What's the news?
One of the most eagerly awaited BMW M car ever has finally been revealed in full. The new M2 Coupé arrives with a turbocharged straight-six making 370hp, rear-wheel drive, lightweight suspension and much shared with its big brothers, the BMW M3 and M4 Coupé.
Exterior
There'll be no mistaking the M2 for an M235i, or any other BMW 2 Series Coupé for that matter. Gorgeous 19-inch alloys fill significantly enhanced arches, giving the M2 serious stance. They're complemented by a tiny boot spoiler, the M signature quad exhausts and aggressive new bumpers front and rear. Other M2-specific detailing includes badging in the side gills and restyled front grilles, but you won't need those to know you're looking at the fastest 2 Series money can buy.
Interior
Black leather sports seats with blue stitching sets the tone for the M2's cabin, which features M components everywhere you look, from the three-spoke steering wheel to the bespoke instruments and gear knob. Buyers that are particularly keen on track work should go for the optional ConnectedDrive Services, which opens up access to the M Laptimer app and another from GoPro, all controlled via the standard iDrive interface.
Mechanicals
Under the bonnet is a 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine. It's turbocharged, but unlike the twin-turbo M3/M4, it features a single blower, a twin scroll design. Some components are shared with the larger cars, but the M2 has its own oil and temperature control systems. Peak power is quoted as 370hp, produced at 6,500rpm, 500rpm before the rev limiter cuts in, while maximum torque of 465Nm is available all the way from 1,400- to 5,560rpm. What's more, an automatically controlled overboost function allows up to 500Nm for short bursts, between 1,450- and 4,750rpm. A six-speed manual gearbox featuring an automatic rev-matching function is standard on the M2, while the tried and tested seven-speed M DCT dual-clutch automatic is optional. The latter helps the car accelerate quicker with a 0-100km/h time of 4.3 seconds (as opposed to 4.5 seconds for the manual model). Both have electronically limited top speeds of 250km/h, though this can be raised to 270km/h if you pay for the M Driver's Package.
The BMW 2 Series Coupé's suspension has been completely replaced for the M2, taking more than a little inspiration from the M3/M4. Aluminium features front and rear to keep weight down, while BMW makes big claims for the structure's overall rigidity. High-performance 'M compound' brakes are fitted and the rear differential is an electronically controlled 'Active M' unit. The electric power steering has two assistance settings depending on which driving mode is selected by the driver.
Anything else?
You know owners of the BMW M2 are in for a treat when the PR people dedicated a whole section of the release to 'Drifts on the race track'. We have no doubt that, with 370hp, up to 500Nm of torque and that sophisticated rear differential, the M2 should be capable of long lurid skids - on the race track only of course. For those still learning such things there's the M Dynamic Mode built into the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system. A quick prod of the DSC button brings this into play, allowing more slip at the rear axle before the electronics save the day. In BMW's words: 'More significant oversteer and understeer are possible, as are moderate, controlled drifts'. Sounds like our kind of car.
BMW Ireland has confirmed that the new M2 Coupé will cost €78,370 on-the-road with a manual gearbox, or €78,916 with the M DCT automatic. We will review the car in February 2016 ahead of it going on sale.