Despite the seemingly endless stream of niche-market crossovers, BMW still cares about enthusiasts. Need proof?
It’s called the BMW M2, the long-rumoured M addition to the 2 Series family. Yes, we’ve had the M235i since 2014, but that isn’t a full-blown M car. The M2 is a different animal; it’s the honest-to-goodness throwback to BMW’s heyday enthusiasts have been anxiously awaiting.
2016 BMW M2
Handout, BMW
The M2 shares it’s 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine with many models in the BMW family, but in this application, it’s tuned to produce 370 horsepower and 343 lb.-ft. of torque – alough an ‘overboost’ mode cranks that torque figure up to 369 lb.-ft. for a handful of seconds.
Unlike its predecessor, the 1M Coupe, the 2016 M2 is available with both six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions. Opt for the manual and the M2 sprints from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, while the dual-clutch automatic cuts down that sprint time to 4.3 seconds. The M2 tops out at an electronically-limited 250 km/h, but ticking the M Driver’s Package box nudges top speed to 270 km/h.
2016 BMW M2
Handout, BMW
Aside from the upgrades under the hood, the M2 wears 19-inch wheels and stickier Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires all around. Behind the front wheels are four-piston brake calipers with 15-inch rotors, while the rear sports two-piston calipers and 14.5-inch discs. On the outside, the M2 definitely backs up its high-performance claims with more aggressive styling, wider fenders and a quad-exhaust setup.
Pricing details are still under wraps; expect BMW to announce them closer to the 2016 M2’s official launch. In the meantime, feast on this tidbit of information: the M2 laps the Nürburgring in seven minutes and 58 seconds – faster than the previous-generation M3.
