Nürburgring lap times continue to be a hot topic for car enthusiasts, whether used as fuel for discussion or derision. To many, they’re irrelevant. To others, they’re a yardstick to measure not just the competition, but the march of progress.

BMW’s M division has always been a fan, especially since the E46 CSL was made famous by its 7:50 lap. That torch is carried by the G82 M4 CSL with a time of 7:18.137. Now the M2 CS has just clocked a 7:25.5 lap at the hands of development engineer Jörg Weidinger – and that’s despite being on the recently revised, 200m longer Nordschleife. For the junior M car to get so close to Munich’s fastest shows said march of progress waits for no manufacturer.

Weidinger recorded the time on 11 April 2025 in the presence of an independent body, presumed to be Sport Auto magazine. BMW claims the time surpasses the previous ‘compact segment’ record by eight seconds, held by the facelifted Audi RS3. BMW also states the run was conducted with standard tyres and settings – although given carbon ceramic brakes and high-performance track tyres are on the homologated options list, it's likely they were specified for the run.

The G87 CS produces 523bhp and 479lb-ft (650Nm) of torque from its turbocharged, S58 six-cylinder engine, which is paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. A 30kg weight reduction over the standard M2 is largely achieved through CFRP components, while model-specific engine mounts and revised settings for the adaptive M suspension and suite of electronic driver aids sharpen responses.

The Nordschleife has long served as BMW M's proving ground, with all M models tested there prior to series production. BMW maintains a dedicated test centre at the track, and its association with the circuit spans more than 25 years. Weidinger previously set a 7:38.7-minute lap in an earlier M2 in 2023. The new time begs the question of what a full leichtbau M2 CSL would be capable of.