BMW M2 CSL on the horizon

BMW Australia managing director Marc Werner has made reference to the existence of a “fantastic” looking M2 CSL special edition while admitting that there was now extra pressure on the M-car division to deliver a greater number of new models more frequently.

“As far as the M2 CSL is concerned which you might have seen some rumours out in the media at the moment, I cannot comment on it at all but it looks fantastic,” Mr Werner said during a speech at the national media launch of the M3 and M4 Competition in northern New South Wales.

“There is more to come,” he further teased.

Rumours have spread that a model above the current $89,900 to $99,900, plus on-road costs 272kW/500Nm M2 is being prepared as a stripped-out limited-edition model that would aim to shed kilograms off the production model’s 1495kg kerb weight in line with the philosophy of the Coupe Sport Lightweight (CSL) designation.

While it would seem odd that BMW would be discussing a lightweight special version of the M2 given the nine months since its global reveal, Mr Werner said the release of the M3 and M4 Competition only two years following the debut of the standard models reflects a shortened time-frame for the release of future specials.

“BMW M customers … they always look out for something new,” he said, agreeing with the suggestion that there was increased pressure to release new models for buyers today.

The arrival of a performance special edition was typically timed four years into an M-car model’s lifecycle, as indicated by the release of the previous-generation M3 Competition (E90 generation launch 2007, Competition launch 2011) and original M3 CSL (E46 generation launch 2000, CSL launch 2004).

With this year’s release of the M2, BMW Australia wiped $50,000 off the entry ticket to M-car ownership that previously started at $139,990 for the M3 sedan.

The company confirmed that its allocation of 400 M2s has been exhausted, and buyers who place an order today would not receive delivery until next year.

The M3 sedan and M4 Coupe and Convertible are not supply restricted and with combined sales up 24 per cent year to date they could close in on 1000 units this year if trends continue, up from 2015’s record 743-unit tally.

Asked whether unrestricted supply of the M2 could result in it outselling the M3 and M4, Mr Werner answered: “No, not at this point in time.

“That is a very good question that we actually debated quite heavily,” he continued.

“What we’ve seen so far is that when we launched the M2 in April this year, the M3 and M4 series have actually benefitted from the launch of the M2. It means that a lot of customers who looked at other brands previously are now looking at the M2 and see there is an M3 and M4 available as well, and actually trade up to those kind of cars.

“The launch of the M2 has arguably helped to support our M3 and M4 sales.”

M-car sales totalled “around” 1000 units last year, a figure the M3 and M4 are expected to match alone this year and, with the M2 adding 400 sales to the tally, BMW Australia is targeting 1500 units for M models overall.

The 33 per cent sales increase of M models would track ahead of the sales percentage increase of the BMW brand, which is up 25 per cent to June 2016.