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- Name
- Martin
Tough choice. M3 is more for less (family friendly practicality) but the M4's looks are sensational. Head over heart then - M3.
The BMW M2 is a high-performance version of the BMW 2 Series automobile developed by BMW's motorsport division, BMW M GmbH. As the 2 Series replaced the 1 Series coupé and convertible models, the first-generation M2 was marketed as the most basic M model in the range. Official website: BMW M
Tough choice. M3 is more for less (family friendly practicality) but the M4's looks are sensational. Head over heart then - M3.
Zafiro
Supreme Roadmaster
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nikola1984
Kraftkurve King
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AdvEvo
Diesel Dynamiker
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- 620
I was with BMW M in barcelona i have driven them all.
M2, M3 M4 competition and M5 M6 competition
M2 is by far the most fun. It s so much more agile and 370hp is enough to have fun. But no DCT for me. The shifting feels like an automatic gearbox it is to smooth and feels like you drive an automatic car. It s a M2 manual for me for sure!
M2, M3 M4 competition and M5 M6 competition
M2 is by far the most fun. It s so much more agile and 370hp is enough to have fun. But no DCT for me. The shifting feels like an automatic gearbox it is to smooth and feels like you drive an automatic car. It s a M2 manual for me for sure!
Rainer271
Kraftwagen König
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- Rainer
First Drive: 2016 BMW M2
– Detroit, Michigan
Cautiously optimistic. That’s how I started my week with the 2016 BMW M2, a car I was told would check all the right boxes and restore my faith in the M brand. Disheartened by the numb evolution of the once pure M3, I was told I’d find salvation in the 2’s size and on-road charm. That $52,000 starting price sounded pretty good, too.
Three days into my test I found myself staring at the M2 in my driveway, having just returned from a long, enthusiastic drive. Eyes locked on the wide, defined front fascia, I sighed and thought to myself, “Yep, you win.” This is the BMW I’ve been waiting for since the departure of the 1 Series M Coupe in 2011. This is what the M3 should have been. This is a proper return to form, and a reminder that the Bavarians still have the ability to churn out an Ultimate Driving Machine every now and then.
It starts with a good heart. The M2 employs BMW’s turbocharged, 3.0-liter inline-six with 365 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and an even more accessible 343 pound-feet of torque that smacks you in the ass at 1,500 rpm and stays strong all the way up to 5,560 revs. This means gobs of power are readily available at any speed, in any gear. Mash the throttle while cruising at 2,000 rpm in fifth gear and a wave of thrust will rocket you up into sixth and seventh gears. That’s assuming, of course, that the M2 is equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission tested here. A six-speed manual ‘box is available, with rev matching that can’t be disabled unless you turn off all the nannies. I hear good things, and I’m eager to row my own gears in this car at a later date.
Like all of BMW’s recent dual-clutch applications, the seven-speed DCT is really slick in the M2. Even in the standard Comfort driving mode, shifts are quick and seamless, whether you’ve left the transmission to its own devices or you’re swapping cogs yourself via the reverse-teardrop shifter or, even better, the steering wheel-mounted paddles. Left alone in Sport or Sport+ modes, the transmission holds gears during throttle fluctuations, and will run right up to redline when provoked. There’s a touch of weirdness when coming to a stop – you can feel the transmission clunkily shift into first gear after you’ve halted. But in motion, the DCT is a solid companion no matter your level of enthusiasm.
Without a proper test track to really wring it out, it’s hard to say exactly how this car feels at the limit. But the best M cars charm you with their everyday dynamics more than anything else. That’s another reason why the M2 earns high marks – whether you’re commuting up the highway or holding fourth gear along your favorite backroad, this car works with you, does what it’s told, and doesn’t require you to disable every single safety system just to encourage a little tail-happy fun.
