► New BMW M2 CS revealed
► Maximum 2-series due Q2 2018
► Artist’s impressions, specs
Regular BMW M2 not quite hot enough for you? Fear not. The July 2017 issue of CAR magazine spills the beans on 2018’s new CS edition, as BMW continues to ramp up its motorsport division products.
It’s in direct response to those enthusiasts who want a maximum 2-series, following the well-trodden path established by the evergreen 3-series family and its long history of – in rising order on the Scoville heat scale – CS, CSL and GTS editions.
What’s BMW planning for the M2 CS, codenamed F87?
It’s a classic M-division go-faster recipe: more power, sharper chassis mods and lower weight. The latter is said to fall by some 25kg, thanks to an aluminium roof, composite panels, thinner glass and bespoke sports seats.
The full story is told in the July 2017 issue of CAR (above), where we reveal more details, extra artist’s impressions and additional info of the fastest Two yet.
Brakes, wheels and suspension are all beefed up to cope with the CS’s extra performance, granted by an engine overhaul and added turbo boost. The 3.0-litre straight six is breathed on by two blowers, swelling power to 402bhp and torque to 370lb ft.
Those 37bhp and 27lb ft increases point to improvements in all the key performance criteria: CAR’s Munich sources suggest 0-62mph tumbles to just 4.2sec. Make no mistake, the 2018 M2 CS is a pretty serious bit of kit, stepping perilously close to the M3 and M4 twins…
CAR lived with a BMW M3 for eight months in 2015 – click here to read our long-term test diary
We’ve previously scooped the M2 CS out winter testing (above). The exhaust arrangement is one clue, closely resembling that of the current M3 and M4. The cooler for the dual-clutch transmission has moved, too. Ordinarily it can be glimpsed through the front grille ‘kidneys’, not so in this case – but plumbing visible through the lower parts of the front spoiler indicates the M3/M4’s ‘S55’ engine.
So when can I buy a BMW M2 CS?
Our sources reveal the car will be launched in the second quarter of 2018, pointing to a world debut at the Geneva motor show.
We expect the CS to be in UK showrooms by summer 2018, carrying a price estimated to rise to some £52,000. That’s a premium of around £8k over a regular or garden M2.
Click here for a guided tour around the new issue of CAR magazine