Latest news with #Weidinger
The Sun
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
BMW M2 CS sets record-breaking lap at Nurburgring
THE new BMW M2 CS has redefined expectations in the compact sports car segment with a record-breaking lap at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. On 11 April 2025, BMW M development engineer Jorg Weidinger piloted the latest generation of the M2 CS around the legendary 20.823km circuit in just 7 minutes and 25.5 seconds. This performance shaved a full eight seconds off the previous record in the compact category and improved upon Weidinger's own best time in the previous M2 model by 13 seconds. This achievement not only places the M2 CS at the forefront of its class but also adds another milestone to BMW M's storied legacy of performance excellence on one of the world's most demanding circuits. The Nurburgring, often dubbed the 'Green Hell', is considered the ultimate proving ground for high-performance vehicles, with over 70 corners testing a car's dynamics, stability, and engineering prowess. Each record attempt is closely supervised and verified by independent testing authorities, ensuring all vehicles remain in production-spec condition. Weidinger's new lap time surpasses the benchmark previously held by the BMW M4 CS, M4 CSL, and M3 CS–three mid-size models that had all previously dipped below the 7:30-minute barrier. Among them, the M4 CSL remains the fastest production car in BMW Group history, with an officially notarised time of 7:18.137 minutes. The record at the Nordschleife highlights not only the M2 CS's capabilities but also underscores BMW M's deep-rooted connection with the Nürburgring, a partnership now spanning over 25 years. The manufacturer maintains a permanent presence at the circuit through the BMW M Power Grandstand, the BMW M Bridge, and the M Driving Experience. The adjacent BMW M Test Centre is where future M models are refined and put through rigorous testing prior to entering series production. This extensive integration ensures that every BMW M vehicle benefits from direct feedback gained on the Nordschleife. In racing, BMW M Motorsport has also found remarkable success at the venue, with 21 overall wins at the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race. At the core of the new BMW M2 CS's performance is a heavily upgraded powertrain and an engineering focus on lightweight construction. Its 3.0-litre straight-six engine, fitted with BMW M TwinPower Turbo technology, delivers 530hp and 650Nm of torque. Power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic. The result is a compact sports coupé that responds with razor-sharp precision and ferocious acceleration. Underpinning this dynamic prowess is a suite of motorsport-derived technologies, including model-specific engine mounts, adaptive M suspension, and a high-performance M compound braking system. The car's agility is further enhanced by a 30-kilogram weight reduction, achieved through the extensive use of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) in both exterior and interior components. Adding to its track-ready appeal, the BMW M2 CS comes fitted with forged M light-alloy wheels as standard. These details contribute to a heightened driving experience aimed at purists and enthusiasts seeking maximum performance in a compact form. Manufactured at BMW Group's state-of-the-art facility in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, the M2 CS will be released as a limited edition model, with global market entry expected by late summer 2025. In Germany, it is priced at €115,000, which is approximately RM585,000. Its arrival is poised to make a considerable impact among collectors and high-performance driving aficionados alike. With its blend of raw power, advanced technology, and Nürburgring-certified credentials, the BMW M2 CS cements its place as a new benchmark in the segment, reaffirming BMW M's reputation for engineering excellence and performance dominance on both road and racetrack.
NDTV
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
BMW M2 CS Sets Record At Nurburgring, Check Timing Here
The BMW M2 CS is now the fastest compact car, as it has set a record at Nurburgring on 11 April 2025. Driven by BMW M development engineer Jorg Weidinger, it completed the 20.823-kilometre Nurburgring-Nordschleife circuit in 7:25.5 minutes, beating the previous best time for compact cars by eight seconds. The previous best time for a BMW M2 model was set by Weidinger in April 2023, when he completed the course in 7:38.7 minutes. Two years later, he beat this time by 13 seconds, breaking the class record of 7:30 minutes for the first time. With the newly set best time of 7:25.5 minutes, the BMW M2 CS demonstrates its outstanding performance as well as the innovative power and engineering skills of BMW M GmbH. BMW M2 CS sets record Previous record runs on the Nordschleife by the BMW M4 CS, the BMW M4 CSL, and the BMW M3 CS, all mid-range vehicles, achieved times under 7:30 minutes. The BMW M4 CSL also holds the best lap time ever recorded for a BMW Group production car. The official, notarised time is 7:18.137 minutes. Also Read: Mahindra SUV Concept Teased Ahead Of August 15 Debut The previous best time for a BMW M2 model was set by Weidinger in April 2023, when he completed the course in 7:38.7 minutes. Two years later, he beat this time by 13 seconds, breaking the class record of 7:30 minutes for the first time. With the newly set best time of 7:25.5 minutes, the BMW M2 CS demonstrates its outstanding performance as well as the innovative power and engineering skills of BMW M GmbH. The BMW M2 CS is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six engine, which is capable of churning out a peak power and torque output of 530 hp and 650 Nm. However, the model that set the record had some performance mods featuring engine mounts, an adaptive M suspension, an M compound brake system, and more. These modifications dropped the overall weight of the car by 30 kg, compared to the standard M2 model.
