After the preview was unveiled a few days ago, BMW officially announced all the relevant information about the 2026 M2 CS. This new member of the M series, known as the "most violent small steel cannon", has refreshed the performance ceiling of the M2 with stronger power, lighter weight and more radical settings, while the price has also risen - the starting price in the US market is as high as US$99,775.
In terms of performance data, the BMW M2 CS sticks with BMW’s iconic 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six engine, cranking out a max of 523 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque—boosts of 50 hp and 36 lb-ft over the current M2 automatic version. That power level sits close to the standard M3 and M4. BMW pairs the M2 CS with an 8-speed automatic transmission as standard—no manual option here—but the biggest difference is it’s a pure rear-wheel drive setup, clearly setting it apart from the M3 CS and M4 CS models equipped with xDrive all-wheel drive.
In order to reduce the weight of the car, BMW used a lot of carbon fiber materials on the new car, including the hood, roof, rear spoiler ducktail, rearview mirror cover and seat shell. The standard forged wheels and carbon fiber bucket seats also reduce the weight of the whole car. In the end, the curb weight of the new car is 1710 kg, which is not only 44 kg lighter than the automatic M2, but also lighter than the 1730 kg M2 manual version.
BMW has also recalibrated the spring rate, adaptive damping system, electronic limited-slip differential, ABS and stability control system for this "small steel cannon" to cope with higher output and more intense driving needs. The optional $8,500 carbon ceramic brake system can further reduce weight and improve track performance.
BMW officially announced that the M2 CS can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and can reach a top speed of 302 km/h. Although the price is about $30,000 more expensive than the 2025 ordinary M2, it is still much cheaper than the $124,675 price of the M4 CS. It is reported that the M2 CS will be put into production at BMW's plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico in August this year, and the first batch of new cars will be delivered to users in the following months. As the lightest M model currently, the M2 CS will undoubtedly become the "ultimate rear-wheel drive toy" pursued by BMW M enthusiasts.