Only a unique sort of person is willing to spend 2.5 times the price of a base model car for an extremely high-performance version of it. But that sort of person knows where to go. And their local BMW dealership always has an answer for them.
Today, the automaker debuted a new M2 Competition Sport for model year 2026.
BMW hasn’t said how many it plans to build, but we trust they’ll be rare sights on the road. After all, you can get a standard 2026 2 Series for $40,775 (including delivery fee), but an M2 CS will set you back $99,775.
The Top of a Performance Ladder
BMW has a ladder of performance 2 Series models, with the M2 CS at the top. Strangely, it has released 2026 pricing only for the top-of-the-line. So we have to compare 2025 and 2026 prices to give you perspective on the car.
That 2 Series coupe with its roughly $41,000 price has a 255-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.
An M2 from the brand’s M performance shop uses the same body and chassis, but a 3.0-liter turbo inline 6-cylinder unit developing 473 hp. The 2025 version starts at $69,375 with delivery fees.
The nearly six-figure M2 CS is based on that car but is lighter and more powerful. It uses an upgraded version of that same engine, this time making 523 horsepower. It’s also about 100 pounds lighter thanks to “judicious use of lightweight materials, such as exterior and interior components made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic” and lighter alloy wheels.
Track Tuning All Around
It is only available in rear-wheel drive (RWD). BMW fans will note that the M3 Competition uses the same engine but is only available in all-wheel drive (AWD). So, the M2 CS is currently the most powerful rear-wheel-drive M car.
There’s no manual transmission option. The only gearbox available is an 8-speed automatic with paddle shifters.
A new cooling system shows that BMW assumes you’ll use your M2 CS at the track, running it hot for hours. “The oil circuit is designed to handle extreme dynamic driving situations,” BMW says, while “a map-controlled oil pump ensures reliable oil supply even under extreme acceleration.”
It sits 0.2 inches lower than an already-low M2, “with unique tuning of the springs, dampers, and chassis control systems” for hard cornering. A retuned suspension and stability control system are also designed for track use. Stopping power comes from M compound brakes, but heat-dissipating carbon ceramic brakes are an $8,500 option.
A matte black front splitter, black M kidney grille, and ducktail spoiler make it easy to spot a CS. M Carbon bucket seats are standard, with removable headrest for helmet clearance.
BMW will build the M2 CS in Mexico, but its price reflects that it won’t escape tariffs that most Mexico-built cars dodge. BMW builds the engine in Europe, meaning that too much of the car comes from outside North America to qualify for tariff exceptions.