Photo: BMW
Recently, BMW unveiled the so-called BMW M235i Racing car destined for private cars to be used in various motorsport events throughout the world. Whilst this amazing piece of machinery looks amazing and sounds great (based on the announced specs), I’m not really sure it is what we think it is.
Let me explain myself. Before the M235i came around, there was another small Coupe from BMW that was tearing up asphalt around the world and giving reviewers nightmares or sweet dreams, depending on the case. Rumor has it that a lot of BMW’s management at the time wanted this model to be used in motorsport. They huffed and puffed but nothing happened in the end.
However, the short production run and indecisiveness of the team (initially announcing only 2,000 units to be built and then raising the stakes at 6,331) made a motorsport career impossible for the little Coupe.
Now, with the M235i, the Germans seem to say “Sorry” for what happened earlier. The new model uses bespoke, off-the-shelf parts and a master-crafted chassis to destroy its competition on the track. At least that’s what I think and hope the next ‘Racing’ model will be.
However, the M235i also brought bad news with it. It seems counter productive and almost impossible to launch a proper M car in the 2 Series segment right now. Therefore an M2 is out of the question if you ask me. Where would it fit, anyway?
If you give it the 3-liter S55 engine from the new M3 and M4 you take away their glory, as the 2er will prove to be even more nimble and agile on the track. In the mean time, you have the 322 HP unit from the M235i and that’s another problem. You have to find middle ground and that’s going to be hard to do.
I can, however, see a 360 HP 3-liter unit being fitted to an M-modified chassis of a 2 Series taking on the A45 AMG in the future. That would be the only solution for an M2 and it would probably be brilliant. Unfortunately, the chances of such a car showing up are slimmer than the average Somalian.
However, the short production run and indecisiveness of the team (initially announcing only 2,000 units to be built and then raising the stakes at 6,331) made a motorsport career impossible for the little Coupe.
Now, with the M235i, the Germans seem to say “Sorry” for what happened earlier. The new model uses bespoke, off-the-shelf parts and a master-crafted chassis to destroy its competition on the track. At least that’s what I think and hope the next ‘Racing’ model will be.
However, the M235i also brought bad news with it. It seems counter productive and almost impossible to launch a proper M car in the 2 Series segment right now. Therefore an M2 is out of the question if you ask me. Where would it fit, anyway?
If you give it the 3-liter S55 engine from the new M3 and M4 you take away their glory, as the 2er will prove to be even more nimble and agile on the track. In the mean time, you have the 322 HP unit from the M235i and that’s another problem. You have to find middle ground and that’s going to be hard to do.
I can, however, see a 360 HP 3-liter unit being fitted to an M-modified chassis of a 2 Series taking on the A45 AMG in the future. That would be the only solution for an M2 and it would probably be brilliant. Unfortunately, the chances of such a car showing up are slimmer than the average Somalian.
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