BMW 2 Series vs BMW M2

What's the difference?

The sleek 2 Series Gran Coupe has injected some life into the sedan segment and adds another dimension to BMW’s line-up.

After spending a week with the 118i hatch and another week with the 218i Gran Coupe, I would pick the hatch because it suits my needs better and has a more understated design, at least from the A-pillar back.

But there is little to fault in the 218i, aside from the obviously higher price compared with a mainstream sedan like a Mazda3. But, as with the hatch, if you want something a little more premium and a little more special, then this funky sedan is well worth considering.

As the ultimate form of the current M2, the CS distils the best aspects of what everyone loves about BMW into one tidy little package.

The driving experience is nothing short of divine, even if the manual gearbox shifts could be better, while the firecracker engine kicks things up to a whole new level.

If only BMW offered more equipment and safety to round out the $140,000 pricetag, or maybe they should have leaned harder into the lightweight aspect and ditched the rear seats to make the M2 CS even more special.

At the end of the day though, the M2 CS is still an unbelievably appealing driver’s car, and I can’t wait to see what BMW has in store for the next one.

From the front, the 2 Series Gran Coupe carries the same face as the handsome 1 Series hatchback. But from the A-pillar back, it’s a completely different look. 

BMW’s ‘Gran Coupe’ series of models - 2, 4 and 8 Series - are not just regular sedans. They are sleeker, with a coupe-like sloping roofline and a more squat stance. It’s BMW’s way of making sedans sexy. And it has worked on each of those models.

The 218i’s boot sits up high and the rear treatment with the wide slimline tail-lights and integrated boot lip spoiler make the car visually appealing. I prefer the look of the 1 Series hatch, but appreciate the sleek sedan.

As with the hatch, the 218i’s interior is a modern take on the unmistakable BMW cabin, and for the most part it’s a successful design.

We’re already big fans of the way the M2 looks, it’s just the right size and has the perfect proportions for a sporty coupe, and the CS just takes things to another level.

From the outside, the M2 CS scores a noticeably bigger bonnet bulge, as well as a vented hood to improve airflow.

The front splitter, side mirrors, skirts, bootlid spoiler and rear diffuser are also finished in carbon, and add to the car’s aggressive demeanour.

Filling the wheelarches are 19-inch wheels finished in black, but tucked behind those are massive drilled brake rotors and large calipers painted in red.

To call the M2 CS exterior design sporty would be an understatement, but we do have to point out that the Alpine White of our test car did look a little boring, despite the extra bling.

If we were buying one? We’d option the stunning Misano Blue hero colour with gold-coloured wheels to really turn heads around town and at the racetrack, although they will add another $1700 and $1000 respectively to the already dizzying price.

Inside, the M2 CS is let down a little by a spartan interior, which looks like it’s been lifted from the cheapest 2 Series coupe, due to the lack of climate-control screen.

However, BMW does try its best to spice things up with very tight-fitting bucket seats, an Alcantara steering wheel, CS-branded dashboard and that carbon-fibre transmission tunnel.

It’s definitely a case of function over form , but the lack of interior flare means you focus more on the road ahead than anything else, which is no bad thing when you have 331kW and 550Nm being sent to the rear wheels.

The main key difference between the 1 and 2 Series is the boot capacity. But in terms of interior appointments, not much separates the two.

Our 218i test car was optioned with black ‘Dakota’ leather trim, which does not look or feel particularly premium. The blue pattern trim in the 118i hatch was much more visually appealing, helping to break up the dark greys of the cabin. But in the 218i, it just makes everything look rather dark and gloomy.

As with the 118i, the BMW 'iDrive' controller and multimedia touchscreen are top notch, all controls come to hand easily, and the dash is angled to the driver. For more details on the interior, check out my 118i review.

The bigger differences are in the second row. The Gran Coupe has less headroom compared with the hatch, due to the sloping roofline and the optional sunroof.

Both body styles share the same 2670mm wheelbase, which should mean legroom is the same. For some reason the 218i feels ever so slightly tighter in the rear, but we are splitting hairs here.

Rear-seat occupants have access to two USB-C ports, map pockets and, unlike the hatchback, the Gran Coupe has a central fold-down armrest with two cupholders. Tall bottles will fit in the door storage compartment. Sadly the 218i lacks any rear air vents.

The doors also have a smaller aperture, so it’s not as easy to get in and out of compared to the hatch.

The rear seats fold 60/40 via levers in boot. Speaking of which, the boot can swallow 430 litres of cargo, which easily exceeds the 380L capacity of the 118i hatch. It also matches the boot space in the Mercedes-Benz A180 sedan and is just five litres bigger than the Audi A3 35 TFSI sedan.

Measuring 4461mm long, 1871mm wide, 1414mm tall and with a 2698mm wheelbase, and just two doors, the M2 CS isn’t exactly the last word in practicality.

