BMW M Boss Predicts A Future Classic You Should Buy

Aug. 18, 2020 4:25 PM ET by Jay Traugott Sports Cars / 6 Comments

Assuming you can find one.

The BMW M2 CS is going to sell out fast. Guaranteed. Only 2,200 examples are planned globally and US allocation won't be any more than 500. If you haven't already placed an order then, sad to say, it's probably already too late. But those who did will be asked to throw down at least $84,595, which is nearly BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe money. Such is the price for excellence. But does the M2 CS represent value for money?

BMW M CEO Markus Flasch certainly thinks so. Speaking to Australian publication Boss Hunting, Flasch was asked which M vehicles currently on sale will be regarded as future icons 40 years or so from now. His response was considered but also quite direct.

"That's a tricky question because all of our products can be future classics. But if I had to pick only one I'd say the current BMW M2 CS. It doesn't have a predecessor, it's young, wild, crisp, and incredibly fast and if you're a diehard petrol head you can order the M2 CS with a manual transmission."

The fact the M2 CS lacks an immediate predecessor is a big deal because buyers recognize something that's a so-called "first of its kind." That alone adds value and prestige. Perhaps the best past example of this is the E30 M3, of which one perfect example recently sold for $250,000. Like the M2 CS, it has no predecessor and was the beginning of the German automaker's now-iconic M brand, aside from the ultra-limited M1.

Another notable M2 CS attraction is its engine, the very same 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six S55 found under the hood of the outgoing M3 and M4. Total output comes to 444 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. The base M2 Competition, to compare, has 405 hp and 406 lb-ft of twist. An adaptive M suspension, carbon fiber-reinforced exterior components, M compound brakes, and 19-inch wheels are also all standard. Its ultimate goal is to provide drivers with a pure driving experience in a lightweight package.

Coupled with the extremely low production count, the M2 CS should have zero issues finding its way on to the list of BMW's greatest creations.