About price-point speculation: to me it seems that all depends on what total package you expect to get for the M2 CS base price. So please specify in your comments what will feature on the car for your price-guesstimates. Otherwise we're all talking at different frequencies: noise.
If BMW goes for a 'stock loaded' strategy (all bells 'n whistles as stock), the car will undoutebtedly have a cool set-up, but the M2 CS base price may penetrate very deep inside M3/M4 price-point territory +
Hobson's Choice (a free choice in which only one thing is offered. Because a person may refuse to accept what is offered, the two options are taking it or taking nothing. In other words, one may "take it or leave it". The phrase is said to have originated with Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), a livery stable owner in Cambridge, England, who offered customers the choice of either taking the horse in his stall nearest to the door or taking none at all).
If, on the other hand, BMW applies the Porsche 'à la carte' approach, requiring to pay for spicy extras, the M2 CS base price could be kept pretty competitive. But then the M2 CS with zero options (a so-called 'stripper') risks to be quite similar to the base M2 (except for the S55 engine of course, a few colors and maybe some tweaks here and there currently covered by camouflage) + all base M2 creature comfort options could be stashed inside the M2 CS options list accompanied by a couple of more track-oriented goodies (uprated wheels/brakes/seats, etc.). More choice to personalize, from sober till full-blown.
So what do you reckon would be the best strategy for the M2 CS: 'stock loaded', 'à la carte' or something in-between ?
Personally I think that the M4 CS may lead the way as tell-tale sign for the M2 CS.
And about the transmission discussion: it has been discussed to death that BMW could make
all car
aficionados happy by offering both M-DCT and 6MT for the M2 CS. In a January 2017 interview BMW boss Frank Van Meel seemed to suggest that BMW had captured that enthusiasts vibe (
here). Let's not give up hope.