Photo: BMW
Revealed with much pomp back in October 2020, the second-generation M2 was originally available to configure from £63,820 in the United Kingdom. That means $81,600 at current exchange rates. UK deliveries began last month.
As per the press release below, the smallest M car of the bunch now costs £64,890 or 82,960 freedom eagles. The bad news doesn't end here. Customers who specify the manual transmission – which is a prerequisite in a sporty coupe – need to shell out £454 for it. Modern torque-converter automatics like the ZF 8HP in the M2 are oftentimes more efficient.
In the M2, choosing the manual also translates to a higher OTR tax due to higher carbon dioxide emissions, which add to the amount charged for the first-year VED road tax. More specifically, the online configurator for the UK-spec M2 lists the manual with 228 grams per kilometer and the standard automatic with 220 grams per every driven kilometer.
In other words, the real pricing difference between the manual and automatic is 1,200 pounds sterling or 1,535 dollars. Quite funny how eco-minded legislation brought us here, but alas, European regulations can get pretty weird sometimes. Charging extra for a manual – which costs less to design and manufacture than an automatic – is rightfully offensive to car enthusiasts who remember that manuals were the norm.
Adding insult to injury, prospective customers will be appalled by the artificially limited top speed. We all expect an M vehicle to be as good as a BMW gets, but no. If you want to hit 177 miles per hour (285 kilometers per hour) instead of the standard 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour), then pony up a few more quid for the M Driver's Package.
On the upside, the carbon roof is standard. Adaptive headlights with high-beam assistance and Shadow Line dark inlays are standard as well, as are the M Sport leather seats, BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Live Cockpit Professional, BMW Curved Display, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
In regard to customization, there are five no-cost exterior colors and two finishes that add 1,995 pounds sterling to the tally. Those colors are BMW Individual Frozen Pure Grey and BMW Individual Frozen Blue Portimao. The interior is upholstered in Vernasca Black or Cognac leather, whereas Merino Black leather is exclusive to the fully electric and heated optional M carbon-fiber bucket seats.
Manufactured in Mexico alongside lesser variants of the 2 Series Coupe, the M2 features an M-specific derivative of the B58 engine. It's called S58, and in this application, it produces 460 ps and 550 Nm (453 horsepower and 405 pound-feet). In combination with the quicker-shifting automatic, the inline-six lump needs 4.1 seconds to propel the car to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour). As for fuel economy, expect up to 29.1 mpg UK (24.2 mpg US) on the combined cycle.
In the M2, choosing the manual also translates to a higher OTR tax due to higher carbon dioxide emissions, which add to the amount charged for the first-year VED road tax. More specifically, the online configurator for the UK-spec M2 lists the manual with 228 grams per kilometer and the standard automatic with 220 grams per every driven kilometer.
In other words, the real pricing difference between the manual and automatic is 1,200 pounds sterling or 1,535 dollars. Quite funny how eco-minded legislation brought us here, but alas, European regulations can get pretty weird sometimes. Charging extra for a manual – which costs less to design and manufacture than an automatic – is rightfully offensive to car enthusiasts who remember that manuals were the norm.
Adding insult to injury, prospective customers will be appalled by the artificially limited top speed. We all expect an M vehicle to be as good as a BMW gets, but no. If you want to hit 177 miles per hour (285 kilometers per hour) instead of the standard 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour), then pony up a few more quid for the M Driver's Package.
On the upside, the carbon roof is standard. Adaptive headlights with high-beam assistance and Shadow Line dark inlays are standard as well, as are the M Sport leather seats, BMW Parking Assistant, BMW Live Cockpit Professional, BMW Curved Display, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
In regard to customization, there are five no-cost exterior colors and two finishes that add 1,995 pounds sterling to the tally. Those colors are BMW Individual Frozen Pure Grey and BMW Individual Frozen Blue Portimao. The interior is upholstered in Vernasca Black or Cognac leather, whereas Merino Black leather is exclusive to the fully electric and heated optional M carbon-fiber bucket seats.
Manufactured in Mexico alongside lesser variants of the 2 Series Coupe, the M2 features an M-specific derivative of the B58 engine. It's called S58, and in this application, it produces 460 ps and 550 Nm (453 horsepower and 405 pound-feet). In combination with the quicker-shifting automatic, the inline-six lump needs 4.1 seconds to propel the car to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour). As for fuel economy, expect up to 29.1 mpg UK (24.2 mpg US) on the combined cycle.
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