The M2 uses a lightweight suspension system comprised mostly of aluminum, and this helps keep mass low. The DCT-equipped car tips the scales at 3,505 pounds, but choosing the manual transmission shaves 55 pounds off that weight. At no point does the M2 feel portly, like its ferocious power is compensating for big bones. Curiously, BMW’s M Adaptive suspension isn’t an option, even though you can fit it to the M235i. But that’s okay, because there aren’t any sore spots in the M2’s road manners, no matter the conditions. You feel everything the chassis is doing, but there’s enough give to soften big pavement imperfections. Credit where credit’s due: The Michelin Pilot Super Sport summer tires – 245/35ZR19 up front and 265/35ZR19 out back – are fat and grippy, even in the wet. During hard rain on a cold day, the back end will slide around, but it’s all fixable with a quick flick of the steering wheel. The best thing I can say is that the M2 genuinely feels small, and has all of the adjectives often associated with little turbo rockets. Nimble. Quick. Playful. Eager. It’s all here.
Speaking of steering, the M2 uses an electrically assisted setup, and while it’s not perfect, it’s one of BMW’s best applications of this technology. Anyone who’s complained about a lack of feel in the F30 3 Series range will understand my recent disappointment with BMW’s steering tuning – it’s bad in the M3 and M4, too. Thankfully, lifelessness isn’t a problem in the M2. Yes, it’s a little dead on center, but weight builds progressively and the level of communication never feels artificial. If there’s one steering-related complaint, it’s that the wheel itself, like any M- or M Sport-badged BMW, is too wide in diameter. (Monster-handed Bimmerphiles can ignore that last statement.)
That’s the only time I’ll complain about anything related to width with this car, though. The M2 looks properly butch – like an M235i that actually put work in at the gym rather than just paying for calf implants. The front and rear tracks are 2.5- and 2.6-inches wider than the M235i, respectively, and the overall car swells by 3.2 inches ear to ear. Every extra opening, cut line, and flare works to amp up the car’s visual energy, right down to the inset quad-exhaust pipes. And it all comes together as a complete, cohesive design statement. You might often mistake an M235i for a regular 228i, but you’ll never second-guess if that’s an M2 quickly approaching in your rearview mirror.
Moving inside, gone are some of the BMW-unbefitting plastics that are present in lesser 2 Series models, and small touches like the blue contrast stitching and carbon fiber trim look fantastic. Otherwise, it’s business as usual with the cabin. If you’ve been in any BMW over the past five or so years, you’ll feel right at home inside the M2.
The M2 comes incredibly well equipped, with sport seats that are comfortable and supportive, but don’t look nearly as cool as the chairs you get in the M3 and M4. As far as options go, there’s the $1,250 Executive Package that adds niceties like a heated steering wheel, rear-view camera, and automatic high beams, and opting for the DCT adds $2,900 to the M2’s bottom line. Everything else – navigation, xenon lights, 19-inch black wheels, heated seats, Harman/Kardon audio – comes standard on every M2. All in, you’re spending $57,395 for a loaded M2. Don’t think that’s a bargain? Consider the fact that I recently drove a 328i M Sport that cost nearly $60,000. Now tell me which one you’d rather have.
You’d be smart to pick the M2 over close-ish rivals like the Audi S3 and Mercedes-AMG CLA45, too. The S3 is way cheaper, sure, and has a more functional four-door shape, but it’s down 73 hp compared to the M2, and is a far less rewarding, visceral experience from behind the wheel. The CLA45 actually beats the M2 on power, with 375 hp, and while it’s good to drive, it’s fun in a sort of conservative, power-to-all-four-corners way. Plus, it’s more expensive when equipped like this M2. Go figure.
My big point here is that, lately, it seems like BMW M is more concerned with slapping its badge on anything with a slightly exaggerated fender flare (X4 M40i, anyone?) than making cars that are legitimately exciting. This top-shelf 2 Series is the proper M car I expect from a company that not that long ago gave the world the a host of other iconic machines – E30/E36/E46 M3, E39 M5, and Z3/Z4 M, as well as the absolutely stunning 1M Coupe.
Which reminds me, there’s a point of clarification I need to make. The M2 is not a successor to the 1M, and it doesn’t need to be. The 1 Series M served to showcase the best of M’s capabilities at that time, and was a limited-production monster that deserves its own special place in history. Some masterpieces don’t need to be topped. The fact that the M2 comes so damn close simply makes it a new, and lovely, piece of driver’s art.
