2020 BMW M2 CS: Clear the decks, it’s coming

This article is out of date – click here for Australian pricing and spec for the 2020 BMW M2 CS.

The 2020 BMW M2 CS is the M2 Competition with even more power, cool aero and the option of a six-speed manual. Get out of the way everyone, this car is bound to be awesome.

The M2 is the car I reckon heralded the return of BMW M’s sense of humour. It sparked something at M. The M4 CS quickly followed and it too was awesome. I once had a long text discussion with my wife about the relative merits of the M2 and M4 CS and their tyres – she’s not a speed demon but was taken with both of them. Great steering, agile, hilarious.

Then came the M2 Competition. The Comp scored more power courtesy of the S55 from the M4, de-tuned to 302kW and a nifty 550Nm. It also came with a carbon strut brace that made the front end of the car even more pointy. It’s brilliant.

Anyway. M threatened more and here it is – the M2 CS.

2020 BMW M2 CS

BMW says the CS is the result of a number of motorsport-inspired enhancements and there’s an M2 race series coming (in Europe, obviously).

As with the M4 CS, the name implies a lightweight version. And lighter it is, with a carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof, a new bonnet, front and rear splitter and a Gurney flap on the bootlid. Not sure if all of those things are CFRP or straight carbon fibre, but the strut brace is definitely CFRP.

Its engine is the S55 twin-turbo straight-six, but now with a knee-trembling 331kW. It will never not be funny that the lower-powered N55 was axed because it didn’t meet emissions targets.

There’s a new exhaust which BMW says sounds better (and let’s hope so). The new bonnet also lets the hot air escape faster and compared to the M2 Competition and there are some detail changes to the oil setup.

And – hold on to your hats – you can get a six-speed manual as an alternative to the seven-speed twin-clutch. I drove a manual M2 a few years ago and it was glorious. With a stack of extra power, this one should be terrifyingly good fun.

M says that the new M Dynamic Mode will allows “more significant oversteer and understeer…[and] moderate, controlled drifts.” Moderate drifts. Sure. It’s going to be quite lairy because the other M2s are too.

0-100km/h will be over in 4.0 seconds in the DCT and 4.2 with the manual. Top speed is a limited 280km/h.

Look and Feel

Inside there’s a ton of Alcantara, a carbon fibre centre console and some proper M seats. A few bits of carbon fibre – okay, door pulls and door trim – complete the upgraded interior. It’s still not a classic, but there’s nothing wrong with it.

The Misano Blue in the pictures is spectacular and that CFRP roof (first for an M2) looks pretty good. Those Y-spoke front and rear wheels measure 19-inches in diameter and you can have them in high-gloss black or go full Colin McRae with the blue paint and optional gold finish.

How much and when?

It’ll be here in mid-2020 and full price and spec details will obviously arrive before then. I bet if you ask nicely, a BMW dealer will take your money for a deposit.

Peter Anderson

Peter Anderson is the Editor and founder of the theredline.com.au. He’s been writing about cars for years and finds it difficult to talk about anything else.