The M4 has moved so far upmarket that the BMW M2 – now in its 2nd generation – is comparatively closer in spirit to the brand’s iconic coupes from the Eighties and Nineties. Ciro De Siena drove a manual version of the new M2 in Arizona.
As we headed out on the highways of Phoenix, Arizona and into the nearby mountains to catch some twisties in the new, G87-generation M2, I felt a rush of excitement, because BMW furnished me with a manual version (a “stick-shift”, as they say here in the States) of the model to put through its paces.
Having said that, when you’re used to driving manual right-hand-drive cars, it’s a challenge to use your right hand to change gears in a left-hand-drive country; you select the next gear by shifting away from –as opposed to toward – you. It’s like, well, swapping your knife and fork and then trying to eat normally.
BMW owes much of its fan following to its compact sportscars of yesteryear and the new M2 has that classic ol’ configuration: it’s a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive compact coupe with an inline-6 petrol motor and a manual ‘box. It harks back to classic BMW models that don’t really exist anymore… Recent M3s and M4s have become sort of different beasts – they’re powerful, but they’re quite heavy too.
New BMW M2 – a big little car
So, the BMW M2 is the smallest M car in the Bavarian brand’s line-up. In reality, however, it’s not much smaller than the M4 and its sedan counterpart, the M3. The new M2’s wheelbase is only 110 mm shorter than that of the M4 and overall, the newcomer’s about 210 mm shorter than its bigger sibling.
However, when you stand in front of the new M2, its dimensions and design seem to shrink – it does appear to be a smaller car than the M4. Its cabin also feels like that of a smaller car…
The 2023 car is available in 5 colours, 2 of which are specific to the model. The example I drove was finished in one of those hues – Toronto Red – but there is also a new Zandvoort Blue, which, for me, does not work on this car. It’s like a matte colour and sort of reduces the impact of the M2’s lines and shoulder creases… It makes it look a bit weak, visually.
When this car was revealed, there was a lot of online chatter (which is usually the case when new BMWs get unveiled). Some disgruntled commentators said: “BMW didn’t get the styling right”, but they must just wait until they see an M2, clad in Toronto Red, with their own eyes. It may change their opinion.
Whereas the model’s suspension has, by and large, been carried over from the previous-gen car (along with extra reinforcement at the rear), the new BMW M2 has a much wider track than its predecessor. Consequently, the car feels more planted on the road and that bigger “footprint” definitely helps – it instils more confidence in the driver to explore the (rather heady) limits of the car’s performance.
Effectively a ‘baby M4’, engine-wise
Like its M3 and M4 siblings, the G87-generation BMW M2 has a twin-turbo 3.0-litre inline-6 petrol powerplant, but in a lower state of tune. Its peak outputs are 338 kW and 550 Nm, the latter of which is available for much of the engine’s rev range (from 2 650 rpm to 5 870 rpm, to be precise).
That means this car produces 66 kW and 36 kW more than the previous-gen single-turbo M2 and twin-turbo M2 Competition respectively. However, with a kerb weight of 1 730 kg (6-speed manual) or 1 754 kg (8-speed auto), the new M2 is notably heavier than the old M2 (1 495 kg) and M2 Competition (1 650 kg). Still, it’s claimed to be a 10th of a second faster from 0 to 100 kph (4.3 sec for the manual and 4.1 sec for the auto) than the latter.
Meanwhile, BMW has pretty much thrown the kitchen sink at the new M2; it comes equipped with electronically controlled dampers, as well as an active differential, which can create a locking effect of up to 100 per cent. Heck, it’s even got a drift analyser, for when you feel like shredding your tyres!
Keeping you on the black stuff are Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres – 20-inch items in the case of the M2 that I drove. And I suspect that the BMW technicians at the launch ensured that the cars’ tyres were “pumped hard” to extend the life of the “boots”, because I could feel every little thing on the road surface. If I drove over an ant, I could probably tell you what species it was from what it felt like through the M2’s tyres.
Peak power is developed at 6 250 rpm (the engine redlines at 7 200 rpm), but moreover, the model’s generous peak-torque band truly made its presence felt when I rifled through the 2nd-, 3rd- and 4th gears. Five hundred and fifty Newton metres is a lot of torque for a car of this size – bear in mind it’s rear-wheel drive only (not all-wheel drive, as is the case with its 285 kW/500 Nm M240i xDrive sibling).
Suffice it to say, the new BMW M2 demands a measure of driver skill and -attention that will satisfy some of the most discerning enthusiasts. When I drove the M2 quite enthusiastically, I could feel its tail-end “go light” on a few occasions – not alarmingly so, but enough to clearly convey where the limits were.
Still a hands-on, visceral sportscar
I love how BMW hasn’t tried to refine or sanitise the new M2 to the Nth degree… When you touch the 6-speed manual car’s gear knob while the vehicle is in motion, you can actually feel the machinations of the drivetrain through the palm of your hand. Perhaps the model’s steering is a bit dull (after all, you can’t expect all that much feedback from an electrically assisted setup), but it is, most certainly, accurate.
Interestingly, there are 2 levels of braking feel available (selectable via the iDrive menu) and, in the manual version of the M2, you get gear-shift assistance, which effectively rev-matches for you on downshifts and meters the way that the clutch engages with the flywheel.
For example, when I shifted down (from, say, 4th to 3rd), the M2 blipped its throttle. It sure wasn’t me: I can’t heel and toe, I’m not (Cars.co.za race ace) Ashley Oldfield… the car did it entirely by itself.
To its credit, BMW has taken the following position on its product line-up: “Electric vehicles (EVs) aren’t the only solution, we’re going to keep making great internal-combustion-engined (ICE) cars. We’re going to make them as efficient as possible and we’re going to make EVs, hybrids and hydrogen cars too.”
I really appreciate that BMW wants to give consumers a broad range of vehicles to choose from (everything from ICE cars – with or without electrification – to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles).
After all, the Munich-based carmaker has built its brand on visceral models, especially those that bear M badges – producing driver’s cars is one of its major selling points. BMW wants you to walk into one of its dealerships and spend R1.5 million so that you drive out to a winding country road and enjoy yourself.
Summary
Enjoyment – isn’t that exactly what BMW M cars are for? During the new M2’s launch in the States, the CEO of BMW’s M Division, Frank van Meel showed us a graph with a product timeline that went all the way to 2030. Then he proclaimed that BMW would keep producing great ICE cars all the way to 2030.
What’s more, I absolutely loved the experience of driving a modern high-powered car equipped with a manual ‘box. It seems an anachronism; manual sportscars are definitely dying out, that’s for sure.
When it arrives in South Africa in May, the new BMW M2 will come with the 8-speed automatic ZF transmission, but if you want a manual version, you will be able to place a special order with BMW SA.
The automatic is a brilliant ‘box – I can totally understand if you’d prefer it, especially if you intend to use this BMW as your “daily”, but just know this: A manual M2 is a pretty wonderful thing.
