The all-new BMW M2 has been showed and it gets rear-wheel drive and a manual.
When it comes to BMW models, the 2 Series is a little tough to understand. They use the ‘2’ family to sell very unrelated products. On the one hand, you have the 2 Series Gran Coupé – a 4-door sedan with frameless windows and the 2 Series Active Tourer – a compact MPV. These products are built on the UKL2 platform and have a transversely mounted engine for native front-wheel drive.
On the other hand, you have the 2 Series Coupé, which looks completely different and IS completely different because it’s built on the CLAR platform with a longitudinally mounted engine for native rear-wheel drive. Well, the 2 Series Coupé is now getting the full BMW M treatment for maximum performance with the all-new BMW M2.
The BMW M2 has been given a host of new design elements to go with the new performance enhancements.
Starting with the exterior, the new BMW M2 gets prominently flared side panels, skirts and arches, vertically-arranged reflectors, a spoiler lip and boot lid, a diffuser insert, quad exhaust tailpipes, large front aprons, a frameless black kidney grille with black horizontal bars, an optional carbon fibre roof, and redesigned bi-LED headlights.
19″ wheels come as standard, but these can be upgraded to 20″ wheels with track tyres. The BMW M2 is available in 5 exterior paint finishes, including 2 exclusive shades – Zandvoort Blue solid and Toronto Red metallic.
Under the hood, is the same 3.0L straight six M TwinPower Turbo petrol engine that’s found in the latest M3 and M4. It has a maximum output of 460 horsepower, making 90hp more than the previous M2 Coupé. Peak torque is 550Nm and the engine’s redline is 7,200rpm. Interestingly, BMW M have opted not to give the M2 all-wheel drive, which is available on the M240i model.
Sending power to the rear wheels is an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic and selector levers. An optional 6-speed manual is available with Gear Shift Assistant for rev matching. The automatic is a little faster to 100km/h from a standstill, taking just 4.1 seconds while the manual version does this in 4.3 seconds. Top speed is 250km/h, extendable to 285km/h with the M Driver’s Package.
Other performance enhancements include:
- M-specific exhaust system with electronically controlled flaps
- M Traction Control
- Active M Differential
- M suspension with electronically controlled dampers
- M Servotronic with variable ratio
- Dynamic Stability Control
- M Dynamic Mode
- M Compound brakes with six pistons in front, single piston at the rear
Inside, the BMW Curved Display has a unique set of graphics on the 12.3″ information and 14.9″ control display. A BMW Heads-up Display is optional and it features M-specific readouts. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard with a 5G antenna included and the system runs on BMW Operating System 8.
The front occupants get M Sport seats with Vernasca/Sensatec/Alcantara surfaces. Optional M Carbon bucket seats with carbon fibre reinforced plastic materials shaves 10.8kg from the total weight.
