The M2 is a different beast — it’s BMW’s Motorsport division at its best. It’s a compact coupe with a tall greenhouse and dimensions that recall two of the most iconic BMWs of all time: the 1968-’75 2002, and the original E30 M3. More recently, it also recalls the 2011-’12 1M coupe, the rare, 335 horsepower rear-wheel drive gem that instantly made most BMW fans’ “best of” lists.
That’s how we described the new BMW M2 when it was announced this past October, noting its differentiation from the currently-available M235i. The 1M, the car that preceded the current 2 Series, was cobbled together from the BMW parts bin and became, famously, one of Jeremy Clarkson’s favorite cars overnight. Though limited, the 1M was the best of old-world Bimmers despite its piecemeal nature — arguably what made it so perfect in the first place.
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BMW’s M2 Will Take a North American Bow at the Detroit Auto Show
Justin Lloyd-Miller Google+ Twitter MORE ARTICLES
December 30, 2015
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Source: BMW
The M2 is a different beast — it’s BMW’s Motorsport division at its best. It’s a compact coupe with a tall greenhouse and dimensions that recall two of the most iconic BMWs of all time: the 1968-’75 2002, and the original E30 M3. More recently, it also recalls the 2011-’12 1M coupe, the rare, 335 horsepower rear-wheel drive gem that instantly made most BMW fans’ “best of” lists.
That’s how we described the new BMW M2 when it was announced this past October, noting its differentiation from the currently-available M235i. The 1M, the car that preceded the current 2 Series, was cobbled together from the BMW parts bin and became, famously, one of Jeremy Clarkson’s favorite cars overnight. Though limited, the 1M was the best of old-world Bimmers despite its piecemeal nature — arguably what made it so perfect in the first place.
P90199692_highRes
Source: BMW
The M2, which will be making it’s North American landing at the North American International Auto Show next month, was formally designed on paper, with its own parts. It won’t have that cobbled-together personality of the 1M, but we’re not expecting it to be a sanitized mall parking ornament either.
“Its turbocharged 3.0 liter inline-six is rated at 370 horses, with 369 pound-feet of torque to keep you pushed back in your seat. Zero to 60 comes in 4.2 seconds, and top speed is electronically pegged at the BMW standard 155 miles per hour,” Derek Sapienza said. “Unlike the 1M’s manual-only setup, the M2’s mill can be mated to either a six-speed row-your-own borrowed from the M3 and M4, or a seven speed dual-clutch auto. Proving that the machines have already risen, the M2’s top zero to 60 comes with the DCT – for purists, the fastest you’ll ever be able to row through to 60 is 4.4 seconds,” he noted.
[“source-cheatsheet”]
