BMW’s high-performance M division isn’t planning on adding more intense CS versions of its SUVs to its lineup, reserving them for passenger cars instead.
The CS models – meaning ‘Competition Sport’ – are the top models currently offered in BMW’s M division range, sitting above the standard M and hotter Competition variants in terms of price and performance.
CS versions of the BMW M2, BMW M3 Touring and BMW M4 are currently available in Australia, with the newest model – the M2 CS – priced from $172,900 before on-road costs.
The treatment typically brings increased power and torque with less weight for faster acceleration and a higher top speed, combined with lashings of carbon fibre and CS-specific items including unique bodywork and alloy wheel designs.
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It’s currently not offered on any SUV globally, restricted to sedan, coupe and Touring (BMW-speak for wagon) body styles.
SUVs have become mainstream offerings for performance and sports car brands, with the most popular Aston Martin being its DBX SUV, while Ferrari and Lamborghini have SUVs in showrooms in the Purosangue and Urus, respectively.
Despite the most powerful BMW being an SUV – the XM uses a 550kW version of the V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain used in the M5 sedan and wagon – M boss Frank van Meel says the CS name won’t be applied to SUVs.
“Right now, we keep it with the lower cars, because it was the more logical approach, especially looking into our heritage with GTS with CSL,” the BMW boss said on a call with Australian media, including CarExpert.
“We always had an M3 or an M4 as a full CS model, so that’s why we kept it with the lower ones,” he added.
“I don’t see CS coming to the SUV segment in the near future.”
Rival Porsche offers performance models for its Cayenne and Macan SUVs, but doesn’t include the extreme, driver-focused GT3, GT2 and RS models it does for its 911 sports car on its SUVs.
Below the flagship XM, this leaves the X5 M Competition and X6 M Competition models as the most capable SUVs in the BMW M lineup, using a 460kW/750Nm version of the same 4.4-litre V8 seen in the XM, but without a plug-in hybrid system.
The X5/X6 Competition do the 0-100km/h dash in a CS-like time of 3.8 seconds, matching the more powerful (but heavier) XM Label.
Top speed is 290km/h for all three high-performance SUVs when they’re equipped with the M Driver’s Package; the XM Label’s top speed under electric power only is 140km/h.
For comparison, the M2 CS has a 3.8-second 0-100km/h claim and a top speed of 302km/h from its twin-turbo inline six-cylinder petrol engine.
While the idea of CS SUVs may be benched, the M boss hasn’t ruled out the M badge appearing on an off-road-focused model – with both Lamborghini and Porsche having dabbled in this area in recent years – which could tie in with a yet-to-be-confirmed rugged BMW SUV expected in 2029.
