[F80_M]

Now if only we could purchase this racing kit...

[Aspe]

Originally Posted by YOLO89

Now if only we could purchase this racing kit...

Together with the car you can.
(60.000 EUR without VAT for the current model)

[//M235ixD]

Love the wide body

[fuddman]

Originally Posted by williewonkerz

Could someone explain why the rear spoiler is on the car *as well as* the wing?

IMO, this is a very good question. Also why the camo on the wing edges? And elsewhere. Because of that, I'm not jumping on the M235i racing connection bandwagon.
This car has an intended purpose, obviously; but, its not clear yet what it may be.

[MEHP]

Looking at the cage, seats, window net, I guess this really is the M235i Racing. To test an M2 GTS oder CSL or whatever would go without a welded cage and window net. As well as the GT4 wheels. This really should be the Cup car.

Why spoiler and wing? Because both help direct air upwards. What hits the wing will be pushed up and the same goes for the spoiler. If there was a diffusor that would help to suck the air from that diffusor as well so it would be even more efficient.

[fuddman]

Originally Posted by MEHP

To test an M2 GTS oder CSL or whatever would go without a welded cage and window net.

Why? If your testing a wing, what's the cage or net have to do with it?
I'm not trying to be argumentative; but, there have been M2 mules identified as M235i cars with racing kits attached. So, I don't agree with the idea that in order to test an element of the M2, such as a wing, you need a pure M2 car. Something close, yes.

[AWheeler]

It is great to see that the 2-series brand has enough momentum to support these new iterations (CSL, racing, whatever this may be)

[phoenixbmwlife]

Originally Posted by deemo319

The F87 M2 has completed its "build" and is also past its FEV (Final Evaluation Phase) a while ago.

This may very well be the M2 GTS hiding in plain sight.

Dude look at the car closer. It has a roll cage with a net. Dual exhast instead of a quad, the kidney grill is not the double slated, and the body is that of the M235i racing car.

How could this possibly be an M2 CSL when the car is clearly an M235i?

Even the gas cover is that of the M235i racing.

[AGAV13]

Damn, that looks sinister.

[UsualSuspect]

I wonder what the lap time was...

[e92ben]

Rear spoiler higher than the usual. Looks great!

[raysspl]

This should be the hardcore M2

[bluekn8286]

Oh BMW, please let the M2 look like this!

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Aspe

Together with the car you can.
(60.000 EUR without VAT for the current model)

not in the US..


Lord Jesus please make this be an M2 CSL... I want..

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by PhoenixWolf

Dude look at the car closer. It has a roll cage with a net. Dual exhast instead of a quad, the kidney grill is not the double slated, and the body is that of the M235i racing car.

How could this possibly be an M2 CSL when the car is clearly an M235i?

Even the gas cover is that of the M235i racing.

Originally Posted by fuddman

IMO, this is a very good question. Also why the camo on the wing edges? And elsewhere. Because of that, I'm not jumping on the M235i racing connection bandwagon.
This car has an intended purpose, obviously; but, its not clear yet what it may be.

Agree on the camo as well.. and by " elsewhere".. I'm looking at the rear decklid and wondering why it's got camo?

Personally I think this is a " parts bin" mule....





M235 Racing

Clearly this is an M235 i racing chassis... and it's out for what reason..
testing to upgrade vs the competition in VLN racing...? Ok sure... Or... Testing parts for an upcoming CSL?

M2


that looks like a finalized M2 rear bumper... or perhaps they finally got that 235 ass to look a little better..

The low wing looks to be standard M2 fare,

it also looks to me like there are body panels tacked on over body panels.. Like the M2 quarters and fenders are tacked onto the 235 chassis..

Note the depressions in the quarter panels as they go towards the rear..


M2 CSL

The high wing could be testing for 235 racing... but seriously... isnt the 235 racing what you want an M2 to be based on..?

the rear decklid along with the rear wing look to be new parts together... which make me think M2 CSL


Maybe I am cuckoo.. ok.. i AM cuckoo for M2... but do the rear wheels look like they might be different size that front like on the M4 GTS?


The E30 M3 was a race car that was then made streetable... if you're gonna go CSL... ( M2.. M4.. M6) and you know that in the M2 CSL you are going to play with attempting to contend with a car like the GT4... then why not test your wing design and even airflow using different exterior tacked on aero on a 235 racing " mule" .. ? if BMW AG really want to recall the days of glory of the E30 M3.. then start with an M235 racing chassis and develop it from there... add some minor interior bits.. dial the exhaust down a little bit.. but go with the thinner glass... more CFRP .. no sunroof.. and even CFRP body panels.. and don't forget to throw in a six speed cause I'm old school.... and give me every bit of the development on aero for the M235 racing ... that's how I would make the M2 CSL..

Originally Posted by AWheeler

It is great to see that the 2-series brand has enough momentum to support these new iterations (CSL, racing, whatever this may be)

Ha! Very true!
But they also need to make a 2 series gran coupe as well... A M2 gran coupe would be the shiznit....

