The all-new BMW M2 CS didn’t get the same instant praise as previous CS-badged M cars. The styling is still divisive, sharing its looks with the regular M2, and there’s no manual gearbox this time because it couldn’t handle the power. Some fans are also disappointed by the lack of a carbon fibre hood. Even with these complaints, demand for the new M2 CS is so strong that BMW has already had to increase the number of build slots to keep up.
BMW Blog spoke to Sylvia Neubauer, Vice President of Customer, Brand, and Sales at BMW M, who confirmed there has been “huge demand” for the second-generation CS. She added that build slots have been increased by “quite some units” to match the unexpected interest.
After the USA, the next biggest markets for the M2 CS are Germany and China. With fewer than 2,000 units planned for production, the car may sell out faster than expected unless BMW decides to bump up production further. Even if they do, it will still stay relatively limited to maintain exclusivity.
The new M2 CS pushes out a healthy 523 hp (390 kW) from the turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six, making it 50 hp up on the regular M2.
With torque rated at 649 Nm (479 lb-ft), BMW has opted to offer the M2 CS exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission. A manual gearbox isn’t an option here, partly because the manual setup is limited to 550 Nm (406 lb-ft), and partly due to reduced demand for three-pedal cars in this segment.