2020 BMW M2 CS review: One-upping itself

The M2 Opposition is my preferred BMW, so naturally I am very jazzed about the M2 CS. It is really a lot quicker and sharper than the common Opposition, and a minimal little bit lighter, as well. It is really a a lot more concentrated version of an already pleasant general performance motor vehicle. And you can even get it with gold wheels. Wonderful.

The CS works by using the identical 3.-liter twin-turbo I6 as the M2 Comp — BMW’s S55 motor for you internal-code nerds. Horsepower jumps from 405 in the Opposition to 444 in the CS, but both equally autos make an identical 406 pound-ft of torque. The minimal-conclusion thrust fully comes at 2,350 rpm, indicating there’s minimal in the way of lag when launching. The CS’ -to-sixty-mph time clocks in at 3.eight seconds, creating it .2 seconds more rapidly than the M2 Opposition. Negligible things.

The CS gets a dual-department exhaust style with electronically managed valves. This tends to make it louder than the M2 Opposition, but this this set up seems like the a person in the M3 and M4, it really is not truly a superior factor. You can switch up the volume on the exhaust be aware if you want, but this is a person case in which it does not truly appear to be required. The M2 CS in fact seems better when it really is quiet. Bizarre, I know.

A 6-speed manual transmission is common and it really is the appropriate choice. I say that owning put in a week with a DCT-geared up M2 CS, which delivers clean, speedy shifts at speed, but is type of a discomfort in the ass to stay with working day to working day. There’s no torque converter to get the CS rolling at idle when you consider your foot off the fuel, so pulling away from a stoplight can be a minimal jerky. The motor vehicle will even lurch backwards if you happen to be on an incline, which is to be predicted with a manual, but can occasionally catch you off guard with an computerized. Oh, and the DCT option provides $2,900 to the CS’ base line. Of course, it tends to make the M2 CS .2 seconds more rapidly to sixty mph than the manual motor vehicle, but severely, who cares? I will consider driver engagement in excess of bragging legal rights any working day.

BMW’s Adaptive M suspension tech comes common on the CS, but it does not do a lot to truly distance this motor vehicle from the M2 Opposition. You can toggle amongst Consolation, Activity and Activity Moreover settings, all of which are very stiff. But truthfully, there just isn’t more than enough of a meaningful variation amongst the 3 modes to truly warrant regular fiddling. Probably Activity Moreover is a bit better than Activity on a race monitor. Probably.

All the reasons why I get pleasure from driving the M2 Opposition are nevertheless a lot alive in the CS. It is really a nimble minimal factor with speedy reflexes and correctly significant steering, as well as the thick strut brace below the hood retains the nose great and stiff so it’ll transform instructions lickity break up. The CS has the Competition’s lively locking rear differential, which can differ electrical power shipping amongst the rear wheels, supplying you better grip though cornering and improved balance on slippery surfaces. The CS also rides on Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tires, which are a godsend as far as general performance rubbers are involved and they do a great deal to allow the M2 truly dangle on during large-speed cornering.

Carbon ceramic brakes are obtainable, which provide for a longer period-lasting halting electrical power without having fade. They aren’t as squealy and challenging to modulate as some of BMW’s prior ceramic brake endeavours, but they also expense a whopping $eight,500, so pick wisely. If the M2 CS just isn’t going to be your monitor motor vehicle, probably skip this option.

The DCT and ceramic brakes are about it as far as optional gear is involved, conserve for top quality paint decisions like my examination car’s $550 Misano Blue. Even the gold wheels are a no-expense choice, indicating you must unquestionably pick them. I am obtaining a total Subaru rally vibe from the blue-and-gold combo, by the way. Hubba hubba.

The M2 CS gets a total bunch of carbon fiber bits, all of which aid minimize fat. The vented hood, roof and more aero components are all designed from this super-light-weight content, as are a variety of inside pieces like the center console and transmission tunnel. The CS ditches the M2’s center armrest for the sake of yet another pound or two and there’s a generous encouraging of Alcantara suede on the dashboard, doors and steering wheel. All told, the CS is fifty five pounds lighter than an equivalent M2 Opposition, which is a reasonable total of heft-removing, even though a DCT-geared up CS nevertheless weighs 3,600 pounds.

Functionally speaking, the CS has the identical tradeoffs as the common M2 Opposition. The trunk is little and there are only a couple of little sites to keep items within the cabin. BMW failed to go so far as to clear away the rear seats, but they’re better left for backpacks and grocery luggage than actual grownup humans, anyway. The CS’ eight.eight-inch central touchscreen operates the identical, previous-generation iDrive tech as the base M2, indicating embedded navigation and Apple CarPlay are on offer, but Android Automobile is nowhere to be discovered. The CS are unable to be experienced with some of the M2 Comp’s a lot more deluxe niceties, either, like a wireless charging pad or heated steering wheel. Driver-assistance characteristics are on the sparse side, as well, but offered the CS’ general performance-concentrated mission, I am Ok with that.

The CS is a serious sweetie and it only furthers my like for the M2 line as a total. Trouble is, it costs $84,595 such as $995 for destination, creating it $24,700 a lot more expensive than a base M2 Opposition. Insert in the top quality paint, dual-clutch transmission and ceramic brakes — all of which are equipped to my examination motor vehicle — and you happen to be searching at $96,545. Which is a bunch of cash for a 2 Collection and puts the M2 CS properly into the territory of a lot a lot more capable athletics autos. If I am expending that a lot, I am obtaining a Porsche 718 Cayman GTS with the new four.-liter motor.

On the other hand, a 2021 BMW M2 Opposition painted in Prolonged Seashore Blue with the manual transmission and Govt Bundle slides in at $61,645 such as destination. And considering the fact that the CS’ tweaks really don’t truly elevate the M2’s general performance to a new level, it really is challenging to argue from that type of worth. Moreover, the M2 CS is a a person-yr, limited-operate deal and I am sure the broad the vast majority of the US allotment is already spoken for. The CS is good, but like I stated previously, the M2 Comp is my preferred BMW. Guess I will just have to have to supply a established of gold wheels.