BMW's M2 has received tons of praise, with the beefed-up 2er even risking to steal some of the M4's shine. Still, BMW Motorsport engineers ensured the performance gap between the two is large enough to prevent cannibalization. But what happens when the M2 is pitted against the previous-generation M3?
We've brought you a video that offers the answer to such a question, with the clip offering us a drag race between an M2 with a DCT (dual-clutch) tranny going up against an E90 (this is the sedan version) M3, which also comes with a DCT.
The two Ms battled it out on an airfield runway and, despite the similar rear-wheel-drive DCT configurations, they went for a rolling start.
When it comes to the power-to-weight ratio, the M3 has the advantage, with its naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V8, which produces 420 hp, allowing the car to deliver 4.3 kg per hp. As for the M2, its turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six produces 370 ponies, which means the coupe comes offers 4.5 kg per hp.
Nevertheless, the forced induction torque means the M2 dominates the M3, packing 367 -ft (500 Nm) against the V8's 295 lb-ft (400 Nm). Oh, and let's not forget that the M2's gearbox is sharper.
When it comes to the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint, the BMW M2 can complete the task in 4.3 seconds, while the M3 needs an extra 0.4s for the job. Nevertheless, in the quarter mile adventure, both cars deliver 12.7s runs, so, as you can imagine, the race we have here will be an overly tight one.
We don't want to ruin the fun of the clip below by throwing too many spoilers at you, so we'll end by mentioning the result was not a draw. And, fortunately for the aural side of the video, the V8 machine was the one used as a camera car for this straight line stunt.
The two Ms battled it out on an airfield runway and, despite the similar rear-wheel-drive DCT configurations, they went for a rolling start.
When it comes to the power-to-weight ratio, the M3 has the advantage, with its naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V8, which produces 420 hp, allowing the car to deliver 4.3 kg per hp. As for the M2, its turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six produces 370 ponies, which means the coupe comes offers 4.5 kg per hp.
Nevertheless, the forced induction torque means the M2 dominates the M3, packing 367 -ft (500 Nm) against the V8's 295 lb-ft (400 Nm). Oh, and let's not forget that the M2's gearbox is sharper.
When it comes to the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint, the BMW M2 can complete the task in 4.3 seconds, while the M3 needs an extra 0.4s for the job. Nevertheless, in the quarter mile adventure, both cars deliver 12.7s runs, so, as you can imagine, the race we have here will be an overly tight one.
We don't want to ruin the fun of the clip below by throwing too many spoilers at you, so we'll end by mentioning the result was not a draw. And, fortunately for the aural side of the video, the V8 machine was the one used as a camera car for this straight line stunt.