BMW M2 CS Racing: entry-level racing car for the VLN

B MW has a broad portfolio in racing. M4 GT4, M6 GT3, M8 GTE, M4 DTM - with this the Bavarian manufacturer covers global GT racing and the DTM. At the lower end, a new racing car snaps around the curve. The BMW M2 CS Racing is the successor to the M240i Racing.

Entry into customer racing at BMW costs at least 95,000 euros. On top of that there is VAT of 19 percent. This puts the M2 CS Racing at over 110,000 euros. In return, the racing driver gets a winged car with a straight six-cylinder turbo engine.

BMW

Clubsport for motorsport and the road: the two new M2-CS models.

Power stick for engine adjustment

The three-liter engine has an output of between 280 and 365 hp, depending on the classification. That is quite a broad spectrum. So that the power adjustment does not become backbreaking work, BMW has developed a power stick for the engine management. Put simply, it works like a USB stick. Plug it in, select the power level, and drive off. BMW introduced the technology with the M4 GT4.

Drive shafts and engine bearings have been revised. The row six has a maximum torque of 550 Newton meters. The power transmission is carried out by a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, with software specially designed for motorsport. The driver can shift the gears himself using paddle shifters on the (removable) steering wheel.

A mechanical limited-slip differential from Drexler should ensure that the rear wheels get their power to the ground - and spin less. The engineers adapted the wheel bearings of the rear axle.

The technicians applied assistance systems such as the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and stability control (at BMW DSC) to the special onesRequirements in motorsport: braking late, turning quickly. The wiring harness was cleared out to lose a few kilos.

BMW

A carbon wing sits enthroned on the trunk lid.

450 PS version in progress

Like the M2 CS road model, the racing car has a carbon fiber roof to save weight and lower the center of gravity. A roll cage increases safety. The BMW M2 CS Racing has a front splitter and a rear wing made of carbon. Here, teams can influence the downforce level and air resistance by setting the main blade flatter or steeper.

The stabilizers on the front axle can be set in three stages. BMW uses specially adapted shock absorbers (ZF Sachs) on the front and rear axles. The racing CS rolls on Michelin slick tires. The brake discs have a diameter of 380 millimeters. Six-piston fixed calipers work at the front, four-piston fixed calipers at the rear.

The M2 CS Racing has already contested its first races. The racing car drove three races at the Nürburgring in the VLN endurance championship. Delivery of the racer is planned for mid-2020. In other words: The M240i Racing will continue to be used. BMW still has an upgrade in the pipeline. The motorsport department is working on a 450 hp version of the M2 CS Racing - the racing car would have as much power as the new road model.