2026 BMW M2 CS First Look: A Big Power Upgrade—With a Price Hike to Match

Motor Trend

4 days ago

We're big fans of the BMW 2 Series here at MotorTrend. Not only did Scott Evans call the 2020 BMW M2 CS "the best M car made in the 12 years" he's been reviewing cars, but we also awarded the current-generation M2 our 2024 Performance Vehicle of the Year honor. This means the new, higher-performance 2026 BMW M2 CS has big shoes to fill. It'll attempt that with more power for, of course, a bigger price tag.
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Beneath the hood, the new CS uses the 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six S58 found in the regular M2, but here it makes 523 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. For comparison, the regular M2 makes 473 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque (with the 8-speed automatic; manual models have 406 lb-ft), and the previous-generation M2 CS made 444 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. An extra 50 hp and 36 lb-ft of torque over today's M2 is a big deal.
With the help of an eight-speed automatic transmission, BMW estimates the CS can hit 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and achieve a top speed of 188 mph, which is 0.3 seconds quicker than our test figure for the 2020 CS. As has been the case with multiple M offerings now, drivers can customize a myriad of driver settings. And has also been the case with the latest M offerings, BMW's estimated acceleration time for the CS is likely hugely conservative. How do we know? A pre-refresh 453-hp 2023 BMW M2 with the automatic transmission ripped to 60 mph in only 3.6 seconds in our testing. Feed in the CS' extra power, and that time will surely quicken well beyond BMW's 3.7-second claim.
BMW also manages to shave 97 pounds off the automatic-equipped M2 to land on the CS's 3,770-pound curb weight. This was done through a ton of weight-saving materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic interior and exterior components—including the entire trunk lid—as well as giving the car forged alloy wheels as standard.
Inside, the CS makes its sporty intentions even clearer with M Carbon bucket seats that have light-up CS logos and leather finishing. You can integrate multi-point harnesses to the seats if you want, and the head restraints can be removed for helmet clearance. The suspension is lowered and, we suspect, appropriately firmed-up for the CS' more track-focused mission.
Appearance-wise, the CS sets itself apart with an exclusive rear diffuser, integrated ducktail spoiler, and badging. It'll come in four colors: Portimao Blue, Black Sapphire, and Brooklyn Grey are available at no cost. However, BMW Individual Velvet Blue is an additional $3,600 option.
Creature comforts include a head-up display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the BMW Operating System 8.5 for the iDrive infotainment system.
How much for this little bundle of fury? The base MSRP for the 2026 CS is $99,775, which includes destination and handling fees. Yeah, we know. That's a significant leap from the 2020 CS's $84,595 base price, and effectively makes this a $100,000 2 Series. The regular M2 starts at $69,375—making the CS treatment a nearly 50-percent markup.
Given how excellent the non-CS M2 is, here's hoping BMW's CS changes bring sufficiently transformative improvements to justify that outlay. We'll find out when we drive the M2 CS; BMW says you can expect deliveries to start in Q3 of this year.