2016 BMW M2 COUPE
ENGINE Turbocharged 3.0L I6
OUTPUT 365 Horsepower / 343 Pound-Feet
TRANSMISSION 7-Speed DCT
0-60 MPH 4.2 Seconds
TOP SPEED 155 MPH (Limited)
EPA FUEL ECONOMY 18 City / 26 Highway / 21 Combined
WEIGHT 3,505 Pounds
SEATING CAPACITY 4
CARGO VOLUME 10.0 Cubic Feet
BASE PRICE $51,700
AS-TESTED PRICE $57,395
Source: Worldcarfans
– Detroit, Michigan
Cautiously optimistic. That’s how I started my week with the 2016 BMW M2, a car I was told would check all the right boxes and restore my faith in the M brand. Disheartened by the numb evolution of the once pure M3, I was told I’d find salvation in the 2’s size and on-road charm. That $52,000 starting price sounded pretty good, too.
Three days into my test I found myself staring at the M2 in my driveway, having just returned from a long, enthusiastic drive. Eyes locked on the wide, defined front fascia, I sighed and thought to myself, “Yep, you win.” This is the BMW I’ve been waiting for since the departure of the 1 Series M Coupe in 2011. This is what the M3 should have been. This is a proper return to form, and a reminder that the Bavarians still have the ability to churn out an Ultimate Driving Machine every now and then.
It starts with a good heart. The M2 employs BMW’s turbocharged, 3.0-liter inline-six with 365 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and an even more accessible 343 pound-feet of torque that smacks you in the ass at 1,500 rpm and stays strong all the way up to 5,560 revs. This means gobs of power are readily available at any speed, in any gear. Mash the throttle while cruising at 2,000 rpm in fifth gear and a wave of thrust will rocket you up into sixth and seventh gears. That’s assuming, of course, that the M2 is equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission tested here. A six-speed manual ‘box is available, with rev matching that can’t be disabled unless you turn off all the nannies. I hear good things, and I’m eager to row my own gears in this car at a later date.
Like all of BMW’s recent dual-clutch applications, the seven-speed DCT is really slick in the M2. Even in the standard Comfort driving mode, shifts are quick and seamless, whether you’ve left the transmission to its own devices or you’re swapping cogs yourself via the reverse-teardrop shifter or, even better, the steering wheel-mounted paddles. Left alone in Sport or Sport+ modes, the transmission holds gears during throttle fluctuations, and will run right up to redline when provoked. There’s a touch of weirdness when coming to a stop – you can feel the transmission clunkily shift into first gear after you’ve halted. But in motion, the DCT is a solid companion no matter your level of enthusiasm.
Without a proper test track to really wring it out, it’s hard to say exactly how this car feels at the limit. But the best M cars charm you with their everyday dynamics more than anything else. That’s another reason why the M2 earns high marks – whether you’re commuting up the highway or holding fourth gear along your favorite backroad, this car works with you, does what it’s told, and doesn’t require you to disable every single safety system just to encourage a little tail-happy fun.
The M2 uses a lightweight suspension system comprised mostly of aluminum, and this helps keep mass low. The DCT-equipped car tips the scales at 3,505 pounds, but choosing the manual transmission shaves 55 pounds off that weight. At no point does the M2 feel portly, like its ferocious power is compensating for big bones. Curiously, BMW’s M Adaptive suspension isn’t an option, even though you can fit it to the M235i. But that’s okay, because there aren’t any sore spots in the M2’s road manners, no matter the conditions. You feel everything the chassis is doing, but there’s enough give to soften big pavement imperfections. Credit where credit’s due: The Michelin Pilot Super Sport summer tires – 245/35ZR19 up front and 265/35ZR19 out back – are fat and grippy, even in the wet. During hard rain on a cold day, the back end will slide around, but it’s all fixable with a quick flick of the steering wheel. The best thing I can say is that the M2 genuinely feels small, and has all of the adjectives often associated with little turbo rockets. Nimble. Quick. Playful. Eager. It’s all here.
Speaking of steering, the M2 uses an electrically assisted setup, and while it’s not perfect, it’s one of BMW’s best applications of this technology. Anyone who’s complained about a lack of feel in the F30 3 Series range will understand my recent disappointment with BMW’s steering tuning – it’s bad in the M3 and M4, too. Thankfully, lifelessness isn’t a problem in the M2. Yes, it’s a little dead on center, but weight builds progressively and the level of communication never feels artificial. If there’s one steering-related complaint, it’s that the wheel itself, like any M- or M Sport-badged BMW, is too wide in diameter. (Monster-handed Bimmerphiles can ignore that last statement.)
