BMW's last purely internal combustion M car is the M2. Essentially the more compact sibling of the M4, this fellow is rocking a detuned version of the S58 engine that powers the standard and Competition-spec M4.
Based on the road-going B58 of the M240i, the S58 produces 453 horsepower at 6,250 revolutions per minute and 406 pound-feet (550 Nm) at 2,600 through 5,950 revolutions per minute. Said numbers are developed at the crankshaft, and if you know your Bimmers well, you also know that BMW underrates both the B58 and S58. The force-fed sixer of the G87 in the featured clip is no exception, with IND Distribution clocking more power and torque at the wheels than the Bavarian automaker guarantees at the crankshaft.
The Illinois-based company published three pulls on its YouTube channel, with the second pull being the most interesting of the bunch. The DynoJet dynamometer estimates 464.59 horsepower at 6,910 revolutions per minute and 412.85 pound-feet (560 Nm) at 3,050 revolutions per minute, which is pretty darn fine. It should be noted that IND Distribution takes into consideration a drivetrain loss of 15 percent, although the losses may actually be lower. In any case, there's no denying that BMW still underrates the S58 engine.
The G87 was also weighed to see if BMW lied about its curb weight as well. Popping the car onto the scales with three-quarters of a tank of high-octane dinosaur juice in the fuel tank revealed 3,758 pounds (1,705 kilograms). The car in the clip below is equipped with the carbon-fiber roof and the standard seats. BMW says that the M2 actually weighs 3,814 pounds (1,730 kilograms).
Arguably the most exciting M car in production today, the G87 is available with either a manual transmission or a torque-converter automatic. BMW got rid of the previous generation's dual-clutch transmission due to the switch to the CLAR platform, which was designed with the ZF 8HP in mind. The M xDrive all-wheel-drive system was also designed for ZF's long-running automatic, which premiered in the F01/F02 7er.
Joined at the hip to the M3, M4, M5, and M8 for that matter, the M2 is the only one of these sporty machines not to feature M xDrive. Rumors that BMW has not denied are suggesting M xDrive for a future variant, but for the time being, rear-wheel drive will suffice.
Now produced in Mexico rather than Germany, the M2 carries a sticker price of $62,200 as opposed to $77,000 – sans destination charge – for the M4. It hits 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) from a standstill in as little as 3.9 seconds with the ZF-supplied auto.
Costing $2,500 at press time, the M Driver's Package unlocks a higher top speed, which is a bit uncanny given that the M2 is a high-performance car. It reaches 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour) as standard, whereas the M Driver's Package increased the top speed to 177 miles per hour (285 kilometers per hour).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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