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Miami Herald
05-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
BMW's M Division Is Working On A 'Dream Car For Collectors'
Cast your mind back a decade to 2015, when the F82 M4 GTS was but a Pebble Beach concept. At that point, cars that cost seven figures were scarce, and Bimmers that cost six and didn't have a 7 on the back were non-existent. But nowadays, after selling every example of the - ahem - $750,000BMW 3.0 CSL, getting several requests about the Concept Touring Coupe, and then finding resounding success with the Skytop and Speedtop, the Bavarians are poised to build on that momentum with something new, reports BMW Blog. What exactly remains to be seen, but it's described as a "dream car" that will be "for collectors." It seems BMW is making hay while the sun shines. Sylvia Neubauer, Vice President of Customer, Brand, and Sales at M, reportedly told BMW Blog that BMW's small-series team had approved a limited-run M: "We are discussing things, but we need to find the right time to do it. Be assured, we share the same dream and passion. We have been talking with Adrian van Hooydonk [Head of BMW Group Design] and the team who does the small series planning, and there is a slot reserved for BMW M." As is typically the case with these sorts of projects, you need to build suspense. You don't hear the name of Oppenheimer, nor that it'll be shot on IMAX, before you hear that Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy are working on a new project. Getting the media talking about what the producers have in mind builds excitement, and in this case, it gets potential buyers calling to ask for a build slot. BMW has ruled out the idea of reviving the M1 supercar. If it's to be a true supercar like the Audi R8 was (and may again be), it would need a unique chassis, or something close to it, and BMW is still a massive company built on efficiency, where economies of scale need to make sense. If this project is to be a stepping stone to building a department that could make an M1 happen, it needs to be financially viable, and there's still only so much money you can ask for an M. Thus, we can be sure that it will be based on something BMW already makes, which effectively rules out a supercar, but only for the time being, as Neubauer hints: "We always think of where there might be potential markets for the future. Many times, we are doing this together with our [BMW] AG colleagues because we need some base car to then turn it into a high-performance model. There are some ideas we are discussing with our AG colleagues at the moment." Our best guess? BMW is still deciding what to do for its 8 Series replacement. Some rumors have suggested that the 4 Series and the 8 Series will meet in the middle to become the reborn 6 Series, which is exactly what Mercedes did with the E-Class and C-Class coupes when it came up with the CLE. Once the bean counters decide where to go, and the M division knows what it has to work with, then - and only then - will we start to hear rumblings of what is really going on. Until then, anything is possible in this market - especially when there are third parties that can do the hard work of producing a bespoke chassis. Then again, working with a third party (Lamborghini) is what burned BMW the first time it tried to enter the supercar space. Whatever the special model may be, it can't be poorly timed, and it can't be overpriced. BMW hasn't missed in a while, so fingers crossed. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Miami Herald
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
BMW M2 CS Demand Surges Despite Missing Manual
The all-new BMW M2 CS wasn't as warmly received as previous CS-badged M cars from the automaker. Besides the divisive styling it shares with the normal M2, the CS lacks a manual gearbox because that transmission wouldn't be able to handle the car's power. The absence of a carbon fiber hood has also sparked some criticism, but despite all of this, demand for the new M2 CS has been strong. In fact, BMW has already had to increase the number of build slots for the new sports coupe to meet this demand, and the United States is leading the way. Related: Here's Why BMW Sacrificed The Manual For M2 CS BMW Blog spoke to Sylvia Neubauer - Vice President of Customer, Brand, and Sales at BMW M - and she confirmed that there has been "huge demand" for the second-generation CS. Furthermore, build slots have been boosted by "quite some units" as BMW responds to the surprising demand. After the USA, which leads interest in the CS, Germany and China are the next two markets where the M2 CS is proving to be popular. Considering that under 2,000 examples of the M2 CS are expected to be produced in total, the coupe may sell out sooner than anticipated, unless BMW elects to increase production numbers even further. It will likely still be capped at a relatively low number, though, to keep the CS exclusive. Introduced at the end of May, the 2026 BMW M2 CS is almost 100 pounds lighter than the normal M2, while its 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine produces 523 