Article Summary
- The M2 CS Edge is exclusive to Japan, with just 40 units available in Brooklyn Grey or Black Sapphire.
- BMW adds a center-exit exhaust system and carbon-fiber engine cover.
- Optional on the regular M2 CS, carbon-ceramic brakes come standard on the Edge.
It’s our job to stalk BMW like a hawk and watch every move Munich makes. That means we’re rarely caught by surprise, yet it just happened. Seemingly out of nowhere, the M2 CS makes an unexpected return. Even though the Competition Sport debuted over a year ago, it’s back in the headlines courtesy of a new limited-run version. Exclusive to the Japanese market, the Edition Edge packs even more content than the global model.
BMW Japan throws even more M Performance Parts at the M2 CS. Chief among them is an upgraded exhaust with stacked tips positioned closer to the center. The quartet of tailpipes is made from titanium with a gold-bronze finish and paired with a carbon-fiber diffuser adapted to accommodate the different exhaust layout. As we’ve seen on the regular G87, it gives the sports coupe a striking rear, although some may find it too flashy.
For the M2 CS Edition Edge, BMW reached even deeper into the M Performance Parts bag, grabbing carbon-fiber add-ons for both the front and rear bumpers. Additionally, the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six gets an engine cover made from the same lightweight material. Of course, these are upgrades readily available to those who already own an M2 CS. However, we didn’t expect the car to return for another production run.
Low Production, High Price
While the standard CS was also available in Individual Velvet Blue and M Portimao Blue, this new spinoff is limited to Sapphire Black and Brooklyn Grey. It’s worth noting that the regular M2 CS was offered in Japan, and it didn’t take long for all 87 build slots to be claimed. The Edition Edge is even rarer, with only 40 units, and production is split evenly between the two colors.
As you can imagine, it doesn’t come cheap. While a base M2 starts at ¥10,330,000, the M2 CS Edition Edge commands a massive 61% premium, at ¥16,630,000. It also costs roughly twice as much as an M240i xDrive, which is available in Japan from ¥8,360,000. As always, it’s up to customers to decide with their wallets whether the surcharge is worth it. All we can say is that we’re dealing with the highest-spec version to date. Deliveries to customers start next month.
The Edition Edge is unlikely to be the last hurrah for the second-generation M2. Spy photos have emerged showing a camouflaged prototype running around the Nürburgring, suggesting BMW hasn’t fully exploited the platform yet. Whether it’s a manual or all-wheel-drive M2 CS remains unclear, but the M division is certainly up to something.
Before the G87 potentially retires in 2029, BMW hasn’t ruled out giving it the CSL treatment. Since the M2 may go down in history as BMW’s final production model with a manual gearbox, it practically begs for a three-pedal last hurrah.
