Late last night, BMW revealed the all new M2 Coupé, which has a straight-six engine, 454bhp and a manual gearbox option. This is now the second generation of the car and will actually rue be the final pure-combustion M car. The last generation was critically acclaimed for its handling, driving performance and power. The new car takes it up a live, with more power and performance in every measurable level.
The first generation BMW M2 was the best selling M car in the lineup the company has ever had, which was discontinued in 2020 and amassed 60,000 sales globally. The M2 sits at the start of the range for the performance M cars, just below the M3 and M4 and comes around two years after the old M2 was discontinued.
For the time being, BMW will only be offering the M2 with one engine option, but also with a choice of either an automatic or a manual gearbox. BMW is expected to launch an M2 CSL later on, which based on previous CSL models will have even more power and sacrifice some on-road comfort for a more track focused product. Powering the M2 is the same 3.0-litre straight six from the M3 and M4, here it has 454bhp and 406lb ft of torque.
0-60mph is handled in 4.1 seconds and is limited to 155mph on the top end. BMW engineers have, for the first time offered the M2 with a manual gearbox, which is something to be said for the M3 and M4, which are offered with a manual stick in Europe but not here in the UK. Van Meel, BMW CEO has said he had to have various discussions within BMW to decide whether or not to offer the new M2 with a manual, considering it slows down the 0-60 time by 0.2 seconds, but there are a lot of customers who expect to have a manual option.
The BMW M2 has 19-inch alloys on the front and 20-inch on the rear, but if needed it can be increased by 1-inch all round, as an option. Other options include a carbonfibre roof, carbonfibre bucket seats and the removal of the speed limiter, taking it from 155mph all the way up to 177mph.
BMW will put the new M2 on sale here in the UK in May 2023, with prices starting at £61,495.
