The Secret BMW M Garage CSL Special - Parts 1 & 2 (M5 CSL, V8 M3 CSL, M2 CSL)

[Artemis]

To my ears, the engine of the M2 CSL presented in the video sounds more N55 than S55.

For the record, the F87 M2 Competition (S55 engine - 410ps) weighs 55 kg more than the original F87 M2 (N55 engine - 370ps). So it would make sense to fit the N55 to do the "L" in "CSL" justice. But EU emissions regulations took force in September 2018, inducing BMW to discontinue the N55 engine. Exit original M2, enter M2 Competition.

Quick throwback from the Bimmerpost vaults:

Posted on January 27, 2016 (an "M2 CSL" is planned):

Originally Posted by Artemis

FWIW:

"I have heard that an M2 CSL is planned. From someone who's an engineer at BMW engine development."
"Ich hab gehört das ein M2 CSL geplant ist. Von einem der Ingenieur bei der BMW Motorenentwicklung ist."
(source: here)

From someone who claims to have spoken to a test driver and also claims that he knew already for approx. 6 months that CF wheels were in the works for the M4 GTS:

"The S55 is already a long time inside the F87!
It's lapping the Nürburgring Nordschleife already for more than a year!"
"Den S55 gibt es schon lange im f87!
Der dreht schon über ein Jahr auf der NOS seine Runden!"
(source: here)

"The M2 sporting the S55 was more than 8 seconds faster than the M4 on the Nürburgring Nordschleife!"
"der m2 mit s55 war auf der nos über 8 sekunden schneller als der m4!"
(source: here)

From the CAR interview with M2 project leader Frank Isenberg:

"The big question, of course, is how the M2 compares with M4, and which Isenberg prefers. «M2», he answers without hesitation. «I like the smaller cars. The M2 might even be faster through a tight slalom.» Or around the Nürburgring. Officially, the M2 is good for a 7min 58sec, the M4 a 7min 52sec. The 1M did 8min 15sec."

Quick math: 07m52s (M4) minus "more than 8s" = 07m43s or 07m44s for the M2 sporting the S55 engine. That's close to Cayman GT4 times (07m40s to 07m42s).

Posted on February 12, 2016 (hinting that the N55 M2 was on its way to be replaced by the S55 M2C):

Originally Posted by Artemis

One of the quoted German sources on 2erTalk persists in the same S55 thread that a special variant is in the works, and that it ain't an M2 GTS:

"I have never said that it will be a series car, but there won't be an M2 GTS either.
Something else is coming
HOWEVER with the M3 [E]36 once also came a 3.2L engine, with the Z3M an S54 ;-)
Simply let yourself surprise
I won't be driving long the M2 "
"Ich hab nie gesagt das der in serie kommt, aber einen m2 gts wird es auch nicht geben.
Da kommt was anderes
ABER beim M336 kam aufeinmal auch ein 3,2L Motor, beim Z3M der S54 ;-)
Lasst euch einfach überraschen
Lang werde ich den M2 nicht fahren "
(source: here)

Unclear what to make out of that cryptic stuff.

Time will tell what card BMW got up its sleeve. In the meantime (and beyond) I will enjoy my "base" M2.

Anyways, the claims about the E36 M3 upgrade with a 3.2 liter engine and the Z4M upgrade with an S54 engine, are accurate: [...]

Posted on September 14, 2016 ("M2 CS" will later be rebaptized "M2 Competition" and "M2 GTS" or "M2 CSL" will feature 450ps):

Originally Posted by Artemis

As regards the M2 portfolio for MY2018, if rumors turn out to be accurate:

• a limited CS version (or different type name) with a bit more grunt (let's assume 400-ish hp) and less weight than the base M2 may see the light in about a year or so from now (MY2018) (incorporating the 2 series LCI updates);
• a very limited and expensive hardcore version (let's assume 450-ish hp) may show up someday in the future, likely before the end of the 2020 first gen M2 life cycle.

Speculation, that much is true, but not quite unreasonable IMHO. Of course, it could also be that - for cost reasons and M3/M4 hierarchy - just one M2 variant will ever be released during the first gen M2 life cycle. We don't know.

Posted on April 9, 2017 ("M2 CS" will later be rebaptized "M2 Competition" and "M2 GTS" or "M2 CSL" will feature 450ps):

Originally Posted by Artemis

Some interesting info surfaced in the M2 section of the German forum '2erTalk' (sources: here, here and here):

• January 2018: M2 CS ordering process starts
• March 2018: M2 CS goes into production | S55 engine | 410 hp | no limited edition
• March 2019: M2 GTS goes into production | S55 engine | 450 hp | limited edition/production (the '999' figure has been heard, but could change)

Time will tell if the above information is accurate. Interesting, to say the least. First time that I read that the M2 GTS is definitely scheduled. I thought it was just some pipe dream. But actually, this could make sense if you consider BMW M special models history: a limited edition M2 GTS as the final curtain call for the first-generation M2 (end of production: 2020).

Below: screenshot shows that the M2 CS is scheduled to go into production in March 2018 at the BMW Leipzig factory (source: here)
(note 1: "F87CS" is mentioned, rather than "F87COMP" or "F87COMPETITION"; note 2: where is the F87 M2 LCI ?!):

Posted on July 24, 2017 ("M2 CS" will later be rebaptized "M2 Competition" and "M2 GTS" or "M2 CSL" will feature 450ps, but will be converted into "M2 CS" with 2200 cars production):

Originally Posted by Artemis

M2 CS (March 2018): no production cap - approx. 410 hp
M2 GTS (March 2019): 999 cars - approx. 450 hp

[chris719]

Originally Posted by Artemis

To my ears, the engine of the M2 CSL presented in the video sounds more N55 than S55.

