BMW M2 CS review

And I can well believe that with a race track at your disposal you’d discover a sharper, keener car. But I’m guessing. On the road you do notice a more positive front end (thanks to a little extra negative camber) and a slightly more composed ride over bumpy surfaces. The value conundrum is inescapable, because these are marginal gains at substantial cost. But with that put to one side, the CS is a mighty thing – it’s the best driver’s BMW for a while.

It gladly plays the hotrod role but won’t be typecast that way. Except on wet roads – its trackday Michelins don’t much like those, but nor does its chassis claw out of them as much grip as you find in other sports cars on the same rubber. You get rampant wheelspin even with the systems on and snappy oversteer in corners. It’s on a dry surface, tyres up to temperature, that you realise the CS is so much more than just an overpowered thug.

You trust the way it steers, leaning hard on the front axle. It has more precise body control than any other M2, but it still pours so creamily into a slide (making other rear-driven M-cars feel horribly snatchy in that moment) that you excite it just for fun. The manual gearshift is good and the twin-turbo straight-six a gem, pulling forcefully through the midrange and ripping at the top. It’s one of the most enjoyable cars on sale, yet somehow I expected more.

BMW M2 CS
Engine: 2979cc, 6-cyls, twin-turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, RWD
Power: 444bhp @ 6250rpm
Torque: 406lb ft @ 2350-5500rpm
Weight: 1625kg
Power-to-weight: 273bhp/tonne
0-62mph: 4.2 seconds
Top speed: 174mph
Fuel economy: 28mpg
Price: £75,320
Ti rating 8/10