When BMW finally rolled out the new M2 CS at the end of last month, not everyone was happy. We’ve already addressed why the hardcore G87 skips the manual gearboxbut why no carbon fiber front splitter? You might be tempted to say the company cheaped out and opted for a different material to cut costs. However, Dirk Häcker, the head of engineering for the M division, provided a different explanation rooted in practicality.
The aero element is made from a combination of plastic and rubber, allowing it to be flexible. This composition reduces the likelihood of suffering serious damage when scraping the road. Häcker explains that the car’s slightly lower nose than the M3/M4 makes it more vulnerable to breakage on sloped surfaces:
“It’s flexible. That’s very important because with lowering the car, we need to have a flexible part in this area not to damage the front splitter. If you compare it to the M3 and M4, this car is about eight millimeters (0.3 inches) lower. If you go down to garages or something like that, you risk getting into contact.”
Häcker also told us that aesthetics played a role in the decision to skip the carbon fiber front splitter. BMW wanted to further separate the M2 CS from its bigger Competition Sport brothers and give the front fascia a “more performing” look. In other words, the intent was to create a meaner design, and opting for a matte black splitter apparently did the trick.
We’d argue that it’s not a dealbreaker. If you’re already set on spending $99,775 on an M2 CS in the United States or €115,000 in Germany, not having a carbon fiber front splitter won’t make you cancel your order. Of course, it would’ve been nice for BMW to at least offer it as an option. We reckon some buyers are willing to take their chances and risk damaging the aero piece on uneven surfaces. It should be an easy solution from tuners, not long after customer deliveries start later this year.
