BMW's M arm is keeping velocity fans on their toes with the help of M2 prototypes and the Germans are back in the teasing game. To be more precise, an M2 test car that we had spied in the past has now set wheel on the Nurburgring and the big question concerns the badge of the uber-fast coupe: is this the M2 LCI or the rumored M2 CS?
While the first badge would stand for the mid-cycle facelift of the M2 (that's Life Cycle Impulse in Bimmer talk), the latter, which hasn't been officially confirmed, should bring us a spicier incarnation of the compact M Division machine.
It's worth noting that the German automaker still hasn't released the mid-cycle revamp for the standard 2 Series, with the LCI-touched 2er set to be released by the end of the year as a 2018 model.
As such, it seems a bit early to expect the CS version to hide underneath the camo on the prototype spied here. Instead, a more reasonable pathway would see the M2 CS debuting next year.
Regardless, the Clubsport version of the M2 should be animated by a downtuned incarnation of the S55 twin-turbo heart of the M3 and M4, which is expected to deliver at least 400 hp.
Other spicy additions will target the suspension, while the aerodynamics will also be touched by the CS treatment.
Returning to the "normal" M2 LCI, we expect its N55 3.0-liter straight-six to be taken past its current output, which sits at 365 hp. And that's because the 2017 M240i, which packs a new B58 engine with 335 hp and matches the M2 unit's 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) maximum torque value, is dangerously close to the M car in terms of straight-line battles.
Until we get to find out more about BMW's plans for the M2, you can enjoy the flying Nurburgring laps of the test car in the clip below.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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