Understanding the labyrinthine matrix of capability levels coming out of BMW’s M performance division can take work. But the top of its pyramid isn’t complicated. Some M models get a Competition Sport (CS) model. That’s the apex predator of BMWs.
The popular 3 Series, for instance, already enjoys a reputation as the luxury sedan to choose if you’re in it for the love of driving. But if you have the budget, an M3 will outrun it in a straight line and outcorner it on a winding road.
An M3 Competition is perhaps better suited for the track than as a daily driver. And an M3 CS? They don’t build many of those, and most are likely bound for track days. Its suspension is tuned so tightly as to be most comfortable at speeds illegal on public roads.
That fastest-of-the-fast moniker is coming to the delightful little 2 Series coupe for 2026. Over the weekend, BMW used Italy’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este to show off the 2026 BMW M2 CS. They’ve kept specifications and performance details under wraps for now, but we expect to learn them this week.
Until then, we have photos to get you excited.
They show a ducktail spoiler for better high-speed stability and a lowered stance that suggests the kind of track-ready suspension we’d expect in a CS model. A close-up of the brake discs shows the mottled surface unique to a carbon-ceramic setup meant to dissipate heat quickly.
The CS badge usually means added power and many deleted options for weight savings as well. We’ll know soon. BMW says, “The official communication launch of the vehicle, including all technical data, will take place on May 28, 2025.”