horsepower, a 50-hp increase. Torque peaks at 479 lb-ft, and these changes have reduced the 0-60 mph sprint time to 3.7 seconds and raised the top speed to 188 mph. As mentioned, the CS is only offered with an eight-speed automatic transmission. To cope with the extra grunt, the CS also gets special tuning for the springs, dampers, and chassis control systems. The same applies to the M Servotronic steering and the brakes; M Carbon ceramic brakes are available optionally. These and other changes have seen the price of the ultimate M2 rise to $98,600, and once you add the destination charge and an option or two, it becomes a six-figure car. Clearly, the high cost of entry and lack of a manual have not been a barrier to success for the new M2 CS, which seems to be as popular as the epic first-generation model. Related: Why BMW's AWD M2 Still Hasn't Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Auto Blog
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
BMW M2 CS Demand Surges Despite Missing Manual
BMW has another hit on its hands with the new M2 CS The all-new BMW M2 CS wasn't as warmly received as previous CS-badged M cars from the automaker. Besides the divisive styling it shares with the normal M2, the CS lacks a manual gearbox because that transmission wouldn't be able to handle the car's power. The absence of a carbon fiber hood has also sparked some criticism, but despite all of this, demand for the new M2 CS has been strong. In fact, BMW has already had to increase the number of build slots for the new sports coupe to meet this demand, and the United States is leading the way. Three Major Markets Driving Interest In M2 CS 2026 BMW M2 CS 2026 BMW M2 CS 2026 BMW M2 CS BMW Blog spoke to Sylvia Neubauer – Vice President of Customer, Brand, and Sales at BMW M – and she confirmed that there has been 'huge demand' for the second-generation CS. Furthermore, build slots have been boosted by 'quite some units' as BMW responds to the surprising demand. After the USA, which leads interest in the CS, Germany and China are the next two markets where the M2 CS is proving to be popular. Considering that under 2,000 examples of the M2 CS are expected to be produced in total, the coupe may sell out sooner than anticipated, unless BMW elects to increase production numbers even further. It will likely still be capped at a relatively low number, though, to keep the CS exclusive. More Power, Less Weight Introduced at the end of May, the 2026 BMW M2 CS is almost 100 pounds lighter than the normal M2, while its 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine produces 523 horsepower, a 50-hp increase. Torque peaks at 479 lb-ft, and these changes have reduced the 0-60 mph sprint time to 3.7 seconds and raised the top speed to 188 mph. As mentioned, the CS is only offered with an eight-speed automatic transmission. To cope with the extra grunt, the CS also gets special tuning for the springs, dampers, and chassis control systems. The same applies to the M Servotronic steering and the brakes; M Carbon ceramic brakes are available optionally. These and other changes have seen the price of the ultimate M2 rise to $98,600, and once you add the destination charge and an option or two, it becomes a six-figure car. Clearly, the high cost of entry and lack of a manual have not been a barrier to success for the new M2 CS, which seems to be as popular as the epic first-generation model. About the Author Karl Furlong View Profile
Auto Blog
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
The Electric M3 Will Be Unlike Anything You've Ever Seen Before
Reliable Insider Claims Electric M3 Arrives Soon There's a lot to cover here, so let's jump right in. As first spotted by BMW Blog, reliable BMW insider and Bimmer Post user ynguldyn has dropped a bunch of unreleased information concerning the future electric M3, starting with confirmation that the vehicle known by the internal code ZA0 will enter production in March 2027, as was broadly suspected. The post goes on to say that only one version (the sedan) is being produced for the time being, though a wagon is all but certain for whatever version of the M3 comes next. Speaking of sedans, the post says that the electric 3 Series (NA0/NA1) will enter production in July next year with the Iconic Glow front grilles that will eventually give all Bimmers an unmistakable signature, day or night. Much More Power Than Previously Suggested We should note that the images used in this article depict the Vision Driving Experience, a prototype test bed for BMW's 'Heart of Joy' central computer. BMW says this is a one-off that does not inform any future vehicles, though the next generation of Neue Klasse-based M cars will undoubtedly take some styling inspiration from its design. With that out of the way, the next claim (this time from BMW Blog sources) is that the electric M3 will not stay below 700 horsepower, something that had been rumored in order to give vehicles like the G90 M5 and G08 XM some breathing space. They claim that the battery-operated M car will develop between 800 and 900 hp, though the quad-motor system that some speculated would reach the M3 