AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 37B
MW’s M division cars have
been somewhat hit and
miss in recent years — epic on
a track, but not so enjoyable
in day-to-day driving,
where their overreliance on
electronics produces a remote,
uninvolving driving experience
amplifi ed by artifi cially
weighted steering, constipated
twin-clutch gearboxes and
a frustrating inability to get
power to the ground.
Well, BMW has certainly seen
and remedied the errors of its
ways with the M2.
It starts at $99,900 for the six-
speed manual “M2 Competition
Pure” edition and $104,900 for the
fully loaded Competition. A seven-
speed twin clutch M-DCT gearbox
is a no cost option on both.
The $5000 premium also buys
electrically adjustable heated
seats, leather/Alcantara
upholstery, 12 speaker Harman
Kardon audio and adaptive
headlights.
The M2 is not exactly cheap
— it’s about $20,000 dearer than
the Audi RS3 and Mercedes A45
AMG — but it’s still the most
affordable model in the BMW M
range. And, quite possibly, also
the best. At last, here is an M
model in which you can access all
of its performance.
The M2 gets the twin
turbocharger version of the
S55 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder
found in the M4, with 302kW and
550Nm of torque and a upgraded
chassis to match. The M2 engine
loses 29kW compared with the
M4, but torque is the same.
BMW claims a 0-100km/h time
of 4.2 seconds for both versions,
which is just 0.2 seconds slower
than the M4 Competition and
the same as Mercedes’ claim
for the A45 AMG. Steering,accelerator, transmission and
stability control responsiveness
can be adjusted to individual
preferences and accessed via
M1 or M2 buttons on the wheel.
Performance-car makers
talk breathlessly about weight
distribution even though they could
be telling us a pile of bunkum.
But the M2 is the fi rst car in
which I could truly feel what they
were talking about. With a 50:50
split, it’s like a giant sled with a
lot of grip and a lot of power.
It gels superbly with the
precise steering.
Go too hot into a corner and
you can feel it start to run
wide long before you’re in any
serious trouble.
Back off the throttle just a
fraction and the nose tucks in
immediately without upsetting
the rear of the car. It’s beautiful.
The brakes are super-sensitive
in stop-start traffi c, but they’reabsolutely glorious when you
need them most.
The cabin has a high-quality
feel. The M Sport seats are snug
and adjust every which way.
The faux carbon fi bre weave in
the trim on the doors and dash
makes you want to run your
fi ngers over the texture. BMW’s
latest iDrive6 infotainment
system is standard.
If I were to be nit-picky, it
needs a bigger digital speed
display, the sun visors need to
extend to stop side glare on the
long doors, radar cruise control
would help take the grind out
of long trips and automatic
emergency braking works only
at low speeds.
If they’re the harshest
criticisms I can come up with, it’s
safe to say the BMW M2 is close
to performance car perfection.
Insert “future classic” cliché here.By Joshua DowlingBMW M2 FROM $99,900
Safety
Not yet tested
PerformanceHandlingQuality and reliabilityComfort and refi nementValue for money
OverallSTARS
THINGS WE LIKE
You can use all the power
you have paid for
Superb balance and mind-
boggling grip
Precise steering
Looks like a real M car
The price is rightTHINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE
Digital speedo display is too small
Needs longer sun visors to block
side glare
No automatic emergency braking
or radar cruise controlSPEX (Pure DCT)
Made in Germany
3.0-litre six-cylinder turbopetrol/
seven-speed DCT/rear-wheel drive
302kW of power from
5250-7000rpm/550Nm of torque
from 2350–5200rpm
0–100km/h in 4.3 seconds (claimed)
9.2L/100km combined; 98 octane
premium; CO 2 emissions are 209g/
km
Warranty: Three years/unlimited
kilometres
Standard: Six airbags, stability
control, Bluetooth with voice
control, navigation, digital
radio, rear camera, mechanical
limited slip differential, bi-xenon
headlights, leather upholstery,
19-inch alloys with 245/35 front
and 265/35 rear tyres, tyre
pressure monitoring, alarm
Redbook future values: 3yr:
50%; 5yr: 36%compare with ...
Audi RS3, Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG,
Porsche Cayman, VW Golf R