BMW M2 CS with new Nürburgring record: M2 CS destroys rivals on the Nordschleife

In the ping-pong game between the Audi RS3 and the BMW M2 on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, which has been going on since 2021, the Munich-based car is once again in the lead: The new BMW M2 CS lapped the 20.823-kilometer version of the Green Hell in a time of 7:25.534 minutes, thus reclaiming the crown in the compact class. This put the coupé almost eight seconds faster than the previous leader, the Audi RS3 , which had set a new record on the winding and hilly Eifel rollercoaster with a lap time of 7:33.123 minutes about a year earlier.

As is almost always the case when a BMW sets a new Nordschleife record, racing, test, and development driver Jörg Weidinger was at the wheel for the record lap (see onboard video above the article). According to Nürburgring GmbH, the Franconian native achieved the best time on April 11, 2025. Driving the new CS model, Weidinger was a whopping 13 seconds faster than two years earlier, when he drove the standard version of the M2 to the then-standing record of 7:38.706 minutes . At that time, it also supplanted the Audi RS3 as the leader.

"The lap time of 7:25.5 minutes on the Nordschleife demonstrates what's possible when you combine performance, technology, and outstanding driving dynamics in one vehicle," says Franciscus van Meel, Managing Director of BMW M GmbH. "We're proud that the M2 CS is once again significantly raising the bar in the compact car class with this lap time."

Like the standard M2, the CS largely uses the underpinnings of the M3/M4. However, M GmbH has given the engine a serious makeover. The familiar 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder with the factory designation S58 produces 530 hp here—50 hp more than in the standard M2. Maximum torque increases from 600 to 650 Nm. This improves performance: The BMW M2 CS accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds (standard method) or 3.5 seconds ("1-foot rollout" method) and reaches a top speed of 302 km/h with the "M Driver's Package."

In addition, compared to the standard BMW M2, the CS features an adaptive suspension that's eight millimeters lower and has been fine-tuned. The same applies to the steering and the M Sport differential. Behind the 19-inch (front) and 20-inch (rear) forged wheels, a compound brake system operates, which can optionally be upgraded with carbon-ceramic components. The visual changes to the exterior and interior compared to the base M2 are primarily aimed at reducing weight.

The market launch of the new BMW M2 CS is planned for late summer 2025. The base price in Germany is 115,000 euros.