is still likely to be reserved for high-end applications like the aforementioned M5. It should be noted that the Bimmer Post insider says we should 'not expect powertrain specs here until just a few months before [the] start of production.' It's a lot more difficult to lock down a figure that could be changed by a software update in an EV than to determine how much power an engine will make as EPA certification, dyno testing, and other evaluations are carried out. Numerous Options On The Table Let's return to the Bimmer Post claims, which sound entirely plausible. Once again, sportier seats will reportedly be available as an option, but this time, they won't be made of carbon fiber. Instead, the new flax fiber technology that BMW announced as production-ready last week will reportedly be used. M-specific trim elements and head-up display are said to be standard, with more flax fiber in areas that would traditionally be made of carbon composite, like the spoilers, mirrors, and grille inserts. 20-inch wheels will be standard, claims the report, with forged 20s and staggered 20-/21-inch wheels optional alongside carbon-ceramic brakes. What does not appear to be an option is a lightweight roof, with the post claiming that a panoramic sunroof will be shared with the regular 3 Series. Perhaps the inevitable Competition version will address this, since BMW has claimed CO2 emissions reductions of up to 40% with flax fiber versus a similarly sized carbon fiber roof. Finally, for the styling anyway, M-specific headlight graphics are expected. One More Revelation: The Electric M3's Name We've been saving this for the end because it requires a discussion on its own. According to the leak, the electric 3 Series will be called i3 and the electric M3 will wear the iM3 badge. BMW has already begun dropping the 'i' suffix from the badges of its combustion-powered cars – the M340i will soon be the M350, for example – with officials saying that cars with it being sold in the same showroom as EVs with the letter as a prefix were causing confusion among buyers. Therefore, we understand the move with respect to the next 3 Series. It also makes a certain amount of sense for the M3, especially after BMW applied for the iM3 trademark in Europe twice. I wrote the story breaking the news of the application for CarBuzz back in 2023, but almost immediately after the article blew up, Frank van Meel told Top Gear, 'We would never use an i on an M.' That seemed pretty conclusive, but with this new leak claiming otherwise, perhaps BMW has decided that differentiation between EVs and combustion cars matters just as much for M cars as for regular Bimmers. We'll report back once we know more. Given this barrage of information now being leaked, we won't have long to wait. About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
Miami Herald
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Here's Why BMW Hasn't Pulled The Trigger On M2 xDrive... Yet
Rumors of an xDrive all-wheel-drive version of the BMW M2 first surfaced around two years ago, but so far, there has been no official confirmation from the automaker. The M2 is still only available with rear-wheel drive, unlike the larger M4 Coupe. However, an executive has told BMW Blog that the M2 xDrive is still an option, while also providing a logical reason for why the grippier AWD setup hasn't yet been introduced on the brand's smallest coupe. It all comes down to production timelines and how often new variants of high-performance M models are launched. Dirk Häcker, the head of research and development at BMW M, told BMW Blog that an M2 xDrive "could" still happen. He was specifically asked why the M3 and M4 have the optional xDrive system but the M2 does not, and responded with this: "I think the M3 and M4 CS are in a later stage. We introduced the M2 about two years ago, so we have started with rear-wheel drive. We now offer the M2 CS, and we have a lot of time to the EOP [end of production] of the car. So there could be also ideas to offer for the future of an xDrive system, but there is no final decision." BMW Blog's sources suggest the xDrive model will go into production from August 2026, alongside the current RWD model. While the possible M2 xDrive is expected to be slightly quicker in a straight line and around a track, the current M2 with RWD is unique in its segment. Audi and BMW don't make comparable small sports coupes, and their closest M2 rivals - the RS3 sedan and CLA 45 S Coupe - are exclusively available with AWD. Furthermore, the M2 is available with a six-speed manual, which both of these rivals lack. The M2 xDrive, if it does materialize, is expected to be sold exclusively with BMW's eight-speed automatic transmission. The six-cylinder engine is also unique to the M2. For now, M2 fans will have to settle for RWD, but the new M2 CS at least offers a hefty increase in power to 523 horses. One can only imagine how devastating the M2 CS would be with AWD, and we wouldn't rule out the possibility of such a model in the future. Ultimately, it looks like the best of the current M2 is yet to come. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
