The New BMW M2 CS Joins the AF Garage

Meet the newest arrival in the Auto Finesse Garage: our G87 BMW M2 CS, finished in Individual Velvet Blue Metallic. A fresh platform, a pretty serious factory specification and, as we were about to discover, a few surprises. But this isn't just another new car in the fleet. It's the beginning of a different kind of project.

Why another M2?

If you've been following the Garage for a while, you'll know we already have an F-generation M2. We bought that car nearly new and spent five or six years developing it into our idea of the perfect Clubsport M2. It taught us a huge amount about building a car, working on the setup and improving behind the wheel. And we still have it.

But there's a point where a build becomes so focused on performing on track that you don't always feel like grabbing the keys for anything else. The enthusiasm for another track day can fade when the journey there is the compromise. We haven't fallen out of love with the old M2. We just wanted the next project to do more. You can see where the original car ended up in our F87 M2 Competition at Goodwood Festival of Speed, while our BMW E92 M3 Clubsport project shows a different take on our road-and-track BMW builds.

The brief for the G87 is simple to say and difficult to get right: one car for the whole lifestyle. Drive it through Europe with friends, head out to Germany for a track day, enjoy the road trip on the way and still have something properly capable when we arrive. Not a stripped-out race car. Not a grand tourer that falls apart the moment the pace picks up. An all-rounder that delivers on both.

Starting with a serious specification

We chose the CS because it gives us an exceptionally strong starting point. Compared with our earlier M2, the newer G87 feels larger, more refined and, in our experience, benefits from a more modern engine and chassis package. Our car has the optional carbon-ceramic brakes and came on Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS semi-slick tyres. Carbon details, those distinctive wheels and the Individual paint finish make it feel special before a single part has been changed.

The car also received full paint protection film from our friends at Identity Wraps before its first proper outing. We've often preferred a front-end track pack, partly because PPF could look different from the exposed paint. This time the finish was so convincing that we went for full coverage. On a car we're planning to use hard and take on long trips, having that protection made sense.

The road test: surprisingly civilised

The first surprise came before we reached the circuit. Despite the stiffer CS chassis and track-focused tyres, the M2 CS is genuinely pleasant to drive on the road. Given how compromised some of our more focused cars have become, that's a big tick for this project. It already has the everyday manners we want to preserve.

That doesn't mean everything is perfect. The lack of a proper cup holder is more annoying than you'd imagine when you're planning to travel in the car. More importantly, the steering wheel is just too thick. It looks good, but the rim is oversized, especially with gloves, and the chunky shape puts your fingers further from the paddles. After some time behind the wheel, it's one of the first things we'd like to address.

The carbon bucket seats, on the other hand, are a real positive. They hold you securely without immediately making the car feel like a punishment on the road. We still want to explore harnesses as the build develops, but the seats themselves make a strong first impression.

Donington Park: the real test

Rather than start ordering parts, we accepted an invitation from our friends at BC Racing to put the car through its paces at Donington Park. It's one of our favourite UK circuits, especially for the elevation changes, and exactly the sort of place where an allegedly track-ready M car has to prove itself.

We arrived to find a paddock full of serious machinery, familiar faces and the usual track-day banter. BC had brought a fleet of cars, including a Ferrari 488, a Cayman GT4, an M2 and their GR Yaris. But the plan for us was to keep the M2 CS stock, drive it properly and find out what actually needed improving.

Before heading out, tyre pressures were checked and the car prepared for its opening sessions. We were particularly interested in the Trofeo RS tyres and carbon-ceramic brakes: two expensive-looking pieces of the factory specification that would have to work in the real world, not just on the options list.

First laps: grip, pace and a little understeer

The first impression was immediate: this thing is quick. There's huge grip, next to no body roll and a remarkably controlled chassis for a car that still drives so comfortably on the road. Compared with what we remember of the standard F-generation M2 on its first track day, the G87 CS feels like a major step forward.

But the weight doesn't disappear. You can feel it on turn-in and when the mass shifts behind you. The car also wanted to push wide at the front, particularly early in the sessions. We noticed the front tyres building considerably more heat than the rears, so some of that understeer may have come down to pressures, temperatures, adapting our driving or the factory setup. It was too early to start blaming individual components.

The rear, meanwhile, was planted. There was very little temptation for it to break loose, which is reassuring on a quick lap even if you're used to driving cars a little more sideways. The aim with this project isn't drifting. It's finding a balance that works on road and circuit.

Brakes, tyres and the details that matter

The carbon-ceramic brakes are seriously powerful, although their initial feel didn't immediately give us the same confidence as the dedicated race brakes on some of our other cars. As the laps went on, that unfamiliar softer sensation started to feel normal and our confidence grew. The big unanswered question is how they'll hold up as the pace increases over time.

The Trofeo RS tyres were less convincing. Once everything was working, the grip was impressive, but getting heat into them took longer than expected and they felt poor when cold. That makes tyres one of the areas we'll keep evaluating rather than assuming the factory fitment must be the right choice for every kind of driving.

And yes, the steering wheel was still irritating on circuit. It felt too thick in the hands, to the point of causing discomfort in the forearms. If we're going to spend long days behind the wheel, that's not a minor detail.

What does everyone else think?

A big part of the day was catching up with people from across the car scene and getting their reactions to the car. Marrick from Nightride, Sweeps from the drift scene and Tom from BC Racing all had opinions, naturally. Some liked the aggressive new shape more than others, but the Velvet Blue finish was a hit.

The conversation also helped sharpen the brief: wheels, a carefully chosen suspension setup and some Clubsport touches could give the car more of our personality, provided we don't sacrifice the usability that made us choose this platform in the first place.

Watch the full first drive

Here's the complete film from the introduction through to Donington, including the first laps, the feedback from the paddock and our thoughts after a full day with the car.

What's next for the AF M2 CS?

Now we've driven it in stock form, we've got a much clearer idea of the direction. Different wheels are on the agenda, although the original set will probably stay with the car. We'll look at suspension and geometry to sharpen the front end and refine the stance without ruining the road ride. A half cage, removing the largely unused rear seats and adding harnesses are also part of the current Clubsport vision.

What isn't on the shopping list is more power. The engine already delivers plenty, and chasing a bigger figure doesn't address the things we actually noticed at Donington. Any change needs to earn its place.

The best part? This CS has already surprised us. On the road it's far more usable than we feared, and on track the chassis is a massive leap from the old M2 in factory form. It's not flawless — the steering wheel, tyre warm-up and some initial understeer need attention — but that's exactly why it makes an interesting project.

Next stop: put together a considered parts list, then keep driving it. More circuits, more road trips and more of the places and people that make car culture what it is. That's the car we want the AF Garage to build.