Since its release in 2020, the limited edition BMW F87 M2 CS has been loved by enthusiasts for its dynamic handling characteristics, small and fantastic chassis and the fact it was available with three pedals.
The only problem was, they were (and still are) very expensive. The BMW F87 M2 CS had a base price of £75,000 which was nearly £25,000 more than the BMW F87 M2 Competition. On the used market, there's an even bigger gap with M2 Competitions advertised for as low as £30,000 whereas examples of the M2 CS are listed as high as £85,000!
So, what justifies the difference? The CS model enjoyed an increased power output of 444bhp, the same as the F8X M3 and M4 Competition pack cars. The CS also got reworked suspension, forged Y-spoke alloy wheels and a few other visual upgrades on the exterior and interior.
This got us thinking - all this could be done aftermarket for a fraction of the price.
If you don't care about the collector status and actually want to enjoy the F87 M2 CS experience, then why not build your own?
The Base BMW F87 M2 Competition
We purchased this stunning 2020 BMW F87 M2 Competition in Long Beach Blue from our good friends at EAG Specialist Cars for around £38,000. This is towards the higher end of what these cars can be picked up for now, however this was before the Q4 2023 decline in the car market and this example was very low mileage.
It was actually an AC Schnitzer car which already came with some nice upgrades. This included an AC Schitzer carbon kit, rear wing and aftermarket wheels.
Our plan to build a Club Sport Spec BMW F87 M2 Competition
'CS' - standing for 'Club Sport' - meant we needed to address several areas of the car to match or even better the M2 CS' looks and performance.
- Exterior Styling
- Interior Styling
- Engine Power & Performance
- Suspension
- Brakes
- Exhaust
Exterior Styling
To give our BMW M2 Competition a more aggressive club sport look, we turned to MHC LDN for a more aggressive pre-preg carbon fibre GT-style front splitter to pair with the AC Schnitzer side skirts that were already on the car. We weren't a big fan of the winglets on the M2 CS' carbon lip so this was the perfect alternative!
Sticking with the club sport theme, we fitted some R44 CSL-yellow daytime running light modules to bring a touch of the race track to the front of the car.
To match the bold looks of the rear wing, we installed an Akrapovic carbon fibre rear diffuser which looks stunning - not to mention the impeccable quality of the carbon composite.
Additionally, we upgraded the body-coloured wing mirrors with some MHC LDN pre-preg carbon fibre replacement covers for a more premium look.
To finish off the exterior, we gave our F87 M2 Competition some new shoes in the form of some Titan 7 forged T-D6E lightweight alloy wheels finished in Hybrid Dark Machine. We had previously been running a set of Bola FP3 satin black forged alloy wheels which also looked amazing. With wheels, as long as you're benefitting from the reduction in unsprung weight, the design is entirely up to your personal preference.
Interior Styling
As we move inside the car, we find the OEM steering wheel re-trimmed in alcantara. Behind the wheel, the car benefits from a set of JQ Werks Madtrace magnetic paddle shifters which give you a nice audible 'click' sound when pulling gears through the DCT gearbox. If you start off with a manual BMW M2 Competition, you'll already be very engaged with the act of changing gears but, for DCT cars, these paddle shifters are a game changer.
In the future, we'll definitely look at fitting some more carbon pieces from SHFT such as the handbrake lever, gear selector and surround.
Engine & Performance
In terms of performance, we needed a slight bump in power to match the 444bhp of the M2 CS. However, we wanted to see gains a bit higher than that with a Stage 2 remap from Tom Wrigley Performance, taking power to around 550bhp although we didn't put the car on the dyno to get exact figures.
Supporting mods to facilitate this power increase include a full CSF Radiators S55 cooling package, Eventuri intake system, and an upgraded exhaust which we'll touch on shortly.
Brakes
The BMW F87 M2 CS features the same 2NH front brake setup as our M2 Competition meaning identical braking performance as standard. However, we wanted to take things to the next level with uprated discs and pads from EBC Brakes.
EBC's front brake discs are floating and grooved which improves durability and cooling. The EBC Bluestuff brake pads are more grabby then standard and the compound is tougher. Pair this with some Castrol high performance brake fluid and reduce fade on the track.
Suspension & handling
This is the most important area of the project. We wanted our M2 Competition to handle better than a CS. To achieve this, we fitted a set of KW Suspension V3 coilovers which absolutely transform the car's handling whilst offering some great adjustability. The technology and testing built in to KW's V3 system is incredible with adjustable rebound and compression as well as a wide lowering range.
We got the coilovers professionally set up alongside the Suspension Secrets bushes and camber plates. We then followed this with a wheel alignment from Geo By Luke and the car now feels unbelievably planted with no noticeable body roll and great stability and composure at higher speeds. The steering also feels much sharper and more responsive, although the lightweight wheels are definitely a contributing factor.
Exhaust
As we were going for a club sport spec, we didn't want to go too crazy with the exhaust. The aim was to retain the vehicle's catalytic converters and OPF filters and just improve flow through the rear silencer with a deeper and nicer tone. The perfect solution was the Remus racing OPF-back exhaust system which features a redesigned backbox with better flow without losing the OEM valve functionality.
Full List of Modifications
- MHC+ GT Style Carbon Front Splitter
- MHC+ Carbon Wing Mirror Covers
- AC Schnitzer Carbon Side Skirts
- AC Schnitzer Carbon Rear Wing
- Akrapovic Carbon Rear Diffuser
- R44 CSL-Yellow DRL Modules
- Re-trimmed Steering Wheel in Alcantara
- JQ Werks Magnetic Paddle Shifters
- SHFT M1 & M2 Buttons in Red
- Eventuri Intake System
- CSF Front Mount Heat Exchanger
- CSF Top Mount Charge Cooler
- CSF DCT Transmission Cooler
- CSF Auxiliary Radiators
- Stage 2 Tuning Software by Tom Wrigley Performance
- EBC 2-Piece Brake Discs
- EBC Bluestuff Brake Pads
- KW V3 Coilover Kit
- Suspension Secrets Solid Bushes
- Suspension Secrets Camber Plates
- Remus Racing OPF-Back Exhaust System
- Carbon Fibre Engine Cover
- Goldenwrench Supply Billet Engine Caps
- Goldenwrench Supply Rear Light Overlays
- Acexxon Rear Reflector Inserts