Of course, front passengers are afforded plenty of space, and the electronically adjustable bucket seats allow you to get into the right position to row through the gears and eat up the road.

Storage is limited, however, with average-sized door bins, two cupholders, a small wallet/phone tray, and that’s it.

BMW is generous enough to include a single USB port to charge your device, but its location, where the armrest should be, means you’ll have to get creative with cable management to make it really work if you want to keep your phone in the tray under the climate controls.

Predictably, the two rear seats are less than ideal for anyone tall, but there is plenty of leg and shoulder-room.

A small centre-storage tray is fitted back there, as well as Isofix points for the seats, but there isn’t a whole lot to keep rear occupants entertained. They'll probably be too frightened to care.

Opening the boot reveals a small aperture that will swallow 390 litres, and is shaped in such a way that a set of golf clubs or some overnight bags will fit in nicely.

There are some luggage tie-down points and netting to keep your belongings from rolling around, and the rear seats fold down to accommodate longer items.

Pricing for the 2021 BMW M2 CS starts at $139,900 before on-road costs for the six-speed manual, with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic bumping up to $147,400.

Let’s not mince words here, the BMW M2 CS is not cheap.

Compared to the M2 Competition , the CS adds about $37,000 to the bottom line – the equivalent of a well-specced small SUV – and sits perilously close to the new-generation M3 and M4 ($144,900 and $149,900 respectively).

For the price , buyers are getting exclusivity, with just 86 examples available in Australia out of a total global production run of 2220 units.

The engine is also tuned for a higher power output, but more on that below.

Standard equipment in the M2 CS also eschews luxury for sportiness, with carbon-fibre exterior highlights, a new exhaust, lightweight 19-inch wheels and Alcantara steering wheel.

The front seats are borrowed from the M4 CS, and trimmed in Alcantara and leather, but that’s about all you get for equipment.

The multimedia system shares the same dimensions as the rest of the M2 line-up, measuring 8.8 inches and including satellite navigation, digital radio and Apple CarPlay (no love for Android owners, sorry).

The climate controls do differ slightly, with the slender screen replaced with basic buttons and knobs.

Seat heating? Nope. Rear air vents? Sorry. How about keyless entry? Not here.

Also noticeably absent is a wireless smartphone charger, and centre armrest, as the usual transmission tunnel has been swapped out for a carbon-fibre piece.

To be fair, you do get a premium Harman Kardon sound system, push-button start and single USB port, so at least BMW does offer a way to charge your phone on the go.

Perhaps most egregious of all though – at least to me – were the rubber pedals fitted to our manual test car.

For $140,00 you’d expect a bit more in terms of convenience features, and before you make the argument that ‘it’s all about saving weight’, don’t bother, because the M2 CS and M2 Competition both tip the scales at an identical 1550kg.

Mirroring the 118i, the 218i uses BMW’s three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, with power and torque outputs of 103kW and 220Nm, respectively. This compares to 110kW/250Nm for the base Audi A3 and 100kW/200Nm for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

The 218i uses a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission driving the front wheels only.

According to BMW, the 218i can complete the 0-100km/h dash in 8.7 seconds - 0.2sec slower than the hatch.

Powering the BMW M2 CS is a 3.0-litre twin-turbo ‘S55’ six-cylinder engine, developing 331kW/550Nm.

With drive sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the M2 CS can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 4.2 or 4.0 seconds respectively.

Peak power is available at a heady 6250rpm, while maximum torque comes on stream from 2350-5500rpm.

The M2 CS actually put out as much grunt as the outgoing M3/M4 Competition, because it uses the same engine, and to say the amount of performance on tap is explosive would be to talk up explosions. This is a serious amount of bang for your buck.

The M2 CS easily outclasses the likes of the 280kW/460Nm Jaguar F-Type V6, 306kW/410Nm Lotus Evora GT410 and 294kW/420Nm Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0.

I do have to draw attention to the manual gearbox of our test car, though, which was great, but not excellent.

With such engaging shifters fitted to the Honda Civic Type R, Toyota 86 and Mazda MX-5, I expected rowing through the gears would be nirvana, but it was merely OK.

The throws are a little too long for my liking, and it takes just a bit too much effort to slot it into the right ratio. Still, we should all be glad to see a manual offered here, and I'm betting it is still a better option for purists than the auto.

On the official combined fuel cycle, the 218i uses 5.9 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres - the same as the 118i hatch. After a week of mixed driving, I recorded a figure of 9.1L/100km, which is quite a bit more than that official figure.

In terms of CO2 the official emissions figure is 135g/km and the 218i requires 95 RON premium fuel for its 50-litre fuel tank.

Official fuel-consumption figures for the M2 CS are pegged at 10.3 litres per 100km, while our week with the car yielded a more realistic figure of 11.8L/100km.

