2026 BMW M2 CS Review

[00:00] James, it's just how BMW does steering

[00:02] wheels and M cars. Yeah,

[00:03] >> but it's a deal breaker.

[00:04] >> It's not a deal breaker.

[00:06] >> Why do you want a steering wheel to be

[00:07] that thick?

[00:08] >> Because that's just how that's how they

[00:09] how you know it's a sporty M car. It's

[00:11] just what they do.

[00:11] >> Yeah, but this has gone too far. When I

[00:13] put my hands on this steering wheel, it

[00:14] looks like a child's hand. No, it

[00:17] doesn't. Look, watch.

[00:20] >> Oh, I see.

[00:22] >> There it is.

[00:22] >> Yeah.

[00:23] >> Yeah. Every time.

[00:52] You're watching Throttle House. I'm

[00:53] Thomas.

[00:55] >> And I'm James.

[00:58] And this is the M2 CS.

[01:07] CS these days standing for competition

[01:10] sport. And by now we all know the story.

[01:13] Limited edition, lower, stiffer,

[01:16] lighter. 100 lb lighter in fact, thanks

[01:19] to more carbon fiber and carbon ceramic

[01:21] brakes. and of course a power bump

[01:23] taking this stout run of the ml litter

[01:26] to the same number as an M3 competition

[01:29] 523

[01:31] horsepower. It's not an unfamiliar

[01:33] formula, but it is one that in the past

[01:35] has succeeded in titillating us that

[01:38] much more, even going so far as to make

[01:40] us credit the M5's CS treatment as the

[01:43] reason it went from a car we were mild

[01:44] about to the best performance sedan of

[01:47] all time. So, what happens when the new

[01:50] rearw wheelel drive M2 gets it? A car

[01:52] that we are also mild about? And what

[01:55] happens when you drive it on Cup 2 track

[01:57] tires on a damp Ontario day? Let's find

[02:01] out.

[02:06] If you're new to Throttle House,

[02:12] we do car reviews, track tests,

[02:17] and quite a lot of messing around.

[02:20] So, subscribe and enjoy the show

[02:26] in the CS.

[02:45] Oh, just got a little jolt of adrenaline

[02:47] there as I lost traction.

[02:56] But you're supposed to feel like that.

[02:58] We humans were not supposed to be inside

[03:00] doom scrolling. We were meant to hunt.

[03:02] Not me. Bit of a gatherer vibe, I'll

[03:03] admit. But this makes me feel the

[03:05] closest to my ancestors of any M2 I've

[03:08] driven before it. That M3 power, 523

[03:12] horsepower. Like the previous one was

[03:14] 444. It's a big jump. It's a bit

[03:17] heavier, but still a rapid car.

[03:21] And it's rockous.

[03:32] 0.2 seconds to 60 quicker than the

[03:34] normal M2. And it's they've sharpened

[03:38] it. They have sharpened it. And and

[03:39] they've made it more exciting. The

[03:41] transmission, for example, has been

[03:42] reuned.

[03:52] I now no longer miss the DCT.

[03:55] pre downshifts and the upshifts upset

[03:58] the balance of the car enough that it

[04:00] feels like an M2. It's got stiffer

[04:03] engine mounts. There's more vibrations

[04:05] coming through. And yes, if you get the

[04:07] CS, you're locked into the 8-speed

[04:08] transmission, but that, and we said it

[04:10] with the normal M2, is the way to get

[04:12] this car. This engine is beautifully

[04:14] matched to this transmission. The manual

[04:16] is simply not exciting enough to mourn

[04:19] it. I personally find that to be true in

[04:21] a lot of new turbocharged cars. My Golf

[04:24] R, for example, fits the DSG better. I

[04:26] think the PDK in the turbocharged 911s

[04:29] is better than a manual option. So, I

[04:32] don't miss it in this car.

[04:43] This car is what happens when an M4X

[04:45] drive goes out for drinks after work and

[04:48] then accidentally ends the night doing

[04:50] lines in the bathroom.

[04:53] All pretense, all control is just gone.

[04:59] Yeah, this is uh this is about as good

[05:01] as an M2 on the road can be.

[05:04] Apart from these stupid pool noodles

[05:06] that have actually made my hands tired

[05:08] driving it. Thomas's turn.

