M2 CS in the Rain, Neue Klasse iX3 First Drive, 2025 M5 Touring

Within the newest episode of the BMWBLOG Podcast, we preserve it easy: three massive check drives, one dialog — and (briefly) one very assured cat. Episode 16 is all about current seat time, from a soaked racetrack in South Carolina to sunny southern Spain, ending with real-world impressions of BMW’s latest tremendous wagon.

We begin with the BMW M2 CS, after Nate’s monitor day at Michelin’s Laurens Proving Grounds… in completely brutal climate. With standing water on elements of the course, BMW even swapped the vehicles off their Cup tires and onto Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. Regardless of the situations, the large takeaway was clear: the M2 CS feels extra alive than the usual M2, with a playful rear finish that’s nonetheless predictable and simple to catch — even when the grip disappears. We additionally deal with the query everybody asks: is the CS premium price it, or can a normal M2 get shut sufficient with mods?

From there, we soar into the long run with a primary drive of the Neue Klasse iX3. Horatiu shares impressions from southern Spain, together with time at Ascari, and explains why the brand new platform looks like a leap ahead in driving dynamics, braking smoothness, and total tech execution. We dig into BMW’s new “Coronary heart of Pleasure” strategy to dynamics management, why the iX3 drives smaller than it appears to be like, and the way the regenerative braking lastly feels pure sufficient that passengers gained’t accuse you of constructing them carsick.

We wrap with the 2025 BMW M5 Touring, a automobile that delivers outrageous pace but in addition resets expectations. The plug-in hybrid system makes the M5 really feel shockingly fast at freeway speeds, and the EV vary is usable sufficient for every day errands — however the dimension, weight, and value are not possible to disregard. The talk turns into much less “is it good?” and extra “what would you like an M5 to be in 2025?” It’s a dialog that finally ends up circling round a well-known conclusion: the brand new M5 is unimaginable by itself phrases, even when it doesn’t really feel just like the M5 of 15 years in the past.

You possibly can hearken to the complete episode on all main podcast platforms, or watch the video model on YouTube (for the Mary Gold cameo).