Engine start/stop technology is included to keep fuel consumption down, but our week with the car was spent mainly in Melbourne’s inner-city streets, with three trips out of town looking for some winding country roads.

No doubt if we were more restrained with our throttle application, we could have kept that fuel consumption figure down, but a sub-12L/100km result is still great for a performance car.

If you love the look of the 2 Series Gran Coupe but are after an extra dollop of performance, the all-wheel drive 225kW/450Nm M235i xDrive is the pick of the range.

But don’t think the 218i is a lazy performer - it’s far from it.

The 218i’s acceleration is responsive, even quick, and it offers more than enough straight-line performance to satisfy most drivers. 

On take-off there is some turbo lag, which isn’t helped by the fuel-saving idle-stop system, however that can be switched off, which we did every time we got behind the wheel.

Momentum was a little blunted by a steep hill, but other than that, no complaints about the sweet engine.

Steering is weighted on the heavier side but it is sharp.

As is expected of a BMW sedan, the 218i is engineered for engaging handling, and the balanced chassis and well-tuned suspension set-up encourage enthusiastic driving.  

Excellent road-holding and grip ensured it did not come unstuck on uneven roads and overall the 218i feels really solid. Those front-wheel drive naysayers have officially been put in their place!

'Sport' mode livens things up with a noticeable improvement to throttle response.

The ride seems more supple at speed, but can feel on the firmer side in urban driving. But nothing that would strike it from your shopping list.

Let me be clear; driving the M2 CS is a simply sublime experience.

The M2 was always close to the top of the best modern M cars, and the CS simply cements its position as the king.

Step inside and the bucket seats and Alcantara steering wheel make sure you know you are in something special.

Push the red starter button and the engine comes to life, with a racy growl from the new exhaust system that immediately brings a smile to your face.

Out on the open road, the adaptive dampers fitted to the M2 CS do a good job at soaking up bumps and road imperfections, but don’t expect it to suddenly become a comfortable and cosseting cruiser.

The ride is firm in all settings, but dial it up to ‘Sport Plus’ and comfort really takes a hit, especially on the uneven inner-city roads of Melbourne, with its criss-crossing tram tracks.

Escape the unkempt roads of the city for the smooth blacktop of the country, though, and the M2 CS really flexes its handling prowess.

The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres fitted as standard also help in this regard, and while the rear end will step out with 331kW pushed through them, if you want to stick to the racing line and clip that apex, the M2 CS is a more than willing participant.

The suspension isn’t the only thing that can be changed, however, with steering and engine adjustments also available.

We found the best setting to be maximum-attack mode for the engine and suspension, while keeping the steering in its lightest setting, and even with the steering weight turned way down, the feedback and feel from the road is enough to communicate exactly what the M2 CS wants to do.

BMW has definitely nailed the feel of the M2 CS, which almost eggs you on to go faster and faster.

When things get a bit too furious, it is also comforting to know that the massive 400mm front discs and 380mm rear discs with six- and four-piston callipers respectively are more than up to the task of scrubbing speed.

I only wish I could have explored the capabilities of the M2 CS in the more controlled environment of a racetrack, because out on the open road, the M2 CS definitely still feels like it has so much more to give. And everything about this car just screams Race Track Time. Loudly.

The BMW M2 CS has not been tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP and as such does not have a crash rating.

The car it is based on, the 2 Series, is also unrated, although the M2 CS differs wildly from the rest of the small coupe range.

Safety systems include front and rear parking sensors, automatic headlights, a reversing camera and cruise control.

Don’t expect autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring and lane-keep assist here, let alone rear cross-traffic alert or traffic-sign recognition.

Sure, the M2 CS is a track-focused special, but its also lacking some crucial safety features you’d expect out of any new car, and particularly one at this price point.

The 218i comes with BMW’s three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty - a term that is well behind the majority of its competitors that offer five-year/unlimited kilometre cover. 

Rather than an annual service schedule, BMW uses ‘condition-based servicing’, which essentially means that the vehicle’s computer will inform you when the car needs a service.

BMW’s 'Service Inclusive' pre-paid plan covers owners for five years or 80,000km for the 2 Series, and involves a $1700 up-front payment. It averages out to $340 per service, which is actually pretty reasonable for a high-end brand.

Like all new BMWs, the M2 CS comes with a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which falls short of Mercedes’ benchmark five-year/unlimited-kilometre offering.

Scheduled service intervals are every 12 months or 16,000 kilometres, whichever comes first.

Buyers can opt for a ‘Basic’ or ‘Plus’ service plan that covers the car’s first five years, priced at $2995 and $8805 respectively.

The ‘Basic’ plan covers oil changes, air filters, brake fluids and spark plugs, while the ‘Plus’ service adds replacement brake pads and discs, wiper blades and clutch.

With an annual cost of $599 or $1761 for maintenance, the M2 CS is actually pretty affordable to service.