[05:14] Oh, it's it's lively.

[05:20] The CS cars have always been that little

[05:23] bit maniacal, a little bit unhinged,

[05:25] like they've got something to prove. And

[05:27] this is very, very much that. It's got

[05:31] that classic BMW eager angryness from

[05:35] the rear end. It's just it never

[05:37] settles. The CS has a spicier

[05:39] differential tune and more aggressive

[05:41] suspension tuning, and it has more

[05:43] negative camber in the front, which

[05:45] should give you more grip. I can't tell

[05:47] if it has more grip because I'm not on a

[05:48] racetrack because I'm nowhere near the

[05:50] limits of the front tires of this car,

[05:52] but I certainly am near the limits of

[05:53] the rear tires of this car because any

[05:56] throttle in any corner and that diff

[05:59] just goes and locks up the rear.

[06:05] And that means that it's never settled.

[06:08] That's a good thing because that's fun.

[06:11] I don't want a Porsche. I don't want it

[06:13] to be clinical and cool and just

[06:16] hunkered down and hush. Shut up. No, I

[06:18] don't want any of that. I want to be a

[06:21] little bit afraid in every corner at all

[06:24] times.

[06:34] What a stupid car.

[06:37] When the new M2 came out, I was a bit

[06:39] disappointed because for me, it removed

[06:42] the one thing that made the M2

[06:44] interesting that it was always a very

[06:47] angry little car. And this one had a

[06:49] longer wheelbase and it was a little bit

[06:52] more comfortable, a little bit more

[06:53] refined, a little bit more capable. I

[06:55] didn't like that. I want the M2 to be

[06:58] the

[07:00] angry red-headed stepchild of the M

[07:03] lineup.

[07:05] And

[07:07] It's been brought back with the CS cuz

[07:09] this thing's a nut job. And now it's

[07:12] raining. So, I'm probably going to die.

[07:22] Jesus Christ.

[07:24] Not a Porsche. There's nothing like this

[07:27] right now. Like we're going to have some

[07:30] choice words to say about a few issues

[07:31] that it has in a minute, but there's

[07:34] nothing like this that you can buy. It's

[07:36] nuts, man. This car is crazy. I really

[07:40] like it.

[07:44] >> All right. There are two major issues.

[07:47] One,

[07:48] >> the front and the back.

[07:50] >> Yes. One and two. No. Uh, the first one

[07:52] is the price,

[07:53] >> right?

[07:54] >> It's $140,000 Canadian

[07:57] >> as optioned, right? If you get rid of

[07:59] the blue paint,

[08:00] >> that's not blue.

[08:02] >> Uh, check the spec sheet, mate. Velvet

[08:04] blue metallic.

[08:06] >> What is BMW doing? Are

[08:07] >> they gaslighting us?

[08:10] We've never seen a color wheel in our

[08:11] lives.

[08:12] >> That's a ridiculous claim.

[08:13] >> Very purple. And the carbon ceramics.

[08:17] >> Otherwise, it's 125.

[08:18] >> Here's the problem is you can get an M4

[08:20] CSL

[08:22] with like 5,000 km on it for less. A lot

[08:27] less.

[08:27] >> Yes. used. You You've told me about the

[08:29] the dangers of going into the used

[08:31] market. Yes, you

[08:32] >> it goes it get you get nuts. All right.

[08:34] >> But there's no competitors for this

[08:35] really. There's the Amira and what else?

[08:38] >> Um Darkhorse and the Darkhorse

[08:40] Supercharged.

[08:41] >> The Dark Horse Super

[08:42] >> way more power and sound better.

[08:44] >> That's interesting.

[08:44] >> But probably

[08:45] >> and look better. On to problem two.

[08:48] >> Well, we'll get to that when we film the

[08:49] Darkhor Supercharged. But I actually

[08:51] think it's a bit of a botch job.

[08:52] >> Interesting. I think one question, one

[08:55] thing about the looks, I think the

[08:56] profile really, really works.

[08:58] >> Yes.

[08:58] >> And I love these wheels almost as much

[09:01] as I love the previous gen M2CS wheels.

[09:03] >> These wheels are amazing. You know what

[09:04] they look like? They look like a fan

[09:06] vault on a Gothic Cathedral.

