M2 CS Stuns Monterey + M850i “M Heritage” Surprise

I walked onto the Monterey Peninsula expecting spectacle, and BMW delivered it in stereo. On one side of Car Week, the BMW M2 CS put the compact-performance world on notice; on the other, the 2026 BMW M850i Edition M Heritage reminded everyone why the 8 Series still tugs at the heart. If you enjoy detailed walk-arounds, sound, and honest first impressions, you are in the right place—do not forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you never miss what drops next.

The BMW M2 CS feels purpose-built for drivers who want feel and feedback first, numbers second—though the numbers are wild. Its 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged inline-six produces 523 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Power goes to the rear wheels through an 8-speed M Steptronic automatic transmission, with a quoted 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 188 miles per hour with the M Driver’s Package. BMW trims roughly 100 pounds by using carbon fiber reinforced plastic for key panels and bits inside, then tightens responses with CS-specific springs, dampers, and an M Sport differential. The result is a car that reads the road like Braille, then answers with an eager, mechanical honesty that is getting harder to find. Production begins in August 2025 at BMW’s San Luis Potosí plant, with the United States base price set at $98,600 plus $1,175 destination, and deliveries planned to start in the third quarter of 2025.

That capability is not just brochure talk. In development guise the M2 CS lapped the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in 7:25.5, a compact-class benchmark at the time and a figure that hints at the balance you feel from behind the wheel—fast, planted, and playful without being skittish. During Monterey Car Week, the North American crowd got a proper first look at Legends of the Autobahn on Thursday, August 14, 2025, a fitting stage for a driver’s BMW surrounded by German icons and true believers.

If the M2 CS is the shot of espresso, the 2026 BMW M850i Edition M Heritage is the long, slow pour—rich, layered, and special from every angle. Limited to 500 cars worldwide, it shows up only as an M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and pays tribute to the original E31 8 Series with five period-correct shades: Bright Red, Mauritius Blue metallic, Cosmos Black metallic, Oxford Green metallic, and Daytona Violet metallic. The carbon fiber roof wears subtle M tri-color accents; the 20-inch dual-spoke Orbit Grey wheels sit perfectly in the arches; and inside, you find Black Full Merino Leather and Alcantara with tri-color stitching, matte carbon fiber trim, and tasteful “M850i Edition M Heritage 1/500” details. Under the hood lives the familiar 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V 8 with 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive for a 0 to 60 miles per hour run of 3.9 seconds. The Edition made its world premiere at Pebble Beach during Car Week, carries a United States price of $130,400 plus $1,175 destination, and enters production in November 2025 with deliveries expected in early 2026.

Together, these two BMWs tell a story only Monterey can: one about pure, compact intensity and another about grand-touring theater. One slices apexes; the other paints horizons. Both feel like love letters to people who actually drive. If you want my full take with more rolling footage and close-ups, stick around for the video—and again, please like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so this kind of enthusiast content keeps finding you.