That’s the only time I’ll complain about anything related to width with this car, though. The M2 looks properly butch – like an M235i that actually put work in at the gym rather than just paying for calf implants. The front and rear tracks are 2.5- and 2.6-inches wider than the M235i, respectively, and the overall car swells by 3.2 inches ear to ear. Every extra opening, cut line, and flare works to amp up the car’s visual energy, right down to the inset quad-exhaust pipes. And it all comes together as a complete, cohesive design statement. You might often mistake an M235i for a regular 228i, but you’ll never second-guess if that’s an M2 quickly approaching in your rearview mirror.
Moving inside, gone are some of the BMW-unbefitting plastics that are present in lesser 2 Series models, and small touches like the blue contrast stitching and carbon fiber trim look fantastic. Otherwise, it’s business as usual with the cabin. If you’ve been in any BMW over the past five or so years, you’ll feel right at home inside the M2.
The M2 comes incredibly well equipped, with sport seats that are comfortable and supportive, but don’t look nearly as cool as the chairs you get in the M3 and M4. As far as options go, there’s the $1,250 Executive Package that adds niceties like a heated steering wheel, rear-view camera, and automatic high beams, and opting for the DCT adds $2,900 to the M2’s bottom line. Everything else – navigation, xenon lights, 19-inch black wheels, heated seats, Harman/Kardon audio – comes standard on every M2. All in, you’re spending $57,395 for a loaded M2. Don’t think that’s a bargain? Consider the fact that I recently drove a 328i M Sport that cost nearly $60,000. Now tell me which one you’d rather have.
You’d be smart to pick the M2 over close-ish rivals like the Audi S3 and Mercedes-AMG CLA45, too. The S3 is way cheaper, sure, and has a more functional four-door shape, but it’s down 73 hp compared to the M2, and is a far less rewarding, visceral experience from behind the wheel. The CLA45 actually beats the M2 on power, with 375 hp, and while it’s good to drive, it’s fun in a sort of conservative, power-to-all-four-corners way. Plus, it’s more expensive when equipped like this M2. Go figure.
My big point here is that, lately, it seems like BMW M is more concerned with slapping its badge on anything with a slightly exaggerated fender flare (X4 M40i, anyone?) than making cars that are legitimately exciting. This top-shelf 2 Series is the proper M car I expect from a company that not that long ago gave the world the a host of other iconic machines – E30/E36/E46 M3, E39 M5, and Z3/Z4 M, as well as the absolutely stunning 1M Coupe.
Which reminds me, there’s a point of clarification I need to make. The M2 is not a successor to the 1M, and it doesn’t need to be. The 1 Series M served to showcase the best of M’s capabilities at that time, and was a limited-production monster that deserves its own special place in history. Some masterpieces don’t need to be topped. The fact that the M2 comes so damn close simply makes it a new, and lovely, piece of driver’s art.
2016 BMW M2 COUPE
ENGINE Turbocharged 3.0L I6
OUTPUT 365 Horsepower / 343 Pound-Feet
TRANSMISSION 7-Speed DCT
0-60 MPH 4.2 Seconds
TOP SPEED 155 MPH (Limited)
EPA FUEL ECONOMY 18 City / 26 Highway / 21 Combined
WEIGHT 3,505 Pounds
SEATING CAPACITY 4
CARGO VOLUME 10.0 Cubic Feet
BASE PRICE $51,700
AS-TESTED PRICE $57,395
Source: Worldcarfans
nikola1984
Kraftkurve King
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- 1,512
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Agh, too scare to put the Focus RS in the game
Yes, would love to see a M2 vs Focus RS vs GT350 comparison. Those 3 are the most promising fun but still practical cars of this year.
Zafiro
Supreme Roadmaster
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I think it's still on its delivery blocks.
