Hello all. Just thought about sharing this nice experience with you. Not the best pics but hope you enjoy them.
Take care!
EDIT: First impressions:
Hello all. So far I've managed to put 750 km on my car (470 miles) without going over the 4,500 RPM break-in limit as well as the 170 km/hr one (106 miles/hr). I want to make you all aware that even though my impressions are mostly positive, any CS version of an M car will feel like a formula one when driven under these conditions. I also want to point out that the current tires on this car are Pilot Super Sports and not the Cup2s.
I would like to begin with the aspect that has so far surprised me the most; the brakes. I must add that this car is not my first current BMW with carbon ceramic brakes (CCB) so regardless of the fact that this is something I should be familiar with, the feel of the pedal is so strong and responsive that it really caught my attention. Some issues with noisy CCBs have arisen on these forums however so far not a single squeek nor scrape sound has been heard by me. These things feel super strong and project the confidence needed once the car is taken to its limits. Two thumbs up here.
Next is the chassis feel. Even though the car has not yet paid a visit to the track, it has been on a twisty Mexican highway on an early Sunday morning which for the purpose of testing a thoroughbred machine, serves purposefully (all risks tossed aside). Allow me to explain. Anarchy -
a state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority - and ghostly -
insubstantial. Speed limits are existent but faintly enforced and traffic as well as competent law enforcement are nowhere to be found. Coming back to topic, the strongest the chassis feels is mid corner. Even though the car turns in as sharp as a Hattori Hanzo sword, it feels as competent when asked to hold a tight line mid corner as my magic bullet blender making my morning smoothie; you just know you can trust the thing even when attempting against common sense.
The adjustable suspension is a very welcome addition to the CS version specially when driving on uneven and bumpy (local) roads. The comfort setting is stiff enough to maintain at reasonable speeds on a twisty road yet soft enough on the bump stage of the damper to allow for the suspension geometry to remain tight throughout the car's life. The sport+ setting feels determined and sharpens the car's instincts turning it into a racy craft while conveying confidence to the driver. Looks-wise, the ride height of the car does seem a bit up there. I am unsure whether I am inclined to perceive it as such because of its 1M stablemate resting on KW coilovers. Anyhow, so far I haven't noticed any issues performance wise regarding this aspect.
Even though the engine hasn't really been challenged, it does feel torqy and strong at low RPM levels. There is no lag in response when going to the accelerator at basic settings with the reaction time pretty much disappearing as you move up the engine's performance setting adjustments.
There are two things I haven't found up to the car's expectations; the engine sound, at least not at low RPM levels and the ergonomics of the shift knob height wise. There definitely is room for improvement in these areas. I will have to wait until I can kick the engine's ass for any conclusions to be reached in this regard however so far, the sound does not match the thoroughbred characteristics the car implies. On the other hand, there is something awkward about not having a center console and the shift knob height. I can't precisely put my thoughts on it but something just doesn't feel perfect. Notice the fact that I am referring to perfection here.
As far as the interior goes, the seats are in a class apart from the basic M2's. I am unsure which seats the competition version has but these saddles are something worth mentioning, looks and functionality wise.
I had promised some additional (and more professional) pics taken by my better half. Until this last Sunday, I hadn't found any reasons through which I could persuade her to take and edit them. It was just a matter of putting the kids to sleep early enough on Saturday so that they would be up to mischief and devilry Sunday first thing. I was planning on getting up early to watch the F1 race anyway so I took care of two things all at once while my gorgeous photographer went back to sleep soundly. Will be posting them tomorrow morning at the latest.
I will keep you updated as I rack up mileage on this beast. So far, the basic ingredients are all there in order for this car to be high up the list of top Bavarian performers, in every single aspect of the word.
Keep safe!
P.S. People have been asking whether the engine compartment could get wet given the air duct opening on the hood. I can at this time confirm no such thing happens. I have driven the car through a mighty storm and on arrival opened the hood only to find it absolutely dry. Besides. The opening on the interior of the hood is offset by a good margin to the opening on the exterior.
