For a week now, the BMW M2 CS has been on everyone’s lips and today there may be even a first spy video of the upcoming compact sports car from Garching. According to the video description, this M2 prototype – wearing some light camouflage – has been testing on the Nurburgring while delivering a better exhaust note than the current M2.
Furthermore, sources say that the 2018 BMW M2 CS will inherit the M2 as we know it now. Therefore, it will not be a special model offered in parallel with the ordinary M2, but rather replacing the M2 of now. The new CS symbol CS on the boot stands for Clubsport and promises additional performance, which will indeed deliver thanks to revised engineering layouts.
The most important change concerns the engine because the N55 previously used is rumored to be replaced by a revised 3.0 liter TwinPower engine based on the S55 unit found in the M3/M4.
Around 400 horsepower and nearly 500 Nm of torque are on the table for the M2 CS, but even more important than the slightly higher peak power is the more aggressive response of the twin-turbocharged straight-six cylinder with 3.0 liter displacement. The M2 CS is likely to be available with the same six-speed manual and 7-speed M-DCT transmissions.
What remains a mystery for now are the additional performance-related changes that the M2 will offer. Possible enhancements to aerodynamics and some lightweight materials are the obvious choice, while a sports tuned suspension will bring the M2 CS closer to its rivals, like the Porsche Cayman GT4.
The current M2 is scheduled to have its production run end at the end of 2017 which leaves room for the M2 CS in the following year.
[Source: Bimmertoday]
