BMW M2 CSL – and more!

If the prospect of a BMW M2 CSL excites you, hold on to your hat -- there's a lot more to come from Munich over the next few years.

And potentially more CSL models too!

BMW Australia's Managing Director, Marc Werner, talked excitedly about the potential for the M division's sports car portfolio to expand at this week’s local launch of the M3 Competition. And although Werner stopped short of confirming the company's worst-kept secret, the M2 CSL, he said the car has “plenty of gas left in the tank for special editions”.

"There's certainly more opportunity for M2… call it the Pure, call it the CSL, call it whatever you want."

The hallowed CSL badge (for Coupe, Sport, Lightweight) has only been used sparingly by BMW, most recently in the 2003 BMW M3 CSL , widely regarded as one of the best M cars ever built.

Speaking to local media at the M3 Competition launch in Queensland, Werner did nothing to hose down talk of new-generation CSL vehicles.

He agreed that a lightweight version of the BMW M2 would be a hit with Australian customers, where the regular M2 has already sold out.

"Yeah, I certainly agree. A CSL is definitely one of those badges that goes hand in hand with BMW M. So I could imagine to see CSL on a lot of BMW M cars," he said.

"And BMW Australia will certainly raise their hand when it comes to these strategic product opportunities."

On a percentage basis Australia has the third-highest uptake of BMW M vehicles in the world. This translates to more influence over future M product development decisions.

But it's not just CSL models that BMW will be spruiking in future, as Werner hinted the upgrades bestowed upon the M3 and M4 Competition models – which add more power, new suspension and other go-fast bits – could be rolled out across other M division models too.

"I think what we are presenting here today is very convincing as far as the Competition Pack is concerned. And if you take that idea and take it to the M2 for example, or maybe even some other vehicles, that is certainly the way to go forward."

And then if you want to go really crazy, there's the BMW M4 GTS, currently the company's wildest M car. The $295,000 water-injected extravaganza of hard-charging machinery belts out 368kW and all 25 vehicles coming to Australia are already spoken for.

Any CSL-badged M cars are likely to slot in underneath the GTS, delivering a lighter weight rather than an all-out assault on powertrain tech.

With rumours of a BMW M2 GTS also, M car fans could soon be spoilt for choice.