BMW Has One More M2 Up Its Sleeve, And The Waiting Starts Now

The BMW M2 has barely finished celebrating its new xDrive variant, and Munich is already lining up another. A well-placed source inside the company, one with a solid track record, says the smallest M car still has an unplayed card. A forum member with apparent access to BMW’s internal model database spotted a fresh entry attached to the M2 line. No badge, no specification, just the strong suggestion that the coupe is not finished yet.

Work out what it might be, and three candidates stand out. A returning M2 CS with a six-speed manual is the obvious one, mirroring the three-pedal M3 CS that landed in North America earlier this year. Alternatively, BMW could bolt xDrive to the CS and build the fastest M2 ever made. The M3 Saloon, M3 Touring and M4 Coupe have all had that treatment. The parts bin is already stocked, so the engineering would be relatively straightforward.

The third option is the one enthusiasts keep whispering about. An M2 CSL. Company figures have pointedly refused to rule it out. Expect the recipe from the M4 CSL, which means the rear seats binned, the kerb weight slashed and the chassis wound tighter. The M4 CSL came only with a torque-converter automatic. A manual would change the mood entirely.

Timing is the part that stings. M2 production reportedly runs until the middle of 2029. That gives the M division years to fettle the twin-turbocharged straight-six, sharpen the differential and decide how hard to push. It also means this rumoured variant may not be the only surprise left. BMW has already warned that the manual gearbox is living on borrowed time, which makes a stripped-back M2 the ideal send-off.

For now, Munich is saying nothing. That is standard practice. What is clear is that the M2 shares plenty of hardware with the M4, so the raw material for something sharper is already sitting on the shelf. Styling changes look unlikely. Mechanical changes look very likely indeed. Keep an eye on the Nürburgring.