As for the colour. It looks very nice IMHO.
nikola1984
Kraftkurve King
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- 1,512
Rainer271
Kraftwagen König
- Messages
- 11,060
- Name
- Rainer
Technical Comparison: BMW M2 vs M235i
We’ve asked the question before, if the BMW M2 was the best deal in the Bavarian lineup, as it doesn’t cost much more than an M235i and comes with a lot more performance. However, we wonder if it’s actually true, does the BMW M2 represent a better value over its litter brother just because it has a slightly faster 0-60 mph time? Australian publication, Car Advice, has taken a closer look at the two cars, underneath their skin, to see if the BMW M2 actually does pack more tech, hardware and equipment than the M235i.
Admittedly, BMW offers a BMW M2 Pure Manual variant in Australia, so the pricing is a little bit different, as that car comes very unequipped compared to our base model M2 and costs very little over the M235i. However, having said that we’re going to just take a look at the differences in equipment and hardware and see if the BMW M2 is worth the premium over the M235i.
Under the hood of both cars lies a version of the N55 3.0 liter turbocharged engine that uses one twin-scroll turbocharger (TwinPower in BMW speak). In the M235i, power is at 320 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. In the BMW M2, power is bumped up to 365 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The reason for the bump in power is that the BMW M2 gets the pistons and crankshaft bearings from the BMW M3/M4 and also their valvetronic variable valve timing system. The BMW M2 also received an upgraded cooling and oil sump system. All of this adds the extra power to the M2 engine, making it more than just the M235i engine with some added turbo boost. All of this allows the BMW M2 to get from 0-60 a couple of seconds faster than the M235i. So, as far as the engine goes, the M2 does offer more.
Both cars come with a the option of a six-speed manual gearbox or with an automatic transmissions. But when the automatics are equipped, things get a bit different. Firstly, the M235i comes with an eight-speed automatic as standard equipment and the six-speed manual is a no-cost option. So the M235i customer basically has a free choice of gearbox. In the M2, the manual is standard and the seven-speed DCT, the same dual-clutch transmission as in the M3 and M4, is a $2,900 option. So, it gets a bit complicated because while the M235i’s automatic is a no-cost option, the M2’s automatic is a better gearbox. So this one’s a wash.
As far as suspension, chassis and steering go, the BMW M2 has the M235i beat. Firstly, the steering rack and both subframes have been borrowed from the BMW M4, for M2 duty. This gives the BMW M2 a much more sophisticated suspension and steering than the M235i and it shows during hard handling. The BMW M2 is much more composed and is the better handling car. However, the M2’s suspension, its shocks and springs, are non-adjustable, making the ride a bit firm under normal conditions. The M235i has the option for adaptive suspension, allowing it to become a comfortable cruiser when it wants to be. However, the real kicker is that the BMW M2 comes with the electronically-controlled M rear differential, something that’s no longer an option on the M235i. So the M2’s more sophisticated suspension and much better differential give it the engine in terms of chassis and suspension.
On the inside, not much changes from the M235i to the M2. In fact, there are far more options of the M235i’s interior, making it the nicer cabin of the two. Having said that, the M2 does come with a lot of standard equipment that’s option on the M235i. Things like navigation, heated seats and carbon fiber trim are as-standard equipment on the M2, while those are all options on the M235i. However, the baby brother does have a moonroof as standard, while the M2 does not even have the option, for weight saving purposes. So this one’s a bit of a wash as well, being that what the M2 comes with as-standard, the M235i makes up for in more optional luxury and equipment.
All in all, the BMW M2 doesn’t cost much more than the M235i and it would cost less to get one over an equally equipped M235i. The BMW M2 also gets suspension and technology bits from more expensive M cars. So as far as pure value/dollar goes, the BMW M2 is the better deal. Is it better for everyone? No, because of its lack of options and limited color scheme. But if someone is looking for performance and driving dynamics over options, the BMW M2 is the clear choice.
Source: BMWBlog
We’ve asked the question before, if the BMW M2 was the best deal in the Bavarian lineup, as it doesn’t cost much more than an M235i and comes with a lot more performance. However, we wonder if it’s actually true, does the BMW M2 represent a better value over its litter brother just because it has a slightly faster 0-60 mph time? Australian publication, Car Advice, has taken a closer look at the two cars, underneath their skin, to see if the BMW M2 actually does pack more tech, hardware and equipment than the M235i.
