BMW Just Unveiled the Most Powerful Rear-Wheel Drive M Car Yet
BMW's smallest sports car just got a serious power boost.
The German marque has just unveiled the new 2026 M2 Competition Series (CS). The high-performance variant lacks a manual transmission option that is one of the base model's most attractive features, but it makes up for it by being the most powerful rear-wheel drive M car you can buy.
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Since its introduction in 2016, the M2 has carved out a niche for itself as the enthusiast's M car of choice. Look at the second-generation CS features and specs, and it's easy to see why. It may be compact—it measures just over nine feet bumper-to-bumper—but it's also a beast. The latest range-topping model comes with an upgraded version of the car's twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six that produces 523 horsepower and 479 ft lbs of torque. That's 50 hp more than the standard M2 and 79 hp more than the last-generation M2 CS. Not bad as far as performance bumps go.
Thanks to the added horsepower, the new M2 CS can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, which is 0.4 seconds quicker than the standard M2. Top speed comes in at 188 mph, which his 11 mph faster than the base model equipped with the M Driver's package.
Unfortunately, those dreaming of shifting through the M2 CS's gears themselves will be left disappointed. Unlike the standard M2, the variant is exclusively available with an eight-speed automatic gearbox that sends power to the rear axles. This decision is sure to disappoint those who love the M2's six-speed manual—an option reportedly chosen by 50 percent of customers—but it has allowed BMW to deliver more power and better performance than before, which seems like a fair trade to us.
Automatic gearboxes weigh more than their manual counterparts, but BMW has utilized carbon-fiber parts and forged wheels to keep the variant's weight down to 3,770 pounds, which is 44 pounds less than the standard automatic M2. It's not light per se, but it does weigh less than any of the other M car currently on the market. The suspension has been tuned to account for the additional power and lower curb weight.
The M2 CS doesn't look all that different M2 inside and out. Its muscular shape is more sculpted, especially in the rear, where you'll find a ducktail spoiler coming off the trunk lid. Despite looking similar, the two models will feel different, though. That's because more carbon fiber body panels—including the roof, mirror caps, and rear diffuser—were utilized to keep weight down.
The M2 CS will cost $99,775 (after destination) when it goes on sale later this year. BMW has yet to announce how much the standard 2026 M2 will cost, but the difference between the two models is likely to be around $30,000. That's steep, of course, but it's also significantly less than the $124,675 it costs to get into an M4 CS.Best of Robb Report
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