standard M2, and the styling changes also improve downforce at speed. It’s been lowered by 8mm and given stiffer suspension to further enhance the handling.

New BMW M2 CS interior

The exterior styling changes are great, but as the driver you want your track-focussed BMW to feel special on the inside as well, right? Well, the M2 CS gets a host of interior upgrades.

There’s even more carbon fibre across the cabin. The shift paddles are made of the stuff, as is the stripped-back centre console and the sports bucket seats.

The steering wheel has been retrimmed in racy Alcantara, and there’s a red centre stripe at the top. A handful of red CS badges around the place will help ensure you never forget that you’re driving something special.

New BMW M2 CS price

The new BMW M2 CS will start from £86,800, making it around £4,500 less than the cheapest M4 Competition.

It seems like even more of a bargain when you consider that the M4 CS cost over £122,000. BMW hasn’t confirmed how many M2 CS models will be made, but it will be a limited run so you better get your orders in quick.

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