M for Magic, M for Magnificent and M for Marvellous! Adjectives I’d be hard pressed to not use to describe the latest generation of M-ness from Bavaria. This the all-new 2nd generation BMW M2 is the smallest, cheapest and purest full-fat M car, and sequel to the best-selling M car globally (almost 60,000 examples sold) – the original M2.
And in an age of electrification and crossover body styles, BMW presents us with a refreshingly pure and simple spec. There is only the 2 door 4 seats M2 coupe with classic proportions, no convertible. Powered by a delicious 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six engine in the front driving the rear wheels only via a manual stick-shift gearbox in the centre!
So yes, welcome to the ‘last ever’ ‘petrol only’ ‘manual gearbox’ equipped M car. After this era, everything may well be a hybrid or electric only. And with my fingers wrapped around tightly the contours of the padded wheel, I chose to live and re-live this thrill-filled day!
Verdict: In a Class of One
The M2's performance potential, with its purist nature, improved tech and interior comfort with lots of modern-day creature comforts, means it's likely to be a double threat— both a track-day hero and a seriously exciting daily driver. At launch prices its up against the A45 S AMG which is a hatchback, while the M4 is almost half a crore more expensive. The 718 Cayman doesn’t have the extra 2 seats and if you’re thinking of the locally assembled M340i offers more bang for the buck, the M2 beats it on thrill, compactness and exclusivity.
Its superior dynamics with the manual gearbox option make it a clear winner. It’s a vastly improved vehicle - Quieter, roomier, more generously equipped only lacking ever-so-slightly a personality all its own, which the uncomplicated, uncompromising old M2 had in spadefuls. Look past that and the M2 really is in a class of One. No other small sporting coupe is as practical and thrilling enough as a daily driver and in many ways questions of the need for an M4 itself.
Engine, Ride & Performance
The 2023 M2 with that racier appearance and a length of just 4,580 mm (as long as a Honda City) it boasts of a chassis and footprint tuned for thrilling handling even during a daily runabout. The new S58 line of twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine off the M3 & M4 now find its way to the M2, pumping out 453 bhp—just 20 shy of the output of the M3’s standard engine. It doesn’t sound sensational but it’s rich in torque at 550Nm of it with a peak power delivery that lasts up to 5,870rpm, making overtaking quite entertaining.
But in all honesty, this new M2 is not a sequel to the feisty 1M or even the original M3. The smallest, lightest, cheapest, least powerful M car actually has grown in size (119mm longer, 33mm wider) is heavier than before (almost 1750 kilos), but definitely more powerful. And this M2 without the optional carbon roof touching north of a Crore rupees on-road won’t be easy to digest either. This personality shift of the M2 also brings some key merits – more interior space, comfortable ride & mature driving manners as well as, a posher interior.
Odds also are this is also the final rear-wheel drive M car. The M3 & M5 although brilliant with xDrive’s supreme capability, don’t really make us miss rear wheel only M cars.
The manual 6 speed gearbox I am driving today is exciting & nostalgic at the same time. Though it actually is slower and less efficient than the paddle shift automatic. A claimed 4.5 seconds from standstill to a 100 kph is starkly slower to 4.1 secs of the auto gearbox equipped M2. It’s thrilling to upshift that stick - but the clutch travel is a tad too long and the throws feel a little rubbery. Most disappointing of all, try flooring the accelerator around 2000 rpm and it’s a lazy climb toward 4000 rpm with very little speed built up. But once beyond, the real M experience takes on until 7000 rpm. Its throaty, fast and thrilling all at the same time with an odd pushing out the tail during a fast change in shifts and speed.
So, its sealed then, that the manual isn’t going to be my first choice. Drive modes allow you to switch between Comfort, Sport and Sport+. Set it all to Comfort and this is an unrecognisably comfier, quieter, more city-friendly machine than its dad. And in Sport with the M modes customisation, you can change every drive aspect including the new adaptive dampers and a slidable M Traction setting. It steers into corners a less frightfully than before while the body control is deeply professional but still shy of a Porsche.
Overall handling is excellent. The previous M2 was a brute as was fast and fun, but its relatively small footprint meant it was easy to overwhelm the chassis with the engine’s power delivery. No longer. Thanks to a staggered set of 19in and 20in wheels front and back with a 285 section-width rubber at the rear, the 2023 M2’s track width matches the M4 at 63.2 inches. The result is a machine far more capable of putting the power down earlier. That means more driver confidence and more smiles. You will feel the weight but it never detracts from the fun.
Inside, the M2 features the same layout as the 2-series coupe sold globally. Front seat space is plentiful but medium to tall passengers relegated to the rear may be wishing for a 3-series sedan. The M sport leather seats are supremely comfortable and feature dramatic bolstering and light-up M logos.
The new-generation M2 features more tech than the last one, including BMW's latest iDrive 8 infotainment interface with a curved digital dashboard split into 2 screens (12.3in driver’s display and a 14.9in infotainment touch sensitive display) as seen on the i4 and 3 series facelift. A host of driver-assistance features is now available too as standard. It’s wide opening boot with 395L of space and devoid of any spare tire is quite wholesome. With the rear seats folded flat, I was pleasantly surprised at how it gobbled up my road cycle with just the front wheel off. Very few sports coupe’s with this footprint can boast of this feat.
It’s the exterior design needs a special mention. It’s racy, pulled back, sits taut to the ground and has a retro-futuristic vibe to it - almost like a Toyota Supra! Admittedly the M2’s overall design theme seems a little less cohesive and will take some time to grow on you. The kidney grilles built directly into the front bumper, with no outline and squared-off openings on the lower fascia match similar outlines on the rear bumper – inspired by some sixties models but wish it would all have been a little less confusing and more appealing.
Price- ₹ 95L ex-showroom (est.)
Engine - 3.0L 6-cyl
Power- 453 bhp
Torque- 550 Nm
Transmission- 6spd manual
