Of course – the purists are celebrating that the M2 is again available with a manual transmission. Unfortunately, the better package is the standard version with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s simply better, faster and, of course, more comfortable than the classic shift stick, which still seems to be popular with some customers in the USA. If you absolutely want your right hand to have more to do than operating the steering wheel and windshield wiper while driving briskly, you can treat yourself to the handset in any case. The better choice is the almost perfect package of supercharged in-line six-cylinder with its atmospheric humming 338 kW / 460 hp and the eight-speed automatic transmission that has been doing its job so magnificently from ZF for years. Because anyone who thinks that the manual transmission is what makes sporty driving is unlikely to have been truly sporty in manual mode. But the chubby BMW M2 of the latest design is a real ideal choice for this.
For years it has been proclaimed that the BMW M2 is the legitimate successor to the former M3 idea of compact dimensions, beefy design and lots of sportiness. In view of the dimensions that have grown over the decades, one can hardly seriously contradict that, because the rear-wheel-drive sports two-seater is 21 centimeters shorter than its big M4 brother. Uncomfortable side effect: unfortunately, over the years, this has not only applied to dimensions and weight, but especially to the price. At an impressive 72,800 euros, the M2 basic package already scratches the old M3/M4 spheres. There is, without exaggeration, a terrific driving machine, which is indeed driven by turbo boost to those top performances that can be experienced, but does without superfluous cylinder decimation and electric boost; certainly in their last generation. Anyone looking for such a puristic driving machine for the empty mountain roads on Sunday mornings should therefore strike quickly. Because despite all the dynamics, the suitability for everyday use in the new BMW M2 is not neglected.
The overall package of the 4.58 meter long two-door car is extremely sporty and tight – bordering on the tolerable hardness. If you switch to the freely selectable sport modes, you get more power, more speed before changing gears and a longer leash when having fun cornering. The steering response is spectacular; the overall tuning with the balanced weight distribution of 50:50 is significantly sportier than with an everyday vehicle. If you often drive on long stretches of motorway, you should probably switch to a BMW M340i, which is in a similar price range and has better handling qualities and all-wheel drive. The M2 loves the twisty hooks, the sharp turns and the hot climbs, safe in the knowledge that the descent should be even quicker on the other side of the hill. Here the M2 is a hot driving machine with a great stay value, perfect seats, a grandiose steering and a drive package that hardly seems to increase in this league thanks to the committed 550 Nm of torque. Nevertheless, it is not a lightweight, because almost 1.8 tons is heavier than ever compared to the former thought of an M3. He can hardly overplay that. After all, two people can sit very comfortably and in the rear there is space for two more small occupants if necessary. It is therefore better to use this space for small luggage and jackets if the 390 liter cargo space is not sufficient.
The stately 338 kW / 460 hp are enough for an irrelevant image spurt from 0 to 100 km/h in little more than four seconds and a top speed that can only be increased from 250 to 285 km/h on special request with the Racetrack package with carbon roof and bucket seats . If you want to do it in manual transmission mode, the six-cylinder engine installed in the sports coupé from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, can rev up sonorously up to 7,200 rpm and only then switch up further. If you don’t want to turn the leather steering wheel alone, but also want to play, you can do so extensively on the two digital displays with 12.3 and 14.9 inch diagonals and, if you wish, you can also make special settings on the two red-colored buttons on the non-slip sports control place. Then there is another atmospheric second helping – more of this, please!
