Friday 23rd January 2015

Spied: BMW M2

Forthcoming baby M car is spotted inside the Arctic Circle

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As cold as Britain gets at this time of the year, it's nowhere near chilly enough for winter testing. Manufacturers go north - very far north - with frozen lakes inside the Arctic Circle one of the favourite locations for making sure forthcoming models can cope with extreme chill.

Four exhaust pipes? Check!

And, of course, like prototypes everywhere they're followed by a chasing pack of spy photographers, who willingly risk frostbite to snap future cars. And it's paid off here, with a great set of pictures of the BMW M2 wearing nothing more than BMW's light 'dazzle' disguise ahead of its debut later this year.

First impressions are that it looks like a slightly downsized E92 M3, which most of us would agree is a good thing. See the chunkier flared wheel arches, together with the trademark M car quad exhaust tailpipes.

Camo wrap would be good option

The M2 is the successor to the 1 M Coupe, which became an instant cult classic when it was launched back in 2011 and is still reckoned by many to be the best M car of the last five years. It will sit above the M235i, but below the M4, requiring some nifty footwork by the marketing department considering that all three cars will be powered by turbocharged 3.0-litre straight sixes.

But three different engines, with the M2's motor reportedly spun from BMW's next generation petrol six (while the M3 and M4 use an engine derived from the old N55). Autocar reckons it will produce a bit less than 400hp - to make sure it doesn't get too close to the M4 - and will be offered with both a six-speed manual gearbox and a seven-speed dual-clutch DCT. It should also be lighter and stiffer than the M235i thanks to the use of carbon and composite parts.

Here's hoping it's as good as the 1 M was.

[Source: Autocar]
[Pictures: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien]

[DeltaTango]

Most definitely at the top of my shopping list, should be a nice step up from the M135i. I hope the steering is an improvement.

What do we think the prices of these will be? £45k?