The new generation BMW M2 recently blew one candle off its birthday cake. The rear-wheel drive premium subcompact sports coupe has proved its worth numerous times, though if it is one thing that we are still not fans of, it is the exterior design.
Leaving its predecessor's appealing styling behind, the latest BMW M2 has adopted a more angular look, which frankly doesn't do justice to it. Nonetheless, there is a good chance it will grow on us in a couple of years. After all, the larger M3 and M4 have only recently become more appealing with their oversized kidney grilles.
Looks aside, it is more powerful than the old M3 and M4. Under the hood sits a 3.0-liter straight-six with twin-turbocharging that yanks out 453 horsepower (459 ps/338 kW) and 406 pound-feet (550 Nm) of torque. That's 48 hp (49 ps/36 kW) more than the previous M2 Competition. With the eight-speed auto, it can hit 60 mph (97 kph) in 4.2 seconds, and it is a couple of tenths slower with the standard six-speed manual gearbox.
Its biggest rivals in the class, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Coupe and the Audi RS 3 Sedan, have two more doors. The former uses a 2.0-liter four-pot with 382 hp (387 ps/285 kW) and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque and is two-tenths quicker to sixty, whereas the latter enjoys the famous 2.5L five-banger, making 401 hp (407 ps/304 kW) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm). Audi Sport claims 3.6 seconds required for the sprint.
Photo: Instagram | anissadothings
The new BMW M2 has an MSRP of $63,200 in the United States. At $57,800, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Coupe is the most affordable of the three, and the Audi RS 3 Sedan slots between the two in terms of pricing, as it starts at $61,700, excluding destination.
Every petrolhead and their grandmother can tell you that the M2 is only offered as a two-door coupe. The German car brand has the tools to expand the family with additional body styles, but that doesn't mean that it will. In fact, the model will remain in this configuration until the end of its life, and it is possible that its successor might also come in this body style solely, even if it will likely be an EV.
Nonetheless, while the BMW M2 Convertible has no chance of happening, it already exists in the virtual realm. Signed by anissadothings, it features an electrically-operated roof that stows behind the rear seats in a special compartment. The rendering artist gave it a few other digital tweaks to elevate its presence, and we think it is an interesting proposal in the segment. But would you ever consider buying one if BMW made it happen? Or would you rather want them to turn it into a sedan?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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