For the record, the F87 M2 Competition (S55 engine - 410ps) weighs 55 kg more than the original F87 M2 (N55 engine - 370ps). So it would make sense to fit the N55 to do the "L" in "CSL" justice. But EU emissions regulations took force in September 2018, inducing BMW to discontinue the N55 engine. Exit original M2, enter M2 Competition.

Quick throwback from the Bimmerpost vaults:

Posted on January 27, 2016 (an "M2 CSL" is planned):


Posted on February 12, 2016 (hinting that the N55 M2 was on its way to be replaced by the S55 M2C):


Posted on September 14, 2016 ("M2 CS" will later be rebaptized "M2 Competition" and "M2 GTS" or "M2 CSL" will feature 450ps):


Posted on April 9, 2017 ("M2 CS" will later be rebaptized "M2 Competition" and "M2 GTS" or "M2 CSL" will feature 450ps):


Posted on July 24, 2017 ("M2 CS" will later be rebaptized "M2 Competition" and "M2 GTS" or "M2 CSL" will feature 450ps, but will be converted into "M2 CS" with 2200 cars production):

In one of the other videos you can see when the hood is opened it's an N55.

Did anyone ever discuss or find out why they went with S55 instead of B58? The B58 appeared in the M240i so it seems like it would have also been a drop-in replacement. It's not as good as S55 stock but had always figured since the M235i moved from N55 to B58 with M240i that the M2 would have followed.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by chris719

In one of the other videos you can see when the hood is opened it's an N55.

Video from 03:11 onwards (see here):


Checked the other video (see here from 07:51 onwards) showing the F87 M2 CSL engine bay: that's definitely the N55 engine (according to BMW with a power output of 450ps instead of 370ps):


Original F87 M2 engine bay:


F87 M2 Competition engine bay:

[chris719]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Video from 03:11 onwards (see here):
Attachment 2909990

Checked the other video (see here from 07:51 onwards) showing the F87 M2 CSL engine bay: that's definitely the N55 engine (according to BMW with a power output of 450ps instead of 370ps):
Attachment 2909977

My guess is that the N55 in this prototype car makes stock M2 power, but the plan was to get 450 somehow. I think it was more of a proof-of-concept, since N55 would need upgraded turbos and cooling to make 450 PS. It seems hard to believe they would have done that development ahead of time. It also has the 19" + 20" staggered Orbit Grey 763M from the F80/F82 CS and seats from the GTS?. A little bit cobbled together for a demo.

Also a funny note, in one of the journalist videos (forgot which) they noticed that the prototype 3D printed wing supports are flimsy and looks like they could easily be broken.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by chris719

My guess is that the N55 in this prototype car makes stock M2 power, but the plan was to get 450 somehow. I think it was more of a proof-of-concept, since N55 would need upgraded turbos and cooling to make 450 PS. It seems hard to believe they would have done that development ahead of time. It also has the 19" + 20" staggered Orbit Grey 763M from the F80/F82 CS and seats from the GTS?. A little bit cobbled together for a demo.

Also a funny note, in one of the journalist videos (forgot which) they noticed that the prototype 3D printed wing supports are flimsy and looks like they could easily be broken.

Or the 450ps engine was the originally developed one, detuned to 370ps to kick off the F87 M2 generation...

[chris719]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Or the 450ps engine was the originally developed one, detuned to 370ps to kick off the F87 M2 generation...

You probably know better than me, but doesn't it seem strange to develop a 450 PS N55 when you have S55 that barely exceeded 450 PS except in the GTS?

[MadBimmeRad]

Originally Posted by chris719

You probably know better than me, but doesn't it seem strange to develop a 450 PS N55 when you have S55 that barely exceeded 450 PS except in the GTS?

You are forgetting that this car would have begun it's development cycle, even just as a prototype, well before anyone thought of putting the S55 in the M2.

M2 was never supposed to have the S55 had the EU bums not instrumented almost insurmountable demands with their emission dreams.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by MadBimmeRad

You are forgetting that this car would have begun it's development cycle, even just as a prototype, well before anyone thought of putting the S55 in the M2.

M2 was never supposed to have the S55 had the EU bums not instrumented almost insurmountable demands with their emission dreams.

I know that's the story, but I find it a little odd that BMW didn't know well in advance about any specific regulatory timeline given that they probably have a lobbying group they work with.

[Remonster]

Originally Posted by MadBimmeRad

Wouldn't that have made the car too front-heavy with a V8, for the perfect weight distribution?

The S62 V8 in that prototype was probably heavier but the S65 V8 was lighter and shorter than the S54 inline six that was in normal E46 M3s.

[N54sDUSTxi]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

Lol the E60 is the red headed stepchild of the group. So ugly.

The Bangle design elements worked on the E63 6er.

Originally Posted by Germanauto

Lol the E60 is the red headed stepchild of the group. So ugly.

The Bangle design elements worked on the E63 6er.

U can take the decals off. I'll take alpine white e60 that sounds like an F1 engine fasho 🏃*♂️