[Oliver1]

What else is the M department doing besides working on the next M5? Looks like they just have some spare time on their hands and are playing around with different possibilities for future model enhancements.

[dfwmods]

Originally Posted by handled

I'm surprised they use an auto transmission

Not everyone knows how to drive a manual

[Matski]

Originally Posted by Oliver1

What else is the M department doing besides working on the next M5? Looks like they just have some spare time on their hands and are playing around with different possibilities for future model enhancements.

If this is all it seems to be, it won't be M doing the testing, it will BMW Motorsport.

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by swagon

Jesus Christ, here we go again. The M2 CSL group has arrived.

[bradleyland]

Here are the reasons this isn't an M2 CSL in disguise. Some of these have already been pointed out, but I'm going to try and expand on them a bit.

First question is, what makes the difference between an M2 and an M2 CSL? What about an M2 GTS?

If we follow the pattern of the E46 M3 CSL, an M2 CSL should be an M2 with some additional CF parts and fewer options in favor of weight savings. The car we see here has a full roll cage and a stripped out interior. So, if we accept the premise that BMW is testing something that they're hiding in plain sight, what exactly are they testing?

Also, if you're going to test CSL parts intended for the M2, wouldn't you want to start with a car that is as close as possible to the car they'll be fitted to? The M235i Racing uses "hanger" body panels that are bolted right to the existing bodywork of an M235i. If they're testing CSL components, I'm not sure they'd even fit on a regular M235i body.

So maybe it's an M2 GTS test mule. Again, what are they testing, and why use an M235i Racing shell instead of an actually M2 test mule? What makes a GTS? Based on the M4 GTS template, we have improved aero, different wheels, and engine upgrades. This car clearly can't be testing any improved aero (wing included) intended for the M2, because the entire body shape is different. Any data acquired is useless for applying to the M2 because of the dramatic difference in body shape and dimensions.

Those wheels do look kind of like traditional CSL/ZCP wheels, but then again, there is no shortage of wheel designs that look just like these. Not to mention, they're fitted with slicks, which would further confound any testing data for a street car.

They could be testing some engine tech, but who the hell knows? You can't see that from roadside That's still very clearly an M235i Racing chassis.

The theory that this is an M2 CSL/GTS just doesn't make any sense. The fact that this is an M235i Racing body/chassis just is too visibly obvious for it to be something else. When you contemplate what BMW would be testing for a CSL/GTS variant of the M2, none of the components could possibly be tested here, except for the wing... which wouldn't make any sense to "test" on an entirely different car. You might as well use the M4 GTS aero data.

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by fuddman

Why? If your testing a wing, what's the cage or net have to do with it?
I'm not trying to be argumentative; but, there have been M2 mules identified as M235i cars with racing kits attached. So, I don't agree with the idea that in order to test an element of the M2, such as a wing, you need a pure M2 car. Something close, yes.

If they were testing a wing for the M2, why use an M235i Racing chassis? The early M2 mules that looked like M235i Racing cars were used for testing suspension parts, not aero. They also didn't use slicks, and didn't have roll cages. They weren't actually M235i Racing cars, they were M235i production cars with the M235i Racing body panels riveted to the existing sheetmetal. That's a big difference. This is an actual M235i Racing car.

Things you'd want to look for in order for there to be any credibility to the CSL/GTS stuff:

Lack of a roll cage, which would indicate that this is actually an M235i with M235iR body panels slapped on.

Lack of a M235iR fuel filler cap, which would be a tell tale sign that the car underneath is an M235i.

Wheel fitment differences. The M2 test mules that used M235iR body panels had some funky wheel fitment issues going on, because the M235iR body panels were intended to house huge racing slicks, not road tires.

Bottom line, this is an actual M235i Racing car. They could be "testing" a CF rear decklid and wing destined for an eventual M2 CSL/GTS, but I'm not even sure what that means. What's to test? You can throw out any aero results, because the shape of the M235iR is substantially different than that of the M2, and these cars are running racing slicks. Does anyone know if the M235i Racing has an undertray or functional diffuser? Those are what you'd call confounding factors, and they're too significant to ignore.

These parts will show up on the M235i Racing before they make it on a hypothetical M2 CSL/GTS.

[fuddman]

Originally Posted by bradleyland

If they were testing a wing for the M2, why use an M235i Racing chassis?

For one simple reason- they want to keep an idea from being prematurely released. They hide stuff, and they like to unlock surprises on their schedule.

So, if you wanted to test a wing for an M2 and you wanted keep that close to the vest, would you stick it on a production ready M2 mule and run that mule around the Ring? I hope you say no. That picture would be everywhere on the net instantly. And they know that.

I'm not saying that's whats going on here. But, they're clever and devious when it comes to disguising their intentions. So, pictures like these should be examined through that prism, too. That's the way I look at it, anyway.