[09:08] Specifically, the Lady Chapel in

[09:10] Westminster Abbey.

[09:13] >> What are you laughing at? Look it up.

[09:15] >> Nothing to say to that. Anyway, the rear

[09:18] is the problem I have with this car. Cuz

[09:21] even though they're

[09:21] >> What do you mean that's the problem?

[09:22] Have you seen the front?

[09:23] >> I've seen the front and I I think that

[09:25] the lack of the the sort of cleaning of

[09:27] the intakes and the little spoiler on

[09:29] the front and the fact that it's lower

[09:30] helps the car.

[09:31] >> It still looks like the the the ice age

[09:34] character, right? That's the problem.

[09:35] The eyes are too far apart.

[09:36] >> Well, when they when they showed this

[09:38] for the first time, I I posted a story

[09:40] of this next to the M4 CSL, which you

[09:42] just mentioned.

[09:43] >> Yes.

[09:44] >> The rears. This looks

[09:47] so much worse and so much less clean.

[09:50] >> And and it's it isn't actually helped by

[09:52] this. It's not like, ooh, they It's just

[09:54] It's still wrong. The whole thing is

[09:56] wrong,

[09:56] >> but it's carbon fiber.

[09:59] >> Yay. The the front. Okay.

[10:02] The regular M2.

[10:04] >> Yeah.

[10:05] >> My neighbor bought one in black. It's

[10:08] the most basic one you can get and it

[10:10] looks really good in black.

[10:12] >> Okay. Well, here's one thing I'll say

[10:14] against the dark horse.

[10:16] >> Yeah.

[10:17] When you get in this, that's when you

[10:19] start to feel why you'd go German.

[10:24] >> Yeah. Know, it's very good looking. I

[10:25] mean, other than we've all just got used

[10:26] to this.

[10:27] >> Got used to it. I got used to it. But

[10:28] the CS treatment, the the carbon fiber,

[10:30] this feels

[10:32] maxed. It's good. I don't even mind that

[10:34] the CS treatment removes the cup holder

[10:36] because I think drinks and especially

[10:38] hot drinks should be illegal in highrung

[10:41] sports cars. Illegal. James has a

[10:43] problem with food and in general in cars

[10:47] and this is one way I have so many

[10:49] people agreeing with me on this.

[10:50] >> No, it's not. It's because part of the

[10:52] experience of being in a car is also

[10:54] living and enjoying yourself.

[10:56] >> Yeah. If you're in a Chevy Suburban in

[10:58] >> I like a I like a cute little drink

[11:00] every once in a while.

[11:00] >> Exactly right.

[11:01] >> That's what I mean.

[11:02] >> In the car.

[11:02] >> Not in a sports car and not hot drinks

[11:04] and stained drinks.

[11:06] >> Why not? Um

[11:07] >> don't feel right.

[11:08] >> I don't like the lack of a cup holder. I

[11:09] think that's stupid. And it has a

[11:11] wireless charger instead, I guess,

[11:14] because you could easily put two cup

[11:15] holders right there, right?

[11:17] >> Don't use cup holders. They're illegal.

[11:21] >> Anyway, here's my take on this. I think

[11:23] this is more to make you feel special

[11:26] than it is to actually do any real

[11:27] weight savings. Because in the grand

[11:29] scheme of a car that weighs 3,800 lb,

[11:33] really, what is

[11:35] >> 40 lb of whatever?

[11:37] >> Style points.

[11:37] >> It's style points.

[11:39] >> Throbbing the

[11:40] can throb. I like a throbbing the word.

[11:43] We need a new word. We need a different

[11:45] word

[11:46] >> like pulsating.

[11:47] >> It's almost two syro.

[11:51] >> It's like a long one. So anyway,

[11:54] >> um we got sh steering wheel here.

[11:56] >> Here it is right here.

[11:57] >> Meant for the biggest hands in the

[11:58] world.

[11:59] >> It's just stupid.

[12:00] >> Visually, it looks great.

[12:01] >> It looks great. Yeah. It's just so dumb.

[12:04] What were they thinking? Also, I have a

[12:08] bit of a gripe with this cuz I recently

[12:09] drove a Julia Quadrifoglio and the

[12:11] paddles are big and right there.