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They say that the devil's in the details. Perhaps to some, the small differences (
if I may refer to them as such) that constitute the CS and that make it such a special vehicle don't justify the additional financial burden over its smaller (
no offense meant to the OG and C owners) siblings' price tag yet when focusing on the facts it suddenly becomes a much easier task. Allow me please.
So from an ENGINEERING perspective, the CS is a more capable machine in almost every aspect; weight-wise, power-wise, structural-wise, handling-wise, grip-wise, et cetera-wise; not by much but I would like to think that by enough. Races (
as well as bragging rights) are won by hundreds of a second; thousands even. Here is a car that could compensate for your lack of driving skills when paired against your more experienced buddy in his M2C. Can you honestly assign a value to this? Neither can I.
Then there is the DISTINCTIVE factor. I am unsure whether I can refer to the CS' production as "limited" or not. In order to avoid veering off topic, I will navigate around such term and proceed to call it "short production run". The fact of the matter is that for every CS at a meet, there will be an abundant population of Competition M2s. If you were the hot chick, who would you wanna ride home with? Me too.
Next in line is the WOW factor. There is something special about that bonnet intake and the way those golden wheels blend with the body shades that I can't just yet put to words however you must not worry as you won't have to explain. This beast of a car stands out and speaks for itself. These and its other differences allow it to. If you ask me, by this stage you should be calling your best buddy and telling him you've found a substitute.
Last but not least is the FUN factor. Yes, the CS' siblings could very well provide a fair portion however why should you settle for a day's worth when you could have a week's by combining all of the above mentioned benefits?
Let us recapitulate. Here is a car that will turn you into a better driver without you having actually improved your skills (
perception is everything); will land you the girl you've always aspired to but (because lacking self esteem) never actually aimed for; will make you stand out without actually having stepped foot into a gym; and will make you have the best time of your life. I think PRICELESS is the word you are looking for.
Go for it and stay safe!
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Perhaps it is too early to make a proper comparison between the OG M2 and the CS' suspension. The OG was and still is a great car. It turns in, holds its line and likes to misbehave on its way out without ever showing disrespect for its owner. It's naughty in such a subtle and elegant way; it's exemplary. Definitely a well balanced fine piece of engineering. Initially, the CS feels more responsive and planted to the ground however we must remember that there are many contributing factors in addition to the electronic damper controls (EDC); the fact that the carbon fiber roof is now a structural part of the bodywork and is much lighter thus lowering the car's center of gravity is a biggie. The CS conveys confidence in a way second to none. It is as though it was built to please its owner. Dogs all over the world must be worried. My first impression is of a more responsive car on turn in and a much stable one mid corner to exit. This comes at a price though as the moment the thing snaps, it won't do so with the ballet-like elegance and cleverness of its younger mate. This still to be confirmed.
Suspension wise, it is hard for me to directly compare the M2s to the GTS as this last car was built solely while the Bavarian engineers dreamt of a Nurburgring Nordschleife record time. The M4 GTS came equipped with manually three-way adjustable coil-over dampers from the factory. Heck it even has front uprights machined from a solid chunk of billet aluminum. This is a hardcore track car and the track is where my car has spent most of its life. The feel is very different to that of a street or even street/track car; it is plainly raw. You can make out every bump on an uneven surface with mathematical precision; the feedback you get from the chassis is precise. The steering is found to be somewhat light however we will leave that discussion for some other time. Proper suspension set up requires knowledge and is not something that can be achieved after just a few laps around the track; it takes time and an engineering degree however once taken care off, the car becomes a challenge for any competition out there. Aftermarket camber plates are a must. When put through its paces, the car must be handled like a front engined coupe; if you mistreat it on turn in, it will understeer however when treated as it likes to be it becomes a blast. Trailbraking helps the car rotate. Once you have the back of the car on your side, precise throttle application helps you navigate through the mid turn and on to the fun part; turn exit. Depending on whether you want to achieve a lap time or want to impress the crowd, you either modulate or put the pedal to the metal. Interesting lap times can be achieved on this beast. Short tracks are its preferred battle grounds; that is were the GTS shines given its suspension characteristics and geometry and where it turns into Porsche enthusiasts worst nightmare. They will all be scratching their hollow heads after the meet.
Stay safe!
