- A well-placed BMW insider claims the M2 still has a few secrets up its sleeve.
- The performance coupe could spawn yet another version.
- If it happens, it would follow the recently launched M2 xDrive.
It’s only been a couple of months since BMW gave its smallest M car the all-wheel-drive treatment, and now we’re hearing the M2 lineup could grow further. A well-placed company insider who is usually more right than wrong claims the M division hasn’t unlocked all of the performance coupe’s secrets just yet. Rumor has it that a new version is on the way, although don’t expect to see it anytime soon since the M2 xDrive is only just arriving.
A member of the Bimmer Post forums who presumably has access to an internal BMW database discovered that the story of the M2 won’t end with the all-paw version. Although the identity of the new flavor is unknown, we can make a few reasonable assumptions. The first one that springs to mind is a return of the M2 CS with a manual twist, following in the footsteps of the three-pedal M3 CS launched earlier this year in North America.
Sticking with the Competition Sport, perhaps BMW is looking to launch an xDrive version that would become the quickest M2 of them all. It would make sense given that the M3 Sedan, M3 Touring, and M4 Coupe have all spawned CS derivatives with the inline-six’s power going to both axles. The hardware is readily available, and it should be relatively easy for the engineers to connect the dots.
Photo by: BMW
A more exciting possibility is an M2 CSL, which company officials haven’t ruled out. If it does happen, it would be a stripped-out version akin to the big-brother M4 CSL, ditching the rear seats in the process. While the latter came strictly with an automatic transmission, we’re hopeful for a stick shift. BMW has warned that the manual gearbox is not long for this world, and if a last hurrah is planned, the M2 CSL would be the perfect candidate.
With M2 production allegedly continuing until mid-2029, a swan song for the second-generation model is still a couple of years away. That gives BMW plenty of time to refine the formula, and this alleged new version might not even be the only one in the works. Whatever the case, expect prices to creep even deeper into six-figure territory, as a fully loaded M2 CS already cost more than $100,000.
Not knowing what to expect makes the wait all the more exciting as Munich continues to fine-tune its smallest M car.
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Source: BMW
Motor1’s Take: Given how closely related the M2 is to the M4, there’s tremendous potential for upgrades. While styling revisions are unlikely, there’s room for hardware tweaks that could cater to a wide audience.
BMW remains predictably tight-lipped about the future, but any of the three versions we mentioned could realistically happen within the next couple of years.
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