The BMW M2 CS Is One Manual Away From Being Perfect

The "Purist" CS

Many passionate sports car fanatics call the BMW M2 the ultimate modern M car because of its small size. This billing is even more true of the hardcore M2 Competition Sport version, which was the only rear-drive CS model up until recently. It may produce less power than its M3 CS and M4 CS counterparts, and the lack of xDrives means it's slower to 60 mph, but the M2 CS is a car that demands respect. This is no "baby" M car.

Power comes from an uprated 3.0-liter S58 twin-turbocharged inline-six producing 523 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, the most ever put in an M2. BMW says the M2 CS can use its eight-speed automatic transmission to light those rear wheels up from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, a time that we matched exactly in our testing. The M2 CS's xDrive siblings are known to do the 60 mph sprint in under three seconds, so if you want a car for the drag strip, there is an AWD M2 coming.

You buy a CS car because it's lighter and more track-focused than a standard M car. The M2 CS is 97 pounds lighter than the base M2 thanks to a carbon fiber trunk, roof, mirrors, and forged alloy wheels. BMW even deleted the cupholder to save an unspecified amount of weight by installing carbon fiber center console. Perhaps skipping the sugary Starbucks drinks will also save some weight.

Setting It Right

BMW lets you deactivate its xDrive system, but it requires the dynamic stability control to be turned off. In the M2 CS, controlling the rear end is your job. On the street, this car's limits are difficult to approach without breaking a long list of laws. The M2 CS feels relatively tame in its Comfort and Sport settings, which are available for the engine, chassis, steering, and brakes. It's only when you enter Sport Plus, available for the engine and chassis, that this car starts to get manic.

Setting the M2 CS up for its most aggressive configuration on the street is a recipe for an uncomfortable drive. The transmission has three shift speed settings for automatic and manual modes, the most aggressive of which is nearly impossible to regulate smoothly in stop-and-go traffic. It feels like the M2 CS is constantly egging you on to go full throttle, and the car bucks like an angry horse if you fail to comply. On a track, it's fine; on the road, it's outright scary.

Getting the settings right for your drive is crucial, but if you succeed, the M2 CS can be a delight. Once you get it set up how you like, you can save those settings on either the M1 or M2 buttons on the steering wheel for quick access. BMW's CS cars make the standard M cars feel tame by comparison. The engine is buzzier, the engine mounts are stiffer, the throttle response is sharper, and the steering is more pinpoint. We've been begging BMW to bring a taste of the CS cars to the regular M models, and in a roundabout way, the German automaker actually listened.

A Manual CS

Just a few months ago, BMW introduced the second RWD CS model: the M3 CS Handschalter. Built solely for the North American market, the Handschalter takes the Lightweight CS formula and makes it even purer by giving it a manual transmission.

Due to the limitations of BMW's six-speed manual, the car is limited to the base M3's output, 473 hp and 406 lb-ft. Without the quick-shifting Steptronic automatic, it's also a bit slower to 60 mph at just 4.1 seconds (3.8 seconds with a one-foot rollout). In all honesty, you probably won't notice those few tenths because you will be having too much fun shifting gears.

BMW, Make An M2 CS Handschalter

The M3 CS Handschalter may go down as one of the ultimate modern M cars, but with only 800-900 units expected to be produced, it won't be easy to get one. BMW dealers are already asking for markups on the Handschalter, proving there is intense demand for a manual CS car. So what should BMW do in response? Take the Porsche approach and introduce another model to satisfy demand; build an M2 CS Handschalter.

Enthusiasts already agree the M2 is the best platform to make a CS car due to its small size, but this current G87 version missed out on a few key features (such as the yellow daytime running lights) to keep it under a $100,000 starting price. The M3 CS Handschalter is actually cheaper than the previous M3 CS ($107,100 versus $118,700) on account of its lower power output.

If BMW could lower the M2 CS's price by a similar amount, that would leave room to put in features like the yellow DRLs and possibly even a few other goodies, like the BMW Individual colors offered on the M3 Handschalter. We think this would be a near-perfect recipe, and not building it would be a travesty.

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