RE: BMW M2: Review

[nickfrog]

rb5er said:

Now I see you are an owner of said crap seats I understand your excited defence of them.

You're probably judging him by your own standards.

[vz-r_dave]

s m said:

vz-r_dave said:

s m said:

vz-r_dave said:

Aesthetics aside I can not see why anyone would buy this over an M4?? They both perform so closely that there will be little to no difference on the road. Regardless of the article I do not buy it that the M2 is more nimble than the M4 on normal B road blasts. Throw in a race driver perhaps but for the average driver there will be no difference.

They needed to do more on the engine front and it should have no rear seats. Not that the seats are of any use if the driver is over 5'4.

I think they have missed a trick with this car, such a shame.

I'd definitely pick this over an M4

Why?

Assuming I had the money to buy both new, it seems pretty much as quick as the M4, is a bit smaller and a bit cheaper at 45k

I prefer the looks to the M4..... but I liked the 1 coupes as well and many people liken them to Noddys car

I liked the M1, that looked fantastic and was unique at the time given the M3 had a V8. The M2 in my books just is not different enough compared to the M3/4.

Aside from being smaller - (I don't see that as a good thing considering the M4 is a standard sized coupe in the first place) it doesn't have any other strong USP.

Appreciate it is cheaper, I think BMW were constrained as they are attempting to compete with the likes of the AMG45 etc. When in reality people would have paid the same price as an M4 (maybe a bit more) if it was a stripped, extreme version. Shame

[aeropilot]

vz-r_dave said:

Aside from being smaller - (I don't see that as a good thing considering the M4 is a standard sized coupe in the first place) it doesn't have any other strong USP.

Standard size coupe.....!! The M4 is bloody massive. I don't see the point in buying something that big that only has 2 doors?
So, yeah, I take a M2 over a M4 in a heartbeat.

In fact, if I had been Mr. BMW bossman, I would have just chucked the S55 engine in the M2 as the performance coupe, kept the M3 as is, but offered multi-function front seat option for those that desire a bit more comfort, and made the M4 vert only for those that like showing off their gold jewelery, rather driving and dropped the M5, and M6, and retained the M6GC. There would really be no ///M overlap then, and each car could be developed to the max without this 'treading on the toes of the next model up' nonsense that BMW keep banging on about.

[Top pup]

vz-r_dave said:

s m said:

vz-r_dave said:

s m said:

vz-r_dave said:

Aesthetics aside I can not see why anyone would buy this over an M4?? They both perform so closely that there will be little to no difference on the road. Regardless of the article I do not buy it that the M2 is more nimble than the M4 on normal B road blasts. Throw in a race driver perhaps but for the average driver there will be no difference.

They needed to do more on the engine front and it should have no rear seats. Not that the seats are of any use if the driver is over 5'4.

I think they have missed a trick with this car, such a shame.

I'd definitely pick this over an M4

Why?

Assuming I had the money to buy both new, it seems pretty much as quick as the M4, is a bit smaller and a bit cheaper at 45k

I prefer the looks to the M4..... but I liked the 1 coupes as well and many people liken them to Noddys car

I liked the M1, that looked fantastic and was unique at the time given the M3 had a V8. The M2 in my books just is not different enough compared to the M3/4.

Aside from being smaller - (I don't see that as a good thing considering the M4 is a standard sized coupe in the first place) it doesn't have any other strong USP.

Appreciate it is cheaper, I think BMW were constrained as they are attempting to compete with the likes of the AMG45 etc. When in reality people would have paid the same price as an M4 (maybe a bit more) if it was a stripped, extreme version. Shame

I was going to order a competition pack M4 earlier on in the year, I'm now quite far down the waiting list for an M2.
I'm afraid the M4 just felt like a gadget fest to me, and tbh felt more like a 5 series in size than a 3/4 series.

[MitchT]

I've noted a few comments berating the fact that the M2 has the 'N' series engine rather than the 'S' series engine that it *should* have, but I'm actually quite glad. The M4 with its *proper* M car engine doesn't sound all that good. Like the Porsche 718 it has me wishing the person driving it would stop changing up at 4,000 rpm. Then I realise they are relining it but it just sounds rather gruff and unexciting, even at 7,000 rpm. After watching POV test drive movies of the M235i and the 435i M Sport I realised just how much better the N series engine sounds - it has that lovely, smooth, bassy hum at low revs and the inimitable BMW straight six metallic bark at high revs - so I'm glad the M2 has a similar engine in it.

[Armagreggon]

Seems like a massive faux pas not to be able to turn off rev matching without disabling the dsc. Why on earth would anybody want this with a manual gearbox!!! Next thing you know they'll be playing engine noises through the speakers in their M-cars.....oh wait!

