BMW Packs More Heat Into Small Package With 2020 M2 CS Coupe
Competes with: Occupies a space of its own, but might be considered against Audi RS 3, Audi TT RS, BMW M2 Competition, BMW M4, Porsche 718 Cayman S or even a Nissan 370Z NISMO
Looks like: A BMW M2 Competition coupe with a hood scoop and nicer wheels
Drivetrains: 444-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine mated to either a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or six-speed manual
Hits dealerships: 2020, timing to be announced
Along with a 2 Series four-door Gran Coupe, BMW is bringing the limited-edition 2020 BMW M2 CS Coupe the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show for an official unveiling on Nov. 20. It’s a higher-power and more-track-capable version of the new-for-2019 M2 Competition coupe. It’s also loaded with carbon-fiber pieces and has the M2’s first adaptive suspension.
Related: More 2019 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
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The M2 CS will be offered only for the 2020 model year and limited to 2,200 copies. BMW said it has not determined the exact number that will be available for buyers in the U.S. when production begins in March. Pricing for the M2 CS and on-sale date are still to be announced, but it will be more than the M2 Competition, which starts at $59,895, including a $995 destination charge.
Exterior
The primary visual distinction with the M2 Competition is the fatter hood with functional scoop that improves cooling and downforce. That hood, along with the roof, front and rear spoilers, rear lower bumper and side-mirror caps are carbon fiber to cut weight and lower the center of gravity.
The CS also gets its own forged 9-by-19-inch wheels with non-run-flat performance tires (245/35R19 up front and 265/35R19 in the rear). The standard wheels have a gloss-black finish, but you can channel your inner WRX STI and option them in a matte-gold finish.
Interior
The CS includes standard carbon fiber and Alcantara trim. The standard M Competition front seats are finished in Alcantara and black Merino leather with red contrast stitching and the BMW M Motorsport stripes in the integrated head restraints. And the center console is made from carbon fiber, which BMW says saves 6 pounds compared with the standard 2 Series console.
Alcantara also covers the center armrest and dash trim, which has an embroidered red CS badge. The standard M Sport Steering wheel is covered in Alcantara with red contrast stitching. And in case you’re into CS logos, they also appear on the door sill plates and in the instrument cluster when you start the car.
Find a 2020 BMW M2 for sale near you.
Under the Hood
The car’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine puts out 444 horsepower, up 39 from the M2 Competition, though torque is the same at 406 pounds-feet. Like the M2 Competition, the M2 CS Coupe has a dual exhaust system with electronic valves. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual (with rev-matching tech) or an optional seven-speed dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters. Zero-to-60 mph is estimated at 3.8 seconds with the automatic and 4.0 with the manual. Top speed is 174 mph.
An electronic locking rear differential is standard, and it can vary the lock from zero to 100 percent based on the driving conditions and the car’s steering angle, wheel speed, accelerator position, braking, engine torque and yaw rate. The adaptive suspension also is standard — a first for M2 models. Along with other driving dynamics, it varies among the three preset drive modes: Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus, which offers more driver control over dynamics for track days.
Beefed-up cooling is through a central radiator, two smaller side radiators, an oil cooler, two scavenging pumps in the oil sump pan and an oil-return system near the turbochargers. Automatic cars also have a separate transmission oil cooler. Other performance features include a carbon-fiber front brace for the front strut towers and optional carbon-ceramic brakes, also a first for an M2.
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