[12:13] >> Yes,

[12:13] >> these are a bit of a stretch. And now

[12:15] that the steering wheel is so thick to

[12:17] be able to shift, my hands genuinely get

[12:21] tired driving this car.

[12:22] >> It's like it's like when you have a

[12:23] guitar and you have to reach for that

[12:25] one cord.

[12:27] >> Um

[12:27] >> I've played music.

[12:29] >> I think these seats are a triumph.

[12:30] They're controversial. People suggest

[12:33] you know the fact that you can adjust

[12:34] the the bolsters and you can move back

[12:36] and forth and up and down and you know

[12:39] people are upset about this thing but as

[12:42] I am blessed with tiny peen balls and

[12:44] bum

[12:46] >> I have no issue with it. In fact if

[12:47] anything it's just a visual aid to tell

[12:50] me where to

[12:50] >> say is # blessed with small man package.

[12:54] >> The new the new two series is still

[12:56] stupid because you can't fit adults in

[12:58] the back.

[12:59] >> So stupid. One of the beauties of the

[13:00] previous gen

[13:01] >> was that you could fit four adults in it

[13:03] and it was still a small compact car.

[13:05] >> But speaking of beauties, I think that

[13:07] is the previous and I don't normally

[13:09] labor about previous gen of anything,

[13:11] but the previous M2CS was

[13:14] >> perfect.

[13:14] >> Actually, I got a text recently. My

[13:16] actual M2 that I sold popped up back at

[13:19] the dealership for a bit of a service.

[13:21] And

[13:22] >> bit of a service.

[13:23] >> Bit of a service. And look at this

[13:25] thing. Look at that car.

[13:28] Yeah.

[13:29] >> Like, come on.

[13:30] >> And you stole the M2CS wheels as well.

[13:31] >> I did steal the M2. Like, look, look how

[13:34] good it looks.

[13:34] >> And I think even though this drives

[13:36] better and it's got adaptive dampers and

[13:39] it's more comfortable.

[13:41] >> Yep. and it's more aggressive and more

[13:43] ferocious and more advanced and more

[13:45] techy.

[13:47] it it I'm shallow in that the

[13:49] desiraability drops

[13:51] >> be below the

[13:52] >> I was going to say I'm just going to

[13:53] basically reiterate everything you just

[13:54] said but from my own words right now

[13:56] this is one of the better driving M cars

[13:59] that I in a long time I think it's the

[14:02] perfect amount of insane with competency

[14:06] but I don't want one

[14:08] >> and that feels weird

[14:09] >> and that feels weird I don't really care

[14:12] about this car and I think that is a a

[14:15] lot of that is down to the styling

[14:17] Unfortunately, it's just the truth.

[14:20] >> And the rest of it, I think, is down to

[14:22] just what BMW as a brand is doing these

[14:24] days.

[14:24] >> It is bloody good.

[14:26] >> It's an annoy. It's annoying.

[14:27] >> It's a fantastic car to drive.

[14:29] >> In many ways, it's far better built. The

[14:31] Amira, I would say, is more desirable

[14:33] from Lotus, but this is a much

[14:35] >> This is much more

[14:36] >> more

[14:36] >> more car. Yeah,

[14:39] >> we're in a weird place with BMW these

[14:41] days, but I mean, maybe the Neyasa will

[14:43] turn things around. Why are you laughing

[14:45] at me? supposed to say.

[14:46] >> They've been adding Neyer Classer

[14:47] faceelifts to things.

[14:49] >> They have. Yes.

[14:50] >> I wonder what this would look like. No

[14:51] class.

[14:51] >> It could be pretty cool.

[14:54] >> Styling, as always, is subjective. So,

[14:58] what really matters then is that this M2

[15:00] CS has elevated the normal M2 past what

[15:04] the upgrades alone suggest. So, even

[15:07] though for us it lacks the desiraability

[15:09] of the previous M2 and even though it

[15:11] comes at quite a premium, it shows us

[15:13] that when BMW wants to, they can still

[15:16] light our pants on fire, which bodess

[15:19] well for the future, assuming they

[15:21] adjust a few things because the world

[15:24] needs cars like this. We need cars like

[15:28] this. Thanks for watching.