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BMW M2 Makes Detroit Look like a Racetrack

We're aware that looking at the Cobo Hall arrangement and thinking what the best racing line between two booths would be is not normal, but when you see the BMW M2 in bare metal, it is.
BMW M2 live in Detroit 16 photos
Photo: Cory Wolfe
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Truth be told, many aficionados who have observed the dilution of BMW's go-fast aura over the recent years expected the M235i to change all that. We were among those aficionados, but the M Sport model just didn't have what it takes to bring you the kind of sheer driving thrills you get in an E36 M3, for instance.

Well, that pressure now sits on the shoulders fenders of the M2. Judging by how good the 430 hp M4 is, despite the grownup status it has achieved lately, we're expecting the M2 to be a bomb. And no, we didn't find the 1-Series M Coupe's "handfull" nature as ideal.

The Motorsport Division's proper take on the 2-Series packs a 3-liter turbocharged straight-six that churns out 365 hp and 343 lb-ft of twist. Just as importantly, you can order this with either a DCT or a six-speed manual.

Sure, going for the third pedal will make the 0 to 60 mph sprint time go from the DCT's 4.2 seconds to 4.4 seconds, but sometimes it's all about the way in which you reach the electronically governed 155 mph (250 km/h) top speed. Those of you who find that top speed as inappropriate can go for the optional M Driver's Package, which ups the ante to 168 mph (270 km/h).

For one thing, the M2 uses the M4's front and rear axles, while the Active M Differential is there to cope with your sideways mood.

In person, the body kit is even more aggressive than when you and the car are separated by a computer screen.

And while we can't travel back in time to the early 1970s when the BMW 2002 turbo, to which the M2 pays tribute, was born, a future where we get to sample this compact performer is just around the corner.

You can start looking for the M2 in dealerships across the US in April, but be sure to have at least $51,700 (plus destination and handling charges) available.
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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