Admittedly, BMW offers a BMW M2 Pure Manual variant in Australia, so the pricing is a little bit different, as that car comes very unequipped compared to our base model M2 and costs very little over the M235i. However, having said that we’re going to just take a look at the differences in equipment and hardware and see if the BMW M2 is worth the premium over the M235i.
Under the hood of both cars lies a version of the N55 3.0 liter turbocharged engine that uses one twin-scroll turbocharger (TwinPower in BMW speak). In the M235i, power is at 320 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque. In the BMW M2, power is bumped up to 365 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The reason for the bump in power is that the BMW M2 gets the pistons and crankshaft bearings from the BMW M3/M4 and also their valvetronic variable valve timing system. The BMW M2 also received an upgraded cooling and oil sump system. All of this adds the extra power to the M2 engine, making it more than just the M235i engine with some added turbo boost. All of this allows the BMW M2 to get from 0-60 a couple of seconds faster than the M235i. So, as far as the engine goes, the M2 does offer more.
Both cars come with a the option of a six-speed manual gearbox or with an automatic transmissions. But when the automatics are equipped, things get a bit different. Firstly, the M235i comes with an eight-speed automatic as standard equipment and the six-speed manual is a no-cost option. So the M235i customer basically has a free choice of gearbox. In the M2, the manual is standard and the seven-speed DCT, the same dual-clutch transmission as in the M3 and M4, is a $2,900 option. So, it gets a bit complicated because while the M235i’s automatic is a no-cost option, the M2’s automatic is a better gearbox. So this one’s a wash.
As far as suspension, chassis and steering go, the BMW M2 has the M235i beat. Firstly, the steering rack and both subframes have been borrowed from the BMW M4, for M2 duty. This gives the BMW M2 a much more sophisticated suspension and steering than the M235i and it shows during hard handling. The BMW M2 is much more composed and is the better handling car. However, the M2’s suspension, its shocks and springs, are non-adjustable, making the ride a bit firm under normal conditions. The M235i has the option for adaptive suspension, allowing it to become a comfortable cruiser when it wants to be. However, the real kicker is that the BMW M2 comes with the electronically-controlled M rear differential, something that’s no longer an option on the M235i. So the M2’s more sophisticated suspension and much better differential give it the engine in terms of chassis and suspension.
On the inside, not much changes from the M235i to the M2. In fact, there are far more options of the M235i’s interior, making it the nicer cabin of the two. Having said that, the M2 does come with a lot of standard equipment that’s option on the M235i. Things like navigation, heated seats and carbon fiber trim are as-standard equipment on the M2, while those are all options on the M235i. However, the baby brother does have a moonroof as standard, while the M2 does not even have the option, for weight saving purposes. So this one’s a bit of a wash as well, being that what the M2 comes with as-standard, the M235i makes up for in more optional luxury and equipment.
All in all, the BMW M2 doesn’t cost much more than the M235i and it would cost less to get one over an equally equipped M235i. The BMW M2 also gets suspension and technology bits from more expensive M cars. So as far as pure value/dollar goes, the BMW M2 is the better deal. Is it better for everyone? No, because of its lack of options and limited color scheme. But if someone is looking for performance and driving dynamics over options, the BMW M2 is the clear choice.
Source: BMWBlog
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I saw the Alpine White M2 at Geneva, and the carbon bits looked good. Stripes not.
For some reason these carbon bits don't suit Long Beach Blue.
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- 1,894
@Betty Swollocks
What colour will your new purchase be?
What colour will your new purchase be?
Similar threads
BMW M
BMW M GmbH, formerly known as BMW Motorsport GmbH, is a subsidiary of
BMW AG that manufactures high-performance luxury cars. BMW M ("M" for "motorsport")
was initially created to facilitate BMW's racing program, which was very successful
in the 1960s and 1970s. As time passed, BMW M began to supplement BMW's vehicle
portfolio with specially modified higher trim models, for which they are now most
known by the general public. These M-badged cars traditionally include modified engines,
transmissions, suspensions, interior trims, aerodynamics, and exterior modifications
to set them apart from their counterparts. All M models are tested and tuned at BMW's
private facility at the Nürburgring racing circuit in Germany.
Official website: BMW M
Official website: BMW M