[Armagreggon]

Just my two pennies worth on whether it's worth the money, I'd take my 45k and buy... an e39 M5, e36 M3, e46 M3 and an 850CSI

[unsprung]

The wheel and tyre combination on this car achieves the perfect look, IMHO. The result is an aggressive stance (can I use that word without inciting hatred?) that suits the rest of the car. I would hope that it has the performance to match.

I had a quick look at kerb weight. As light as 1495kg, apparently. We can always say that we had hoped for less. But this is not bad, considering it's a four seater.

[Clivey]

Armagreggon said:

Seems like a massive faux pas not to be able to turn off rev matching without disabling the dsc. Why on earth would anybody want this with a manual gearbox!!! Next thing you know they'll be playing engine noises through the speakers in their M-cars.....oh wait!

Have to agree.

I know the aftermarket can get rid of the engine noise through the speakers nonsense but I just hope either BMW see sense and add an option in the car's software to allow you to turn the rev matching off, or that others figure-out how to.

[SuperVM]

Armagreggon said:

Just my two pennies worth on whether it's worth the money, I'd take my 45k and buy... an e39 M5, e36 M3, e46 M3 and an 850CSI

I think you'd probably get three of those four cars for £45k.

[ilovequo]

Armagreggon said:

Just my two pennies worth on whether it's worth the money, I'd take my 45k and buy... an e39 M5, e36 M3, e46 M3 and an 850CSI

Mint e46 & e90 saloon for me...

[PunterCam]

I had a poke around one in Munich a few months ago, and it certainly was a much more desirable looking thing than the M4 it was sitting next to.

Having said that, the engine, the £20k level interior, and the slight lack of class modern BMWs have would put me right off. That and the 1650kgs the car would weigh with me sitting in it!?!?! What the actual fk?! That's appalling if that's not a misprint.

[Clivey]

PunterCam said:

I had a poke around one in Munich a few months ago, and it certainly was a much more desirable looking thing than the M4 it was sitting next to.

Having said that, the engine, the £20k level interior, and the slight lack of class modern BMWs have would put me right off. That and the 1650kgs the car would weigh with me sitting in it!?!?! What the actual fk?! That's appalling if that's not a misprint.

£20k level interior? Really? Most of the parts are either shared with or are very similar to those you'd get in larger BMWs. I recently had a high-spec 330d as a courtesy car for a week and came away impressed with the comfort, refinement and quality. Same for the M135i and 235i.

[bosshog]

Armagreggon said:

Seems like a massive faux pas not to be able to turn off rev matching without disabling the dsc. Why on earth would anybody want this with a manual gearbox!!! Next thing you know they'll be playing engine noises through the speakers in their M-cars.....oh wait!

This would piss my right off very quickly I think, what a kill joy thing to do. This along with the weight and lack of steering feel would just stop me buying this sort of car. It appeals as a practical everyday car and looks lovely, but for the money there's much more involving cars out there for me.

[Artey]

Clivey said:

£20k level interior? Really? Most of the parts are either shared with or are very similar to those you'd get in larger BMWs. I recently had a high-spec 330d as a courtesy car for a week and came away impressed with the comfort, refinement and quality. Same for the M135i and 235i.

I agree it's more like a 15k interior. Especially the "man made" leatherette aka vinyl that they luckily don't want us to pay extra for yet on the continent they do. Oh the audacity.

[smilo996]

Looks amazing in that colour and those wheels.

What a practical alternative to the Boxter and Cayman.

BMW's design "language" is brilliant at the moment.

Performance seems to be up there too.

Wish they would consider a shooting brake on this platform.

[Gwedo]

I am sure its fun to drive but thats one bland looking car

[dunc_sx]

I bet resale value M2 vs M235 would turn a lot of these "which is better value" arguments on their ass.

Dunc.

[D200]

rb5er said:

D200 said:

You are the one who appears to be obsessed with the M2's seats.

Although you keep going on about how complete;y unbelievably and inexplicably st they are

Errm not quite sure why you think the above, it was only a mild criticism. If you had not continued to quote me for a reply on every post my only post in this thread would have been my first one when I (essentially) said "great car, shame about the crap seats". Hardly obsessed.

Now I see you are an owner of said crap seats I understand your excited defence of them.

Edited by rb5er on Monday 18th April 21:56

Not that it’s that relevant but I don’t actually own an M235i - posting via phone isn’t always the handiest

I said ‘I have not been in or driven an M2, but have a M235i.’ meaning I have sat in and driven an M235i [great car with a great interior] but don’t own one.

One car I own has 80’s cloth recaro seats plus I have an Audi with fancy winged seats [the seats are actually/sadly the best thing about this car]. And I have owned and driven various cars with really nice and expensive looking seats so I know a good seat when I see one. Nothing wrong with the M2 seats

[rb5er]

Nothing wrong with them in your opinion perhaps but for most posters here for £50k they would like to see a more sporty seat to go with a car of such performance as per other manufacturers rather than just a seat lifted out of any 1/2series with leather.

Opinions are like .........etc