IOL News
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
New BMW M2 CS smashes Nurburgring record for compact cars
Jörg Weidinger drove the BMW M2 CS to a new Nurburgring record for compact cars. They call it the 'Green Hell', with 20.832 kilometres of undulating tar, known for its significant elevation changes and a bumpy surface. Achieving a new record time at Germany's Nürburgring-Nordschleife is a notable achievement, and BMW has done just that in the compact class of cars, with its new M2 CS. With BMW M development engineer Jörg Weidinger behind the wheel, the BMW M2 CS has knocked the Audi RS3 off its throne as the fastest compact car on the 'Ring. With a time of 7:25.5 minutes, Weidinger beat the Audi's previous record by eight seconds. "The BMW M2 CS has achieved a significant milestone with its lap time of 7:25.5 minutes on the Nordschleife, showcasing the potential for combining performance, technology and exceptional driving dynamics into a single vehicle," BMW M boss Franciscus van Meel exclaimed. 'We are proud that the M2 CS has once again set a new benchmark in the compact car class with this lap time.' The M2 CS is not the fastest BMW around the 'Ring however. That honour belongs to the M4 CSL, which lapped the gruelling circuit in 7:18.137s.
TimesLIVE
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
BMW M2 CS sets new Nürburgring lap record
The new BMW M2 CS has set a new lap record for compact cars around the 20.8km Nürburgring Nordschleife track. With a lap time of seven minutes 25.5 seconds, the BMW blitzed the iconic German track more than seven seconds faster than the previous record holder, the Audi RS3, which achieved 7:33.123 a year ago. The new record was set by BMW M development engineer Jörg Weidinger on April 11, six weeks before the latest M2 CS had its official unveiling at the Villa d'Este concours at Lake Como in Italy. Impressively, the new record is a full 13 seconds faster than the 7:38.7 set by Weidinger in the previous M2 in April 2023. The big improvement is attributed to the M2 CS gaining power and shedding weight. The BMW M2 CS is 30kg lighter thanks to the use of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic in parts of the body, and forged M light-alloy wheels. The high-revving 3.0 l six-cylinder inline M TwinPower Turbo engine was also boosted to produce 390kW of power and 650Nm, respective improvements of 37kW and 50Nm over the old unit. The M2 CS sends its muscle power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission and M Sport differential for a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in 3.8 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than a standard M2. The top speed of the M2 CS, which comes with the M Driver's Package as standard, is electronically limited to 302km/h. A chassis tweak sees the special model getting a ride height lowered by 8mm and special suspension tuning to improve handling. The mapping of the Dynamic Stability Control and M Dynamic Mode are optimised for racetrack use. The vehicle comes standard with track tyres (275/35 ZR19 at the front and 285/30 ZR20 at the rear) but owners can specify more aggressive ultra-track tyres or standard sport tyres. To be produced in limited numbers, the new BMW M2 CS will be available in SA from the second quarter of 2026, with pricing not yet confirmed. The fastest BMW production car around the Nürburgring remains the M4 CSL with a lap time of 7:18.137.
CNN
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
A long-lost Klimt painting of an African prince goes on show
An early painting by the famed Austrian painter Gustav Klimt, thought lost since the 1930s, is on view for the first time since its recent rediscovery. The portrait of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona — a representative of the Ga people in West Africa, in what is Ghana today — was painted in 1897 and depicts the prince in profile against loose brushstrokes of florals. Just over 2 feet tall, the small portrait is on display by the Viennese gallery Wienerroither & Kohlbacher (W&K) at the art fair TEFAF Maastricht in the Netherlands, with a price tag of €15 million (about $16.3 million). The framed painting was 'heavily soiled' with a 'barely visible' estate stamp by Klimt when two collectors contacted W&K gallery with the artwork in 2023, according to a press release by the gallery. The gallery confirmed its authenticity with art historian Alfred Weidinger, who had been searching for the work for two decades. According to the press release, the portrait was auctioned from Klimt's estate in 1923 and loaned to an exhibition in 1928 by Ernestine Klein, who had converted the artist's studio into a villa with her husband, Felix. The Jewish couple fled Vienna in 1938 to Monaco, just before World War II, but the painting's whereabouts until 2023 remained a mystery. Following extensive restoration efforts and a restitution settlement with Klein's heirs, the artwork is now making its reappearance in public. W&K says the artist painted the work during the Vienna Völkerschau of 1897; Völkerschau exhibitions were colonialist-era ethnographic displays of people popularized in 19th- and 20th-century Europe. Weidinger's research into the exhibition found that a number of people from Osu, where the prince was from, traveled to Vienna to be exhibited, and that Klimt's portrait was likely a commission but ultimately remained with the artist, Artnet reported. The 1897 portrait represents Klimt's stylistic shift 'towards decorative elements,' Weidinger said in the press release, which are the hallmarks of his later style. The Austrian painter is most recognized for the gilded couple he painted about 11 years later in 'The Kiss,' which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year to Vienna's Belvedere Museum. But his 'last masterpiece' — a portrait of an unidentified woman with a fan — broke records in 2023 when it sold for £85.3 million ($108.4 million) in London from the collection of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen. It not only surpassed the artist's personal auction record, but became the most expensive artwork ever sold at a European auction. Last year, another long-lost and recovered Klimt painting, 'Portrait of Fräulein Lieser,' thought to be one of his final works, sold for €30 million ($32 million).
