The BMW M2 CS has officially become the fastest compact car around the iconic Nürburgring-Nordschleife circuit, setting a blistering lap time of 7 minutes and 25.5 seconds. The record was achieved on April 11, 2025, by BMW M development engineer Jörg Weidinger, and it marks a major milestone for both the M2 lineup and BMW’s engineering legacy.
This new lap time is a massive improvement over the previous record held by another M2 model, also driven by Weidinger. Back in April 2023, he clocked a 7:38.7-minute lap in an earlier version of the M2. With the new 2025 M2 CS, he has shaved off a full 13 seconds from that mark. Even more impressively, it beats the previous fastest time in the compact class, 7:30 minutes, by a solid 4.5 seconds.
BMW’s new record also brings the M2 CS closer to some of the fastest production BMWs ever. For example, the BMW M4 CSL — the current production car lap record-holder for BMW — completed the Nordschleife in just 7:18.137 minutes. Other heavy hitters like the M4 CS, M3 CS, and standard M4 models have also broken the 7:30 barrier, showing just how quick BMW’s recent performance cars have become.
The lap time of 7:25.5 minutes not only puts the M2 CS in elite company but also demonstrates the sheer potential of compact sports cars when engineered with purpose. While the M2 CS shares its 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six engine with other M cars, it’s tuned here for an impressive 530 hp and 650 Nm of torque. These numbers alone don’t tell the full story — BMW also applied a series of modifications that helped the M2 CS achieve this remarkable feat.
The record-setting car came equipped with performance-oriented engine mounts, adaptive M suspension, M compound braking system, and several lightweight components. These changes helped bring down the weight by 30 kg compared to the standard BMW M2, offering more agility and better weight distribution on the twisting curves of the Nürburgring.
This achievement is not just a headline-grabber — it underlines the effectiveness of BMW M GmbH’s engineering efforts in compact performance cars. With this lap, the M2 CS proves that it’s not only a powerful and fun machine on paper but a serious track weapon capable of outpacing many larger and more expensive performance vehicles.
BMW has yet to officially announce whether this track-focused M2 CS variant will be released as a special edition for customers. But if it does arrive in showrooms, expect it to be a very limited and very desirable machine.
