In the latest episode of the BMWBLOG Podcast, we keep it simple: three big test drives, one conversation — and (briefly) one very confident cat. Episode 16 is all about recent seat time, from a soaked racetrack in South Carolina to sunny southern Spain, ending with real-world impressions of BMW’s newest super wagon.
We start with the BMW M2 CS, after Nate’s track day at Michelin’s Laurens Proving Grounds… in absolutely brutal weather. With standing water on parts of the course, BMW even swapped the cars off their Cup tires and onto Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. Despite the conditions, the big takeaway was clear: the M2 CS feels more alive than the standard M2, with a playful rear end that’s still predictable and easy to catch — even when the grip disappears. We also tackle the question everyone asks: is the CS premium worth it, or can a standard M2 get close enough with mods?
From there, we jump into the future with a first drive of the Neue Klasse iX3. Horatiu shares impressions from southern Spain, including time at Ascari, and explains why the new platform feels like a leap forward in driving dynamics, braking smoothness, and overall tech execution. We dig into BMW’s new “Heart of Joy” approach to dynamics control, why the iX3 drives smaller than it looks, and how the regenerative braking finally feels natural enough that passengers won’t accuse you of making them carsick.
We wrap with the 2025 BMW M5 Touring, a car that delivers outrageous speed but also resets expectations. The plug-in hybrid system makes the M5 feel shockingly quick at highway speeds, and the EV range is usable enough for daily errands — but the size, weight, and price are impossible to ignore. The debate becomes less “is it good?” and more “what do you want an M5 to be in 2025?” It’s a conversation that ends up circling around a familiar conclusion: the new M5 is incredible on its own terms, even if it doesn’t feel like the M5 of 15 years ago.
You can listen to the full episode on all major podcast platforms, or watch the video version on YouTube (for the Mary Gold cameo).
