2026 BMW M2 CS: Germany's Little Powerhouse Is Back

• BMW's lightweight M2 CS returns after a five-year hiatus.
• Exposed carbon-fiber bodywork points to lighter weight.
• The starting price is $99,775 including destination.

While the shape is unmistakably 2 Series, the new CS has had some extensive revisions to the bodywork, much of it done in carbon fiber. There's a big new diffuser at the rear, plus an exposed carbon roof and mirror caps to boot. BMW says this reduces the M2 CS' weight to 3,770 pounds, 97 pounds lighter than a regular M2.

The trunk lid curves up to form a pronounced ducktail spoiler at the rear. Up front, there's a more aggressive splitter slung under a nose punctuated by a kidney grille that's more flared than on the regular M2. Gold-hued latticework wheels complete the look, measuring 19 inches up front and 20 inches at the rear, covering carbon-ceramic brakes (an $8,500 option). All that, plus some crimson M2 CS badges on the boot and the nose, ensure this thing won't be confused with an everyday M2. 

Under the hood is the same 3.0-liter inline-six as in the regular M2, but naturally, it's had a bit of a massage to prepare it for duty in the CS. BMW says horsepower is up 50 hp to 523 hp and its torque is up 36 lb-ft to 479 lb-ft, while stiffer engine mounts keep things from flopping around under the hood. That engine is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission (sorry, manual fans), which has been reprogrammed to be even more aggressive than before.

The traction management software has also had a few upgrades, now offering 10 separate modes to suit even the most specific grip-related needs. For those who prefer no grip, the M Drift Analyzer mode returns, which not only allows you the wheelspin you need to shred the rear tires but also measures precisely how long of a drift you achieve.

Whether you're setting new drift records or more focused on improving lap times, you'll be held in place by M Carbon bucket seats, pierced by an illuminated CS logo and still featuring the unfortunate carbon-fiber hump on the base between your legs, as found on the M3 CS and elsewhere. The styling on those, plus the three-spoke steering wheel, was specifically designed to get the juices flowing of anyone who admires the company's racers.

The M2 CS' mechanical upgrades and weight savings conspire to drop the thing's 0-60 mph time down to 3.7 seconds, 0.2 second quicker than the regular M2. Top speed is now an electronically limited 188 mph. That all sounds spicy enough to get BMW M purists' hearts beating faster, but it's going to make their wallets substantially lighter. The 2026 BMW M2 CS starts at $99,775 including $1,175 for destination. That's a roughly 50% premium over the cost of a regular M2. Worth it? We won't know until we get a go behind the wheel.